Evening star., 1937-03-13
Essential
Pieces of
Porcelain
Choice of Pattern
Guided by Style
ofDining Room.
BY EMILY POST.

DEAR MRS. POST: What essential
pieces of china would you sug-
gest for reasonable amount OF lunch
and dinner giving a simple but
nicely appointed house And would
you suggest decorated or plain china,
and in either case must everything
match?
misunderstanding quantities for
eight, which is, let's say, as many as
you are likely to seat at your table, this
would mean three times eight medium
sized (9-inch) plates, which can be
used for breakfast, all courses at lunch
and all except the meat course at din
ner. Of your dining table is small
perhaps you will prefer 81 inch
plates) At dinner this would be eight
for fish, eight for salad and eight for
dessert. You put the salad plate on
the table as a place plate first, then
take it away and bring it back again
later. (Using the same plate for serv-
ice and for salad doesn't interfere be-
cause the soup plate or saucer stands
on it, and Is carried away on it. Eight
dinner plates 90 or 10A inches), eight
bread and butter plates C. inches or
less). Eight deep glass plates with
rims, with finger bowls to match. This
plate should be put on top of china
plate for stewed fnits (even at break
fast) and for all desserts that are very
liquid and eaten with spoon. Then
either eight cream soup cups or else
eight soup plates with rims Eight
after dinner coffee cups and saucers.
Add two vegetable dishes, possibly
three, and at least three platters and
gravy boat. II your breakfast cups
and saucers are not too large they may
be used for afternoon tea.
Do not under any circumstances buy
service (place) plates that are out of
harmony with the china used for other
courses, or unlike your bread and but
ter plates (unless you will use silver or
glass ones) and do not have them
overlarge. The regular medium sized
plates already suggested can perfectly
well be used as service plate, or, if
you prefer, you can use the dinner
plate
Whether you choose ornately deco
rated china, or that which is conserva-
lively plain, is matter of your own
taste-which is guided, Of course, by
the style of your dining room and more
particularly by your other table ap-
pointments. Whether you choose
china with cream ground or white, or
colored, necessarily depends upon the
color of the tablecloth or table upon
which it is to be set. But the problem
is not SO much to find attractive pat
terms Of china as to decide which,
among the many, to choose.
X X X
YEAR MRS. POST: When our
club gives large tea, who should
be asked to pour-honored guests,
club officers or members of the COM
mittee in charge? Is being asked to
sit at the tea table to be considered
an honorary position or duty, which
cannot be imposed upon just any
one?
Answer-It is always an honor, but
a very intimate one. At club, tea
would be poured by two of the officers
Of the club. In a private house, tea
would be poured by one or two Of the
most intimate friends of the hostess,
who, in her opinion, can be counted
on to be both practiced and charm
ing
X ks
nEAR MRS. POST: Is one sup
posed to leave cards at late
afternoon wedding reception?
Answer-Although this Is custom
which belongs to the past rather than
To today, stranger 10 the brides
family may very properly leave cards
on the hall table
tCopyrisht, 1917