Evening star., 1939-07-30
MACAZnNI
FOR SUCCESSFUL SUMMER PARTIES
by Emily Post

year on which do not explain to
I someone: 1T does not matter half
so much what you do or say, as how
you do or say it." This question be-
came almost national recently, when it
was announced by the press that
Mrs. Roosevelt would give a picnic
for the British King and Queen. with
hot dogs as the outstanding dish. Let
ters from amazed citizens poured into
the newspaper Offices.
Why everyone was so excited about
the thought of king and queen at
picnic l could not see Here was
situation, the success of which de-
pended on HOW the picnic would be
handled. 1t was also an exceptionally
good illustration of an adjustment Of
convention - this time an adjustment
of informality to meet the exactions of
formality.
As matter of fact, picnic could
be as formal as any ceremonial func-
ton if one chose to make it so. Not
that Mrs. Roosevelt would do so -
and thereby spoil the whole idea. But
in any case, we might have been sure
from the beginning that Their Majes-
ties would not have to forage for
themselves, and that they would be
given plenty of other foods - all
properly dished and served. In my
opinion, the plan to let them witness
thoroughly American custom was
pleasant, as we'll as interesting.
Moreover, the fact that the most
exalted personages in the world today,
could, and did; 60 to picnic and eat
hot dogs, should lay forever at rest the
fears of Mrs. Average Hostess, lest
this or that kind of party is not good
enough for the Uptops! 1t does, of
course, somewhat depend on whether
the Uptops are really top class or are
camoufaged upstarts! And very, very
much. it depends on how well Mrs.
A.1H. knows how to give the kind of
party she has in mind.
Don't attempt any hard-to-give
party, unless you have had practise.
At the top of parties not to be given
by the unpractised, should in winter
put dinner of ceremony. But in mid
summer, l think first place belongs
to clam bake When attempted by
the inexpert the results of this can be
too awful to describe But clam bakes,
given by those who know how, are
something else again.
If you are intending to give one.
only the enthusiasts should be invited
to watch (or help with the oven
making. The other guests should not
come until time to open the oven. At
especial clam-bake beaches, people sit
on benches at board tables. Otherwise
they sit on the sand and eat on their
laps, as at all typical picnics.
To begin with, you dig trench
about a foot-and-a-half deep, and in
it build big fire. Keep feeding it so
that it burns hard for an hour, until
the bottom is filled deep with white
hot embers. Then, working as fast as
you can. throw on a layer of big fiat
stones. Then layer of seaweed on the
stones; then potatoes since they take
longest to roast, and with them, if you
like, split Holsters and broiler chickens.
Next comes another layer of seaweed;
then corn (in its husks of course) and
perhaps apples; then layer of sea-
weed; and then the clans; and then a
thiek blanket of seaweed and, on this,
some small dishpans put on like covers.
Finally on top of all goes canvas
(an old sail usually, weighted down
around all the edges with sand and
stones. And leave it for an hour.
Meanwhile, all the non-working
guests are given cocktails or tomato
juice. A l-to-attention or a bell an
nounces the ceremony of the opening
of the oven. The canvas is turned back.
the dishpans lifted, the seaweed raked
off, and CLAIMS are shovelled into the
vou hot d;chnaoc oro,,nd xuh;rk small