sh habit of lifting the strainer. Again, these strainers are used as traps, in
order to prevent unpleasant odours rising in the house. A strainer once lifted is
very apt to be forgotten, and the sink is thus often put into open communication
with the drain ; the sewer gas rises in the house, spreading the deadly seeds of fever.
The same remarks that applied to the washing of plates and spoons and forks
apply equally to the washing of glass. Glass should always be washed in plain cold
water. Now it is evident that a tumbler, say that has contained stout, or a wine-
glass that has contained port Avine, will be easily washed when moist, but that if the
stout or port be allowed to get diy in the glass that some time will have to be
expended in cleaning it. Directly glasses are brought down-stairs they should be
rinsed in cold water and turned upside down to get dry by themselves. Wet glasses
take a long time to dry, and when dried generally present a fluffy appearance, that
necessitates theii* being re-wiped. Let, therefore, the glasses dry themselves, and
when dry let them be polished with a good large soft leather ; and, whatever you do,
do not use the glass leather for any other purpose save that of polishing the glass.
Again, glasses when dried with a cloth are very apt to break, especially those
that have very thin stems, as the cloth sticks to the glass, and in twisting it is
apt to crack. When, therefore, a leather is used care should be taken that it is
perfectly dry, as a damp leather is as liable to break glass as a damp cloth is.
When dinner is brought to a close, those waiting should bear in mind that their
first thought shovild be the table. It will sometimes be found that in clearing away
this is ovei-looked, and that the waiters begin what may be termed clearmg the
poom before they finish clearing the table. The one thought should be, not to keep
people waiting one instant longer than is absolutely necessary. Consequently, it is
more important to put the wine glasses, wine, &c., on the table than it is to get rid
of some of the things that may have been left from the dinner in the room. Where
there are two persons waiting it will be found a gi-eat saving of time if one carries a
large tray in both hands whilst the other removes the things quickly and quietly
from the table and places them on it.
Ixxvi
CASSELLS DICTIONARY OF COOKERY.
There is one point in connection with dinner that should never be forgotten, and
tliat is the importance of having a menu. When the dishes are not placed on the
table a menu is absolutely essential ; and even when the dishes are placed on the
table it is always desirable to know — first, what the dishes are ; secondly, what is
going to follow. In many private houses a menu is omitted because the host and
hostess think that having one has the apjiearance of ostentation. This is, however,
a very mistaken notion. How often do persons pass by perhaps their favourite
dish simply because they have taken something before, not knowing it was coming.
Again, how often would some small eaters decide on say a second piece of mutton or
not according to whether game would follow !
Page 92
Presented as published in 1892. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
sh habit of lifting the strainer. Again, these strainers are used as traps, in order to prevent unpleasant odours rising in the house. A strainer once lifted is very apt to be forgotten, and the sink is thus often put into open communication with the drain ; the sewer gas rises in the house, spreading the deadly seeds of fever.
The same remarks that applied to the washing of plates and spoons and forks apply equally to the washing of glass. Glass should always be washed in plain cold water. Now it is evident that a tumbler, say that has contained stout, or a wineglass that has contained port wine, will be easily washed when moist, but that if the stout or port be allowed to get diy in the glass that some time will have to be expended in cleaning it. Directly glasses are brought down-stairs they should be rinsed in cold water and turned upside down to get dry by themselves. Wet glasses take a long time to dry, and when dried generally present a fluffy appearance, that necessitates their being re-wiped. Let, therefore, the glasses dry themselves, and when dry let them be polished with a good large soft leather ; and, whatever you do, do not use the glass leather for any other purpose save that of polishing the glass.
Again, glasses when dried with a cloth are very apt to break, especially those that have very thin stems, as the cloth sticks to the glass, and in twisting it is apt to crack. When, therefore, a leather is used care should be taken that it is perfectly dry, as a damp leather is as liable to break glass as a damp cloth is.
When dinner is brought to a close, those waiting should bear in mind that their first thought should be the table. It will sometimes be found that in clearing away this is overlooked, and that the waiters begin what may be termed clearmg the poom before they finish clearing the table. The one thought should be, not to keep people waiting one instant longer than is absolutely necessary. Consequently, it is more important to put the wine glasses, wine, &c., on the table than it is to get rid of some of the things that may have been left from the dinner in the room. Where there are two persons waiting it will be found a great saving of time if one carries a large tray in both hands whilst the other removes the things quickly and quietly from the table and places them on it.
Ixxvi
There is one point in connection with dinner that should never be forgotten, and tliat is the importance of having a menu. When the dishes are not placed on the table a menu is absolutely essential ; and even when the dishes are placed on the table it is always desirable to know — first, what the dishes are ; secondly, what is going to follow. In many private houses a menu is omitted because the host and hostess think that having one has the appearance of ostentation. This is, however, a very mistaken notion. How often do persons pass by perhaps their favourite dish simply because they have taken something before, not knowing it was coming. Again, how often would some small eaters decide on say a second piece of mutton or not according to whether game would follow !