Every one knows how much careful waiting at table adds to the success of any meal, so that I need not here dwell upon its importance, but shall at once deal with the practical part and give the needed instructions and rules. The style of waiting, whether for a private or public dinner, or other meal, is practically the same, although the method of execution in the service may differ somewhat. To begin with, the waiter must be well acquainted with the menu and its contents, for this will guide him as to the quantity of table service, &c., needed. An intelligent waiter can well manage to serve six guests properly. He must see that each person is served with bread, butter, beverages as often as these are needed, and they must be kept at hand. Waiters must pay strict attention to the following elementary but essential rules : — See that every plate, knife, fork, spoon, glass, cup, saucer, and dish placed before guests are properly clean. Make it a practice to wipe the bottom of every dish before placing it on the table, and when found necessary the edges of dishes should be wiped with a towel or napkin before presenting same at table. Plates and dishes must be cleared with as little noise as possible. Dirty plates, glasses, &c., should never be allowed to accumulate in a dining-room. Never place a spoon in a guest’s soup-plate, coffee or tea cup, or indeed into any liquid food, because it is the custom that the guest and not the waiter should have that privilege. When serving tea, coffee, milk, or any other kind of drink special care must be taken not to spill the contents, so that the under plate or saucer is clean and dry when placed on the table. SERVICE BE TABLE (TABLE SERVICE) 705 In filling glasses with water or wine do not fill them right up, and when putting in ice for cooling use a spoon and not the fingers. Waiters, when speaking to guests or when handing anything to them, should avoid having their face coming in too close contact with that of the guest, this being considered very objectionable. The following is the order of serving the various courses of a dinner : — Hors-d’oeuvre. — These, with the exception of oysters, are usually dished up on little china or glass dishes and placed on the table before the commencement of the meal. As soon as the guests are seated the hors-d’oeuvre is handed from the left-hand side of the guest. When oysters are served the same rule applies : these are accompanied with a plate of thinly cut bread and butter, and quarters of lemon, which must be handed round at the same time. The Removal of Plates must be effected from the right, and must be done as noiselessly as possible. Special stress must be laid upon this ; the rule should be strictly observed throughout the meal when the changing of plates takes place. The Soup. — As soon as the hors-d’oeuvre plates are removed the soup should be brought in, and unless served from the side-hoard or serving table the tureen containing the sou,p must be placed at the head of the table, with a ladle. The soup plates, unless a frappe or iced consomme is served, must be hot. The waiter handing the soup should take care to place it in front of the guest from a position on the right, though it must be remembered that all other dishes are presented to the guests from the left. Wine is served immediately after the soup.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Every one knows how much careful waiting at table adds to the success of any meal, so that I need not here dwell upon its importance, but shall at once deal with the practical part and give the needed instructions and rules. The style of waiting, whether for a private or public dinner, or other meal, is practically the same, although the method of execution in the service may differ somewhat. To begin with, the waiter must be well acquainted with the menu and its contents, for this will guide him as to the quantity of table service, &c., needed. An intelligent waiter can well manage to serve six guests properly. He must see that each person is served with bread, butter, beverages as often as these are needed, and they must be kept at hand. Waiters must pay strict attention to the following elementary but essential rules : — See that every plate, knife, fork, spoon, glass, cup, saucer, and dish placed before guests are properly clean. Make it a practice to wipe the bottom of every dish before placing it on the table, and when found necessary the edges of dishes should be wiped with a towel or napkin before presenting same at table. Plates and dishes must be cleared with as little noise as possible. Dirty plates, glasses, &c., should never be allowed to accumulate in a dining-room. Never place a spoon in a guest’s soup-plate, coffee or tea cup, or indeed into any liquid food, because it is the custom that the guest and not the waiter should have that privilege. When serving tea, coffee, milk, or any other kind of drink special care must be taken not to spill the contents, so that the under plate or saucer is clean and dry when placed on the table. SERVICE BE TABLE (TABLE SERVICE) In filling glasses with water or wine do not fill them right up, and when putting in ice for cooling use a spoon and not the fingers. Waiters, when speaking to guests or when handing anything to them, should avoid having their face coming in too close contact with that of the guest, this being considered very objectionable. The following is the order of serving the various courses of a dinner : — Hors-d’oeuvre. — These, with the exception of oysters, are usually dished up on little china or glass dishes and placed on the table before the commencement of the meal. As soon as the guests are seated the hors-d’oeuvre is handed from the left-hand side of the guest. When oysters are served the same rule applies : these are accompanied with a plate of thinly cut bread and butter, and quarters of lemon, which must be handed round at the same time. The Removal of Plates must be effected from the right, and must be done as noiselessly as possible. Special stress must be laid upon this ; the rule should be strictly observed throughout the meal when the changing of plates takes place. The Soup. — As soon as the hors-d’oeuvre plates are removed the soup should be brought in, and unless served from the side-hoard or serving table the tureen containing the sou,p must be placed at the head of the table, with a ladle. The soup plates, unless a frappe or iced consomme is served, must be hot. The waiter handing the soup should take care to place it in front of the guest from a position on the right, though it must be remembered that all other dishes are presented to the guests from the left. Wine is served immediately after the soup.

The new century cookery book