The knives and forks should be placed at each plate ; the knife at
the, top of the plate, with its handle towards the right hand, and the
fork at the left-hand side of the plate ; the tumbler, napkin and salt at
the right-hand side. The plates should be warmed slightly at all sea-
sons, and can be placed either in a pile in front of the carver, or one at
each seat, The latter is the best way if servants are employed as
waiters ; yet frequently, when no one but the family are present, after
the glasses are filled and the bread handed around, the service of the
waiter is dispensed with until the course is to be removed and the des-
sert is placed upon the table.
A dinner service consists of a covered soup-tureen and ladle, and
deep plates for soup, platter and plates for fish and meat, deep covered
dishes for vegetables, a gravy tureen, salad bowl, cheese tray, sauce
boat and pudding dish, with small plates for dessert. Some kind of
salad is usually placed on the table with the roast, and cheese accom-
panies the dessert. Plain white dishes of stone or French china are in
perfect taste, and, with a snowy cloth and nice glassware, they set a
NATURAL TABLE ORNAMENTS. 41
table beautifully. The epergne for the center may be composed of two
large glass fruit stands — one upon the other — filled with nuts and
apples. On either side, towards the ends of the table, put well filled
celery glasses, and disperse about the table small dishes of chow-chow,
jellies, pickles and crackers.
At a private dinner table an infinite number of side dishes is dis-
pensed with, as this disturbs the harmony of the table. Although it is
the common practice to hand dishes around and let each guest help
himself to what he pleases, yet there are some housewives who like to
have everything on a side table, and dispense the side dishes them-
selves. Still, it looks more hospitable and less formal to see the host
and hostess at the table and all enjoying good-time cheer together.
An ideal hostess is one who presides quietly without any of the flutter
and nervousness peculiar to some women.
Bread for the dinner-table should be cut in thick squares, by dividing
a thick slice into four squares, and then placed in the folds of the nap-
kin. Soup is the first course. All should accept it, even if they let it
remain untouched, so that the servant will not serve one before the rest.
Fish follows soup, which may be declined if one chooses, and after this
the meats and side dishes. These rules are safe to follow, being gen-
eral ones and not autocratic, but are used generally in different parts of
the United States.
Page 36
Presented as published in 1886. 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
The knives and forks should be placed at each plate ; the knife at the top of the plate, with its handle towards the right hand, and the fork at the left-hand side of the plate ; the tumbler, napkin and salt at the right-hand side. The plates should be warmed slightly at all seasons, and can be placed either in a pile in front of the carver, or one at each seat, The latter is the best way if servants are employed as waiters ; yet frequently, when no one but the family are present, after the glasses are filled and the bread handed around, the service of the waiter is dispensed with until the course is to be removed and the dessert is placed upon the table.
A dinner service consists of a covered soup-tureen and ladle, and deep plates for soup, platter and plates for fish and meat, deep covered dishes for vegetables, a gravy tureen, salad bowl, cheese tray, sauce boat and pudding dish, with small plates for dessert. Some kind of salad is usually placed on the table with the roast, and cheese accompanies the dessert. Plain white dishes of stone or French china are in perfect taste, and, with a snowy cloth and nice glassware, they set a
NATURAL TABLE ORNAMENTS. 41
table beautifully. The epergne for the center may be composed of two large glass fruit stands — one upon the other — filled with nuts and apples. On either side, towards the ends of the table, put well filled celery glasses, and disperse about the table small dishes of chow-chow, jellies, pickles and crackers.
At a private dinner table an infinite number of side dishes is dispensed with, as this disturbs the harmony of the table. Although it is the common practice to hand dishes around and let each guest help himself to what he pleases, yet there are some housewives who like to have everything on a side table, and dispense the side dishes themselves. Still, it looks more hospitable and less formal to see the host and hostess at the table and all enjoying good-time cheer together. An ideal hostess is one who presides quietly without any of the flutter and nervousness peculiar to some women.
Bread for the dinner-table should be cut in thick squares, by dividing a thick slice into four squares, and then placed in the folds of the napkin. Soup is the first course. All should accept it, even if they let it remain untouched, so that the servant will not serve one before the rest. Fish follows soup, which may be declined if one chooses, and after this the meats and side dishes. These rules are safe to follow, being general ones and not autocratic, but are used generally in different parts of the United States.