SERVICE DE TABLE ( TABLE SERVICE). However able a chef de cuisine may be, his best efforts will not receive the full meed of praise which is their due if the dining-room service is not perfect. As that prince of gastronomic penmen, Monsieur Chatilon Plessis, has justly said, the dining-room is the gourmet’s theatre, the table his stage. Now if the ‘ play ’ is to be enjoyed the ‘ theatre ’ must be comfortable, the stage of adequate dimensions, the * scenic ’ accessories as complete and beautiful as circumstances will allow. The success of the dinner, as that of the play, depends largely upon the skilful ‘ staging.’ This means that a dining-room should be not only a comfortable but a cheerful room, furnished appropriately, while the tables should be laid or ‘ set ’ with a view not only to supply the needs of diners as each dish is brought on but with the direct design of pleasing the eye. All artistic productions require suitable framing. Snowy drapery, sparkling glass, bright silver and steel, with graceful flowers and foliage, are as necessary to the proper appreciation of a well-cooked meal as is an appropriate mounting to the setting off of a precious gem. The artistic folding of serviettes is another important item ; indeed it is an art in itself, and should be thoroughly understood by the maitre d’hotel as well as the waiter. Let it not be supposed that this is a mere triviality. The ‘ maitre d’hotel ’ fully knows how these £ trifles ’ tell in the general impression received by guests. Although rich materials make it easier to obtain good effects, the artistic soul may produce excellent results, even with humble articles, if properly utilised. The first principles in table laying are absolute cleanliness and systematic orderliness. Let us see how these two cardinal virtues apply to the subject in hand. First, then, the table must be carefully chosen : be it square, oblong, or round, it should be firm, of the proper height, and, whenever pos- sible, adapted to the occasion ; that is to say, having due regard to the style of the repast and the number of guests, it should be so placed that adequate light is afforded to every member of the party ; but this consideration presents no difficulties when artificial illumi- nants are to be used. We must now take into consideration the dressing of the table. The tablecloth should be of good damask, with SERVICE DE TABLE ( TABLE SERVICE ) 703 artistic but not too obtrusive a pattern. It is essential that it should be of a pure white, and, moreover, that it should be carefully ironed and neatly folded. A badly folded cloth invariably looks untidy ; but if the creases are long and the cross folds far apart greater smooth- ness is obtained. The elaborate coloured and embroidered centre- cloths have gone out of fashion ; and it is well that it should be so ; but a judicious use of tinted satins, silks, and ribbons deserves to be encouraged. Such centre-pieces, however, should be strictly propor- tionate to the size of the table and the style of the floral decorations. Neither in texture nor in colour should they be too prominent. Another happy innovation of the last decade or two is that table decorations are kept low.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

SERVICE DE TABLE ( TABLE SERVICE). However able a chef de cuisine may be, his best efforts will not receive the full meed of praise which is their due if the dining-room service is not perfect. As that prince of gastronomic penmen, Monsieur Chatilon Plessis, has justly said, the dining-room is the gourmet’s theatre, the table his stage. Now if the ‘ play ’ is to be enjoyed the ‘ theatre ’ must be comfortable, the stage of adequate dimensions, the * scenic ’ accessories as complete and beautiful as circumstances will allow. The success of the dinner, as that of the play, depends largely upon the skilful ‘ staging.’ This means that a dining-room should be not only a comfortable but a cheerful room, furnished appropriately, while the tables should be laid or ‘ set ’ with a view not only to supply the needs of diners as each dish is brought on but with the direct design of pleasing the eye. All artistic productions require suitable framing. Snowy drapery, sparkling glass, bright silver and steel, with graceful flowers and foliage, are as necessary to the proper appreciation of a well-cooked meal as is an appropriate mounting to the setting off of a precious gem. The artistic folding of serviettes is another important item ; indeed it is an art in itself, and should be thoroughly understood by the maitre d’hotel as well as the waiter. Let it not be supposed that this is a mere triviality. The ‘ maitre d’hotel ’ fully knows how these £ trifles ’ tell in the general impression received by guests. Although rich materials make it easier to obtain good effects, the artistic soul may produce excellent results, even with humble articles, if properly utilised. The first principles in table laying are absolute cleanliness and systematic orderliness. Let us see how these two cardinal virtues apply to the subject in hand. First, then, the table must be carefully chosen : be it square, oblong, or round, it should be firm, of the proper height, and, whenever possible, adapted to the occasion ; that is to say, having due regard to the style of the repast and the number of guests, it should be so placed that adequate light is afforded to every member of the party ; but this consideration presents no difficulties when artificial illuminants are to be used. We must now take into consideration the dressing of the table. The tablecloth should be of good damask, with SERVICE DE TABLE ( TABLE SERVICE ) artistic but not too obtrusive a pattern. It is essential that it should be of a pure white, and, moreover, that it should be carefully ironed and neatly folded. A badly folded cloth invariably looks untidy ; but if the creases are long and the cross folds far apart greater smoothness is obtained. The elaborate coloured and embroidered centrecloths have gone out of fashion ; and it is well that it should be so ; but a judicious use of tinted satins, silks, and ribbons deserves to be encouraged. Such centre-pieces, however, should be strictly proportionate to the size of the table and the style of the floral decorations. Neither in texture nor in colour should they be too prominent. Another happy innovation of the last decade or two is that table decorations are kept low.

The new century cookery book