Evening star., 1935-12-08


among the many who
have had to adjust
our hospitality to a greatly depleted income,
or whether we are among the few who still
have houses of size and perfect appointment
There are three delightful things about
E buffet suppers that appeal to nearly all of us.
First there is no handicap in lack of service.
no distress caused by the yesterday minded
hostess who keeps dozen couteously prompt
guests waiting for those Never On Times On
the other hand. for those of us whose training
in department included awareness of the
essential courtesy of never keeping others
waiting, an invitation to stand-up (buffet)
supper allows us to dress without constantly
looking at the clock and to arrive more or less
at our leisure without running the risk of
being either rude or breathless.
Those who arrive promptly and like to eat
promptly, do So Those who come late fare
almost as WELL and no one is made to do any
thing he (or she) doesn't want to - and that
seems to be the ultimate in present day hos
ptalty. So suppose we may as we'll leave
it at that and go on to definite details.
To begin with, the scope of buffet party
has no limits. At the informal end of the scale
picnic is the most casual and unceremonious
buffet possible. From this point of simplicity,
buffet parties range in gradually ascending
scale through stand-up breakfasts, luncheons.
dinners and suppers, to the collation. of the
most elaborate wedding or ball. In short,
whether it includes half dozen neighbors or
half thousand guests, each one of these
greatly differing parties is served from
buffet.
Buffet service means that all sorts of things
good to eat and to look at are set out upon
table, or a sideboard. or upon a cloth laid
upon the grass or sand. These things" to
eat vary of course in kind from camp cooking
at a picnic. or simple chafing- dish specialtes
in a one-room apartment, to every epicwean
speciality that a great chef can produce But
the most typical - meaning popular -of all
the buffet meals that can be imagined is the
informal stand-up breakfast, luncheon or
supper spread out upon the dining room table
from which the guests help themselves and
then go and sit where and with whom they
please.
Since, as already said, the hour of buffet
meal is more or less elastic, certain number
of dishes and kettles, heated either by alcohol
lamps or electricity, are essential. And the
menu must be carefully chosen so that it will
be as good at eight O'Clock, let us say, as
when it is put on the table at seven. Definitely
the table equipment includes variety of
cha6ng dishes, or hot water buffet dish
with several compartments, and one or two
electric or alcohol-lam urns in which to keep
coffee or chocolate hot
1t is very important that hostesses, who
give buffet parties often, collect supply of
small tables so that each guest can put down
extra plates, glasses, and cups and saucers.
But, Of course if it is not practical to store so
many tables, though they come in compact
nests of four, then people naturally have to
hold their plates in their hands and put their
cups and saucers and glasses down wherever
space can be found - even on the floor.
1t is said that the depression was responsible
for the buffet supper craze, but now that its
popularity is in full swing, it would seem safe