Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-11
Serving the Family Dinner
Efforts Should Be Made to Master Art of Correct
Carving of Meat, Fowl and Fish-Correct
Equipment for Table.

The family dinner requires that some
member of the family be skilled in
carving. There is a gracious hospital
ity in the English style of table service
at small dinner parties in the home.
In this style all the food is served by
carves and serves the meat and vege-
tables. The hostess serves the salad,
dessert and coffee.
To be a good carver requires a
knowledge of the anatomy of that which
is to be carved The necessary familiar
ity, with the location of the joints and
the direction in which the fiberS run
can best be acquired by experience in
handling meats before as well as after
cooking.
Good carving cannot be done unless
the carver has good tools to work with.
Sharp carving knives of different sizes
are needed for different purposes. Two
or three knives, a strong tWo-pronged
fork with guards. a steel and serving
spoon for the gravy are enough for use
in the average household. A sharp
pointed knife about 9 inches long is
the best kind for general use in cary
ing joints of meat and poultry. Knives
should be kept sharp. but should never
be sharpened at the table. Game and
poultry carving knives have smaller
blade and longer handle than most
knives, as the blade has to be inserted
between the joints of the bird or game,
If a carving board is not used, the
platter upon which the carving is done
must be large enough to give room for
the uncarved portion of the meat, foW!
or fish and the pieces that have been
carved. Lacking a platter large enough
to make this possible, it will be found
convenient to have an extra platter or
plate on which to place the pieces of
meat as they are carved. Enough por-
tons to serve every one should be
carved before any one is served.
Learn to carve neatly, without scat
tering bits of meat.
Sit in chair which brings your
arms just few inches above the meat
to be carved and makes the movements
easy and natural. The guests should
appear absolutely unconscious of the
efforts of the carver. Even the most
skillful carver will lose confidence If
he or she becomes the center Of attrac-
ton.
Economy and Taste.
Good carving means not only a more
appetizing and better tasting dish, but
also greater economy in the use of meat.
Except for few very tender cuts, the
carving must be across the grain. This
cuts the fibers and makes the meat
IlOIe leIlOcI. Lite uledI Will NC SIIlIlSy
if cut with the grain. To be a skillful
carver, one must have knowledge of
the direction of the grain and the To-
cation of the joints, if there are any in
the piece of meat to be carved.
As a rule, when meat is not stuffed,
the platter is placed in front of the
carver with the thickest part at his
right. Thus, the thick part of leg
of mutton or the broad end of sir
nj hn of no nj
the one who carves.
The carving fork should be thrust
firmly down through the thickest part
of the joint, with the convex side OF
its prongs toward the right and its
guard lifted. The spring will hold it
up so that it will arrest an upward
turning action of the knife. The knife
is usually employed in downward action
which is much the easiest, but certain
skillful touches by an expert carver call
for circular movement of the knife
blade, beginning downward. completing
a circle and ending upward.
The carving fork is not removed after
it is once inserted. but by means of 1t
the joint can be held in the position
most convenient to the carver; whether
upright or inclined to one side or the
other. The knife. which must be very
sharp, should be held in the right hand
while In use, and when not in use
should be placed with its tip resting on
the glass support used for the purpose
or placed across the dish at right angles
to its long side.
When carving slice OF meat, after
the first incision has been made, the
angle at which the knife is held should
never be changed or jagged slice will
be the result. When the way to con-
troll the knife has been mastered, the
carver is on the way to success. The