In placing fruits upon the table much taste and ingenuity may be
displayed in the arrangement. Melons, oranges and small fruits, are
acceptable and appetizing breakfast dishes ; and a raised dessert dish
filled with tastefully disposed fruits is an indispensable adjunct to
the dinner table. Melons should be kept on ice, so that they are com-
pletely chilled before bringing to the table, though the ice should not
31
482 FRUITS.
be permitted to touch the inside of the melon, as is so often done,
where melons are brought to the table filled or surrounded with broken
ice. Clip the ends of watermelons, cut them across in halves, set up on
clipped ends in a platter, or melon dish, and serve the pulp only, remov-
ing it with a spoon ; or, cut across in slices, and serve with rind. Nut-
meg melons should be set on the blossom end. and cut in several equal
pieces from the stem downward, leaving each alternate piece attached ;
the others may then be loosened when the melon is ready to serve, or
the melon may be cut in lengthwise strips and piled up on a melon
platter.
Fruit should be carefully selected and only that which is perfect and
ripe be served on the table. Grapes and oranges surrounding a pine
apple make a pretty center piece. The best oranges are the Florida
and Havana. A rough reddish skin covers the sweetest oranges, while
the light yellow thin skin covers those more acid and. juicy. Fine
grained pears are best for eating, the California and Bartletts taking the
lead. The little Delaware grape is the sweetest and mixed with the
California Concords and Malagas, makes a dish beautiful in coloring
and rich in flavor. Of pineapples the best flavor is secured by slicing
them thin and letting them stand a few hours thickly sprinkled with
sugar. Lady fingers served with pineapples makes a nice dessert. In
raisins the loose Muscatels and layer raisins take the precedence, served
with nuts or candy. Hickory nuts, filberts, almonds, English walnuts,
American walnuts and Brazil nuts, are very satisfactory served with
raisins, as they require but little trouble to get out the meats, and should
be cracked before being served on the table — with the exception of soft-
shell almonds, which may be brought on with raisins, and cracked with
nut-crackers at the table.
In preparing small fruits for the table avoid washing them if possible,
though if they are gritty and bought at the market, instead of being
raised in one's own garden, it is advisable to wash them in cold soft
water, a few at a time in the hand, until they look clean, and then hull
them, so that they may be handled as little as possible. After being
hulled, put a layer carefully in a dish, then sprinkle over them sugar,
and so on until the dish is filled ; set away in a cool place until ready to
serve. Never drain berries in a colander nor stir them with a spoon.
When berries are very, large, or with large stems — as currants and
strawberries — they are neither stemmed or hulled, but pulverized sugar
is passed and the fruit is taken by the stem, dipped into the sugar and
eaten.
Small sugared fruits are very nice for dessert and make a handsome
dish, especially for lunch or supper parties. These may be purchased
at the confectioners. Grapes, currants and oranges may be prepared at
home in the following manner: Take one cup of sugar and one of
FR UIT SA UCES. 483
Page 405
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
In placing fruits upon the table much taste and ingenuity may be displayed in the arrangement. Melons, oranges and small fruits, are acceptable and appetizing breakfast dishes ; and a raised dessert dish filled with tastefully disposed fruits is an indispensable adjunct to the dinner table. Melons should be kept on ice, so that they are completely chilled before bringing to the table, though the ice should not
be permitted to touch the inside of the melon, as is so often done, where melons are brought to the table filled or surrounded with broken ice. Clip the ends of watermelons, cut them across in halves, set up on clipped ends in a platter, or melon dish, and serve the pulp only, removing it with a spoon ; or, cut across in slices, and serve with rind. Nutmeg melons should be set on the blossom end. and cut in several equal pieces from the stem downward, leaving each alternate piece attached ; the others may then be loosened when the melon is ready to serve, or the melon may be cut in lengthwise strips and piled up on a melon platter.
Fruit should be carefully selected and only that which is perfect and ripe be served on the table. Grapes and oranges surrounding a pine apple make a pretty center piece. The best oranges are the Florida and Havana. A rough reddish skin covers the sweetest oranges, while the light yellow thin skin covers those more acid and. juicy. Fine grained pears are best for eating, the California and Bartletts taking the lead. The little Delaware grape is the sweetest and mixed with the California Concords and Malagas, makes a dish beautiful in coloring and rich in flavor. Of pineapples the best flavor is secured by slicing them thin and letting them stand a few hours thickly sprinkled with sugar. Lady fingers served with pineapples makes a nice dessert. In raisins the loose Muscatels and layer raisins take the precedence, served with nuts or candy. Hickory nuts, filberts, almonds, English walnuts, American walnuts and Brazil nuts, are very satisfactory served with raisins, as they require but little trouble to get out the meats, and should be cracked before being served on the table — with the exception of softshell almonds, which may be brought on with raisins, and cracked with nut-crackers at the table.
In preparing small fruits for the table avoid washing them if possible, though if they are gritty and bought at the market, instead of being raised in one's own garden, it is advisable to wash them in cold soft water, a few at a time in the hand, until they look clean, and then hull them, so that they may be handled as little as possible. After being hulled, put a layer carefully in a dish, then sprinkle over them sugar, and so on until the dish is filled ; set away in a cool place until ready to serve. Never drain berries in a colander nor stir them with a spoon. When berries are very, large, or with large stems — as currants and strawberries — they are neither stemmed or hulled, but pulverized sugar is passed and the fruit is taken by the stem, dipped into the sugar and eaten.
Small sugared fruits are very nice for dessert and make a handsome dish, especially for lunch or supper parties. These may be purchased at the confectioners. Grapes, currants and oranges may be prepared at home in the following manner: Take one cup of sugar and one of
FR UIT SA UCES. 483