Our bill of fare may be plain, — roast
^6 PRACTICAL AMERICAN COOKERY.
mutton with mashed potatoes, a dish of sliced tomatoes,
and cups of custard or blancmange : that is a very simple
dinner. By putting around the mutton on the dish a few
green leaves of parsley, celery, or watercress, the plain dish
is made ornamental ; the mashed potatoes can be heaped
lightly on a platter, and browned in a hot oven, before serv-
ing them; the sliced tomatoes can be arranged in even
circles in a pretty dish or salad-bowl, with a few green
sprigs of celery, parsley, or cress, in the centre; and the
custard or blancmange, after being turned from the cups, can
be ornamented by cutting a little hollow in the top of each,
with a teaspoon, and filKng it with a piece of any brightly
colored jelly. With a clean cloth and napkins, and brightly
polished cutlery and glass, the plain dinner takes on the
aspect of a feast; and all these little embeUishments are
within the reach of very modest households.
DECOBATnrE ART THE REFLEX OF NATURE.
Whether the family resources are narrow, or admit of some
indulgence of taste in the choice of decorations in living-
rooms, one rule should be followed : Do not encourage
shams : let every thing be genuine. Do not paint wood to
imitate bronze, or plaster to look like stone. Follow nature,
and good taste will not be offended. Do not substitute the
grotesque for the graceful, or make a sacrifice of comfort to
carry out an idea. Remember that there is an eternal fit-
ness in things. Comfort and taste can easily be combined.
We may trust human nature to suggest the former : the latter
is the fruit of unrecognized passing influences. The chance
glimpse of a beautiful picture, the warmth of color flashing
from some luxuriant country garden or glowing mass of
flowers in a florist's window, the waving of sun-lit branches,
the shifting panorama of the sky, — all feed our artistic in-
spirations. From art and nature, culture comes to the fancy
THE DINING-ROOM AND ITS FITTINGS. "JJ
ardent enough to admit its impressions. And the degree
of culture possible to individuals shows itself in the homes
they make for themselves. The family living-room may be
plain in its appointments ; but there is no reason why every
one of its uncomfortable angles should not be filled with soft,
restful cushions. The children leave traces of their growing-
up in it. The faces of the old people who have there lived
out their lives look down from its walls. The atmosphere is
pregnant with personalities, if we will but feel them ; so all
these homely places are sacred to sweet and tender memo-
ries. We should never seek to change the aspect of our
homes when we open them to our friends, if we want them
to feel at home with us. We may sweep and freshen, if we
will, for cleanliness and order are the first of home virtues ;
but we need not mask our houses any more than we would
ourselves when we play the host. Good cheer and pleasant
welcome, such as ought always to rule, are the soul of
hospitality.
SIDEBOARDS AND TABLES.
Page 46
Presented as published in 1885. 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
Our bill of fare may be plain, — roast
mutton with mashed potatoes, a dish of sliced tomatoes, and cups of custard or blancmange : that is a very simple dinner. By putting around the mutton on the dish a few green leaves of parsley, celery, or watercress, the plain dish is made ornamental ; the mashed potatoes can be heaped lightly on a platter, and browned in a hot oven, before serving them; the sliced tomatoes can be arranged in even circles in a pretty dish or salad-bowl, with a few green sprigs of celery, parsley, or cress, in the centre; and the custard or blancmange, after being turned from the cups, can be ornamented by cutting a little hollow in the top of each, with a teaspoon, and filling it with a piece of any brightly colored jelly. With a clean cloth and napkins, and brightly polished cutlery and glass, the plain dinner takes on the aspect of a feast; and all these little embellishments are within the reach of very modest households.
DECORATIVE ART THE REFLEX OF NATURE.
Whether the family resources are narrow, or admit of some indulgence of taste in the choice of decorations in livingrooms, one rule should be followed : Do not encourage shams : let every thing be genuine. Do not paint wood to imitate bronze, or plaster to look like stone. Follow nature, and good taste will not be offended. Do not substitute the grotesque for the graceful, or make a sacrifice of comfort to carry out an idea. Remember that there is an eternal fitness in things. Comfort and taste can easily be combined. We may trust human nature to suggest the former : the latter is the fruit of unrecognized passing influences. The chance glimpse of a beautiful picture, the warmth of color flashing from some luxuriant country garden or glowing mass of flowers in a florist's window, the waving of sun-lit branches, the shifting panorama of the sky, — all feed our artistic inspirations. From art and nature, culture comes to the fancy
ardent enough to admit its impressions. And the degree of culture possible to individuals shows itself in the homes they make for themselves. The family living-room may be plain in its appointments ; but there is no reason why every one of its uncomfortable angles should not be filled with soft, restful cushions. The children leave traces of their growingup in it. The faces of the old people who have there lived out their lives look down from its walls. The atmosphere is pregnant with personalities, if we will but feel them ; so all these homely places are sacred to sweet and tender memories. We should never seek to change the aspect of our homes when we open them to our friends, if we want them to feel at home with us. We may sweep and freshen, if we will, for cleanliness and order are the first of home virtues ; but we need not mask our houses any more than we would ourselves when we play the host. Good cheer and pleasant welcome, such as ought always to rule, are the soul of hospitality.
SIDEBOARDS AND TABLES.