Evening star., 1935-08-11


then bitten off. When the center is reached
the thistle part is scraped away with the
knife. and the heart" eaten with fork.
Gravy, Condiments, Pickles, Jelly, Etc:
Gravy should be put on the meat; the condi-
ment, as well as pickles and jelly, at the side
of whatever it accompanies. Olives, radishes,
or celery are put on the bread and butter
plate if there is one; otherwise on the edge
of the plate from which one is eating. When
there is no bread and butter plate, bread and
salted nuts are put on the tablecloth.
Broiled Lobster: This is called finger food
because otherwise the meat in the claws can
not be eaten unless they have been not only
cracked but literally broken in half. A certain
hostess, who during the summer season serves
lobster in half broken shells. always has
finger bowls of quite warm water, slightly
soaped, put at each place.
Bones. Pits, and Seeds: Fish bones or other
accidental bones are taken between finger and
thumb and removed between compressed lips.
Pits and seeds must be eaten quite bare and
clean in the mouth and then dropped into
the cupped fist and then into the plate.
The pits of stewed prunes or cherries that
are eaten with spoon are made clean and as
dry as possible in the mouth with the tongue
and teeth and then they may be dropped
into the spoon with which you are eating,
and conveyed to the edge of the plate But
even so people with best manners usually drop
the pits, even of stewed prunes or cherries,
into the cupped hand.
Salt on the Tablecloth: Putting salt on the
tablecloth and then pinching it between the
fingers to put it on food is very old custom
and therefore not tabu if it so happens that
saltcellar is not on one side of ones plate
But dipping celery or radishes into this
salt on the table is never permitted. Salt
that is to be dipped into should be put on the
bread and butter plate or. if you have none,
then on the rim of the soup plate or fish plate
or whatever plate is in front of you.
Soup in Cups: Bouillon is tested for tenn
peratWe by being slipped with the spoon.
After that. it is picked up by one or both
handles and drunk When thick soups are
served in cups. you eat any solid part of it
with the spoon and then either drink the rest
or eat it with spoon, as you prefer.
Crackers with Soup: Croutons. which are
part of the garnishing of the soup. are either
put in each soup plate before the soup is
served or else passed separately in a dish
with small serving spoon and each person
puts spoonful in his soup. Oyster crackers as
well as any others are put on the bread and
butter plate. or on the tablecloth - and two
or three pieces at time are broken into the
soup and then eaten and fresh ones broken.
Cheese: Whenever cheese is served you
should be given silver bladed knife. But if
you are given no knife, then obviously you
must put it on cracker or on a piece of let
tuce with your fork. Cheese such as Camem-
bert is impossible to eat without knife,
therefore if you are hostess, be sure to re-
member this.
Without Salad Knife: In we'll appointed
houses silver bladed knife should be given
you with all leafy salads But if you happen
to be given none, then you do the best you
can by cutting each leaf into very small pieces
with fork and eating them in sample bites.
How to hold Stemmed Glasses: A water
goblet is held with thumb and first two fingers
around the bowl and the two remaining fingers
partly around stem. Smaller glasses are held
by stem.
Olives and Cherries in Cocktails Drink the
liquid and when the glass is drained it is easy
enough to tip the glass and drop the cherry
into your mouth.
Copyright, 1895. by Emily Post