Evening star., 1943-01-21
Little But Good
Sets Tempo of
Wartime Party
Quiet Gatherings
Aid to Morale;
Display 'Ont'
BY Arthnr II. Denfe

The giving of dinner parties, espe-
cially the small dinner parties,
promises to become more and more
a wartime essential. In these dis
tracing times the dinner party for
mot less than seven, nor more
than eleven" seems TO be the core
and backbone of social morale. Here
is offered the opportunity of bring
Ing together groups of kinfolk or
of old friends with an admixture of
new friends, which does so much
to maintain worthwhile ties.
In days when large parties are
hardly fitting the small dinner party
is most appropriate. And it can
well be made much in harmony
with the day-to-day life of the
small group of guests.
Planning the menu for such a
small dinner party suggests the
keynote Of little and good" Care
full preparation and pleasing serv-
ice are substitutes for lavish ex-
penditures for expensive food-even
If 1t can be obtained.
First, let us do away with that
overgroWn misconception of a fine
dinner-the hors d'oeuvres platter.
The oftentimes stale and soggy as
sortments of overrich tidbits con-
sumed in quantities together with
a flow of cocktails really do not
start a good dinner. On the con-
trary, they stop it dead in its tracks.
In place of the mixtures of eggs
and fish and sausages> and bread
and toast and what not, we like to
follow the advice of RoSsini and
conf1ne our nibbling proclivities to
radishes, picked gherkins, an
chovies and butter-with a few bits
of dry, hard bread We can even
include few pieces of celery and,
for those who like them, some raw
carrots, cuts julienne. In this way
we build up to the dinner, not away
from it.
If we can get them fresh and
cold, raw oysters in their half shells
and their own liquor are, of course,
most desirable. But let us try keep
ing away from the heavy tomato
and horseradish sauces which only
run the oyster off of the scene. Let us
make mignonette sauce-merely
some whole white pepper corns,
crushed coarsely, some minced
shallots (or onion) a spoonful of
celery seed and a little tarragon
vinegar. Store together and serve as
the only sauce.
And then a cup of vegetable bouil-
Ion, using the odds and ends of a
couple of chickens, cooked with Gel
cry greens, little onion, a carrot,
pepper and salt-but with the broth
well made and reduced for strength.
OF course, all the vegetables are
strained out.
Chickens may be served in a
variety of ways, but we'll done
carefully prepared. With the chick
en- only small plain boiled potatoes
will be enough, because we shall
want to do our own dish of veg
etables so well that, In the French
manner, We will serve helpings on
plates, as a course following the
chicken.
Now we may taper off. If the
guests are of the teetotal persuasion,
we may have no wine, so then we
shall have to have a sweeter and
richer dessert. But if we are per-
nitted bottle of one of the now
excellent native white wines with
the chicken, we can then go on to
good conversation with nothing to
interrupt but bowl of raisins and
some nuts and few apples with
good back coffee. And the sooner
we learn to refrain entirely from
cream and sugar, the more We'll en-
Joy our after dinner coffee At this
point, but not until this point,
cigarettes or cigars or even honey
pipe may appear. But no person
who values fine fiavors of food or
wine will smoke before this, neither
will he lessen the enjoyment of
flavor on the part of another guest.
Around this simple dessert, fol-
lowing this little but good" dinner,
the group of 7 to II can merge into
good conversation, an almost lost
art which is even now again find
ing itself. Then, too, there is no
need for further entertainment
we linger around the table until 10-A-
and SO home and to sleep against
the coming of another busy day.