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TITLE: PREPARE AND SERVE A MEAL AND INTERIOR DECORATION
AUTHOR: LILLIAN B. LANSDOWN
EBOOK: E06871 (O'Briens Book Cellar)
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

HOW TO PREPARE AND SERVE A MEAL
AND
INTERIOR DECORATION

By

LILLIAN B. LANSDOWN

CONTENTS

HOW TO PREPARE AND SERVE A MEAL

CHAPTER

   I. BEFORE THE MEAL IS SERVED
  II. ENTER THE WAITRESS
 III. BREAKFAST
  IV. LUNCHEONS
   V. THE INFORMAL (HOME) DINNER
  VI. THE FORMAL DINNER
 VII. AFTERNOON TEAS
VIII. SUPPERS
  IX. OUTSIDE THE EIGHTEENTH AMENDMENT
   X. CARVING HINTS
  XI. PLANNING A MENU
 XII. MENUS FOR A THANKSGIVING, A CHRISTMAS AND A LENTEN DINNER

INTERIOR DECORATION

   I. LINES AND CURVES
  II. FORM, COLOR AND PROPORTION
 III. INDIVIDUAL ROOMS OF THE HOUSE
  IV. LIVING-ROOM, DRAWING-ROOM AND LIBRARY
   V. BED ROOM, NURSERY AND PLAY ROOM
  VI. SOME HINTS ANENT PERIOD FURNITURE

CHAPTER I

BEFORE THE MEAL IS SERVED

Before the meal which is to be served comes from the kitchen by way of
the butler's pantry to the dining room, there are many things to be
considered. The preparation of the meal (not the process of its
cooking, but its _planning_ as a composite whole) and all the
various details which precede the actual sitting down at the table of
those who expect to enjoy it, must be seen to. The preparation of the
meal, its _menu_, will be dealt with later, in connection with the
meal itself. For the present we will concentrate on its preparatory
aspects.

IN THE BUTLER'S PANTRY

The butler's pantry is the connecting link between kitchen and dining
room. It is at the same time an arsenal and a reserve line, equipped
with requisites to meet all emergencies. The perfect butler's pantry
should contain everything, from vegetable brushes for cleaning celery
to a galvanized refuse can. In between come matches, bread boards,
soap, ammonia and washing soda, a dish drainer, every kind of towel,
cheesecloth and holder, strainers (for tea, coffee and punch), ice
water, punch and soup pitchers of enamel ware, the tools and seasonings
for salad making, cut-glass brushes, and knives of different sizes.

In the butler's pantry the soiled linen should be kept, if possible in
a hamper, if not, in a bag. There should also be a towel rack, an
electric or hot-water heater for keeping food hot and--we are speaking
of the ideal pantry, of course--a small icebox where table butter,
cream and salad dressing may be kept, and plates chilled for serving
cold dishes. Adding a linen closet with shelves, a chest of drawers
(for tablecloths, napkins, doilies, centerpieces, etc.) and the
necessary shelves for china and glass (hang your cups and save space!),
and we may leave the butler's pantry and enter the dining room.

BEFORE ANYTHING EDIBLE COMES TO THE TABLE

We will not waste time on directions regarding the laying of the
tablecloth. Only remember that it must form a true line through the
center of the table (your "silence cloth" had best be of table padding,
a doubled cotton flannel or asbestos) and not hang below the table less
than nine inches. The usual arrangement of the centerpiece in the
center of the table (the table itself being immediately under the
light, unless the waitress is thereby prevented from moving between the
table and sideboard) with its dish of fruit or ferns or flowers (never
so high as to cut off view or conversation) can be varied to suit
individual taste. But the covers (the plates, glasses, napkin and
silver of each individual) must always be in line, opposite each other
on the opposite sides of the table. The plate doilies indicate the
covers when a bare table is laid. The service plate which each person
receives stays where put unless it is replaced by a hot plate.

NAPKINS, SILVER, CHINA AND GLASS

Napkins (fold flat and square) lie at the left of the forks. The hem of
the napkin, turned up, should parallel the forks and the table edge.

When dinner is served without a maid, everything yields to avoiding
leaving the table. In that case put on the dessert silver (which
otherwise should not be done) with the other dinner silver. Place all
silver in its order of use, and remember that three forks are enough.
If more are needed let them appear with the courses which demand them.
The quietest and therefore most desirable way of putting the dessert
silver on the table, is to serve it from a napkin, from the right.
Knives should have their cutting edge toward the plate, at its right,
and lie half an inch from the table edge. Spoons, bowls facing upward,
lie at the right of the knife; forks at the left of the plate. When
shell food is served (clams, oysters or mussels) the fork is placed at
the right of the plate. The upper right-hand side of the bread and
butter plate is the place for the butter spreader.

In general do not arrange your cover too loosely, and see to it that
the glass, china and silver for each cover sets close without the
pieces touching. Glasses are placed just above the knives, a little to
the right. Neither cups nor glasses should ever be filled to the brim.
The bread and butter plate (bread and butter are, as a rule, _not_
served with _formal_ dinners) somewhat to the left, beyond the
service plate. Between each two covers, or just in front of each, place
your pepper and salt sets. The salt spoon lies across the open
saltcellar.

When the table is set for some impromptu meal at which a knife will not
be used, the fork takes the place of the knife at the right-hand side,
and the teaspoon is laid beside the fork.

DESIRABLE IMPROVEMENTS

No one wants to see the inner economy of the butler's pantry, nor
should the perhaps fragrant but cloying odors of the kitchen be wafted
into the dining room whenever the swingdoor of the pantry opens or
closes. The screen obviates both disadvantages. Another improvement has
been the introduction of the serving table in place of the sideboard.
It now conveniently holds all the extras needed for the meal.

CHAPTER II

ENTER THE WAITRESS

The waitress has already been busy, as we have seen, laying the cloth
and covers for the meal. Now, however, she must live up more closely to
the implied meaning of her name. Either the hostess or the daughter of
the family who is acting as waitress, or the waitress herself announces
the meal. For informal service, with a member of the family acting as a
waitress, the former may quietly leave the table to attend to the
bringing on or carrying off of a course, or to supplying water, butter,
etc. But the same care and attention to everyone's needs is expected of
her as of a regular waitress. Water, butter, rolls, bread, etc., should
never have to be asked for. Within reach of hand the waitress should
always have a soft napkin to remove any liquid spilled during the meal,
at once covering the spot with a fresh doily. She must see to it that
there are hot plates for hot dishes, and chilled plates for cold ones.

THE MAID AT THE TABLE

The waitress should serve and remove everything, except beverages and
extra silver from the guest's _left_. Fork and spoon should always
be easily at hand for the person served, and dishes should _never_
be offered and removed by _reaching across a cover_. Remove
glasses, cups and saucers from the _right_, and serve all
beverages from the right. Plates should be placed and removed, one by
one. Two plates of food (especially salads or soup) may be brought into
the dining room at the same time, but _one should be left on the
serving table_.

The host is served last, the hostess first, then the guest of honor (at
the hostess' right), then the guest at the right of the host, and so on
till all have been served.

Waitresses should _not_ grasp the edge of the plate or put the
thumb over the rim in placing or handling.  The left hand should always
be used for removing plates. Take away with each course whatever  is
needed for a later one, large dishes of food, soiled china, glass and
silver. Then crumb the table with a small plate and clean, folded
napkin.

When serving dishes of food do so with a dinner napkin folded square on
the palm of the hand. The serving dish should be held firmly and not
too high. If necessary steady with right hand on edge of dish. Close
contact with the person served always should be avoided. The serving
tray comes into its own for removing or passing cream and sugar, pepper
and salt, etc. Candies, salted nuts, water and wineglasses  stay on the
table until the meal is over.

In clearing the table remove glass and silver first, brush up crumbs
which may have fallen on the floor, and carefully shake, fold and put
away the table linen.

CHAPTER III

BREAKFAST

Breakfast is the first meal of the American day. It should be daintily
and deftly served. Fruit, cereal and some main dish (bacon, fish, eggs)
together with toast, hot rolls or muffins, coffee, tea or cocoa, are
its main essentials. The bare, doilied table is popular for breakfast
use.

BREAKFAST FRUIT


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