9. Of soup, or of fish, which forms the second course, no one should ever take
the second plate.
10. It is not necessary to wait until all are served before beginning to eat.
11. In a formal dinner all are helped by the servants, who places the portion
before each.
12. Sauce should never be poured upon any article of food; if you wish it, the
footman or servant helps you with a sauce-ladle.
13. Never call for any particular part of a dish, but being asked, do not hesi-
tate to state your preference.
PHILOSOPHY AND PRECEPTS OF ETIQUETTE. 383
14. Never suffer your plate to be helped to a dish of which you do not know
the nature ; it is best to ask modestly and plainly what it is, as no one is supposed to
be a chef de cuisine, and familiar with all dishes.
IX. How to Serve a Dinner.
Every dinner may not be grand, but no matter what its cost, it can be served in
such a manner as to impress all the guests favorably. Table and room should be
handsomely decorated, and if it is possible to obtain them, flowers should adorn both
room and board. The glass should be brilliant, the silver and cutlery well polished,
and cloth and napkins fresh and white. Creme or ecru cloths and napkins, which
have began to come into favor, are used only for breakfast, luncheon or cold suppers;
never at a formal dinner-table, with its broad glare of light.
Servants, Carving, etc. — l. Servants should be well trained, and everything
go off smoothly, and without vexation or nervousness on the part of host or hostess.
2. The fashion denominated service a la Russe, but which is really of French
origin, relieves the host of a very unpleasant duty ; all of the carving being done by
one of the servants, before the joints, roasts, etc., are brought to the table.
3. Where the menu, or bill of fare is in vogue, the guest is thus notified in ad-
vance what to expect, and those who have preferences are enabled to await their
appearance.
Order of Dishes. — l. After soup comes the fish, then the entrees, or made
dishes; and next comes the turkey, beef, lamb, or other piece de resistance. Where
raw oysters are served they are placed, opened, but in one side of the shell, upon the
plates before the guests enter the room, and on their removal the soup is served.
2. Game, puddings, jellies, etc., are next in order.
3. Soups are frequently placed on the table, the tureen before the lady, or, if
there should be two kinds, one before the host and the other before the hostess, to
serve.
4. If there are two soups, there should be two kinds of fish. If only one of
each, the soup should be placed before the hostess ; the fish, in its turn, before the
host.
5. It is perfectly correct for the gentleman occupying the post of honor to
relieve the hostess of helping the soup.
6. Side dishes should not be put upon the table, but should be handed around.
After these have been removed and the plates changed, the fowls and meats are
brought in, in the order mentioned.
7. Fowls are placed before the hostess, heavy meats before the host, to carve.
8. Game should be placed before the gentleman, the pudding before the lady
of the house, to serve.
9. Cheese precedes the dessert, which is passed in the following order: First,
ices; then fruits, etc. After which the servants leave the room.
384 . TWENTIETH CENTURY HOME COOK BOOK.
X. Family Dinners.
1. At family dinners and chance invitations, there should be no attempt at
show. The dinuci' is supposed to bo in a great measure an impromptu affair, and
nothing is more out of taste than to deluge a guest with apologies.
2. At affairs oi this kind, serve to the guest or guests both soup and fish, fowl
and meat.
3. In carving the fowl, give to each a piece of the white and black meats. Add
to each plate dressing, and, if so requested, a small portion of the gravy.
Page 218
Presented as published in 1905. 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
9. Of soup, or of fish, which forms the second course, no one should ever take the second plate.
10. It is not necessary to wait until all are served before beginning to eat.
11. In a formal dinner all are helped by the servants, who place the portion before each.
12. Sauce should never be poured upon any article of food; if you wish it, the footman or servant helps you with a sauce-ladle.
13. Never call for any particular part of a dish, but being asked, do not hesitate to state your preference.
14. Never suffer your plate to be helped to a dish of which you do not know the nature ; it is best to ask modestly and plainly what it is, as no one is supposed to be a chef de cuisine, and familiar with all dishes.
IX. How to Serve a Dinner.
Every dinner may not be grand, but no matter what its cost, it can be served in such a manner as to impress all the guests favorably. Table and room should be handsomely decorated, and if it is possible to obtain them, flowers should adorn both room and board. The glass should be brilliant, the silver and cutlery well polished, and cloth and napkins fresh and white. Creme or ecru cloths and napkins, which have begun to come into favor, are used only for breakfast, luncheon or cold suppers; never at a formal dinner-table, with its broad glare of light.
Servants, Carving, etc. — l. Servants should be well trained, and everything go off smoothly, and without vexation or nervousness on the part of host or hostess.
2. The fashion denominated service a la Russe, but which is really of French origin, relieves the host of a very unpleasant duty ; all of the carving being done by one of the servants, before the joints, roasts, etc., are brought to the table.
3. Where the menu, or bill of fare is in vogue, the guest is thus notified in advance what to expect, and those who have preferences are enabled to await their appearance.
Order of Dishes. — l. After soup comes the fish, then the entrees, or made dishes; and next comes the turkey, beef, lamb, or other piece de resistance. Where raw oysters are served they are placed, opened, but in one side of the shell, upon the plates before the guests enter the room, and on their removal the soup is served.
2. Game, puddings, jellies, etc., are next in order.
3. Soups are frequently placed on the table, the tureen before the lady, or, if there should be two kinds, one before the host and the other before the hostess, to
serve.
4. If there are two soups, there should be two kinds of fish. If only one of
each, the soup should be placed before the hostess ; the fish, in its turn, before the host.
5. It is perfectly correct for the gentleman occupying the post of honor to relieve the hostess of helping the soup.
6. Side dishes should not be put upon the table, but should be handed around. After these have been removed and the plates changed, the fowls and meats are brought in, in the order mentioned.
7. Fowls are placed before the hostess, heavy meats before the host, to carve.
8. Game should be placed before the gentleman, the pudding before the lady of the house, to serve.
9. Cheese precedes the dessert, which is passed in the following order: First, ices; then fruits, etc. After which the servants leave the room.
X. Family Dinners.
1. At family dinners and chance invitations, there should be no attempt at show. The dinner is supposed to be in a great measure an impromptu affair, and nothing is more out of taste than to deluge a guest with apologies.
2. At affairs oi this kind, serve to the guest or guests both soup and fish, fowl and meat.
3. In carving the fowl, give to each a piece of the white and black meats. Add to each plate dressing, and, if so requested, a small portion of the gravy.