To Carve a Joint or Roast. — In carving a sirloin roast cut out the tenderloin, slice it across the grain, and serve before carving the balance of the roast— unless the whole roast should be needed. Where a roast is too large to be eaten at a single meal it is both wise and eco- nomical to serve the best portions while hot, and before their finest flavors and richest juices have escaped. In carving a leg of lamb or mutton cut several slices cross- wise through the thickest part of the leg, then slip the knife under, separate them from the bone, and serve. If more be required, cut them from the thickest and juiciest part of the joint in the same manner. 31 8 The Art of Cookery. As a general rule, all joints of meat, whether roasted or boiled, should be carved essentially in the same manner, that is, they should be cut in thin slices and across the grain of the meat. And whenever practi- cable the joint should be so placed and held by the carver that the juice will remain upon the surface of the meat, and not run out upon the platter. CHAPTER XXVI. BILLS OF FARE. A DINNER of five courses is sufficiently elaborate to meet the requirements of a cultured taste, and is always enjoyable and satisfactory when the dishes composing it are judiciously selected and properly served. In such a dinner there should be a soup, fish, shell fish, or game, poultry or one of the staple meats, a salad, an acid vegetable or fruit, and a simple dessert, with salted almonds, cheese, or some sort of relish, and also the proper accompaniments of the leading dish of each course. As great a variety of articles may be presented as can be selected within a certain range and grouped harmoniously. Yet no article in any one of the courses must trench upon the province, or interfere with the mission, of any article in any of the other courses of the dinner. In other words, no articles that are similar in character or flavor must be permitted to appear in different courses, except those privileged by established custom to remain on the table during the entire meal. To illustrate the principle that governs the selection of such a dinner a few bills of fare are given. If a four-course dinner is desired, it is only necessary to drop from any of these bills of fare the fish course. If only a three-course dinner is wanted the fish course and the salad course can be dropped ; or, if preferred, 319 3 2d The Art of Cookery. the salad course can be retained and the fish course and dessert omitted. These bills of fare are not arranged with a view of their being taken up consecutively, in the order in which they are given. Each dinner is complete in itself, with- out an}^ reference to the dinner that precedes or the dinner that follows, and the housekeeper is at liberty to select from the list the dinner that is best adapted to the special occasion. Care must be observed, however, not to have dinners on two successive days that corres- pond too nearly in their prominent characteristics. BILLS OF FARE FOR DINNER. No. I. Cream of Celery. Pickles. Olives. Bread. Butter. Broiled Birds. Currant Jelly. Boiled Mutton. Caper Sauce. Mashed Potato. Stewed Turnip. Fish and Tomato Salad. Saltines. Orange Pudding. Cake. Fruit. Nuts. Cheese. Coffee. Bills of Fare. 321 No. 2. Mutton Broth. Barley. Celery. Pickles. Olives. Bread. Butter.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

To Carve a Joint or Roast. — In carving a sirloin roast cut out the tenderloin, slice it across the grain, and serve before carving the balance of the roast— unless the whole roast should be needed. Where a roast is too large to be eaten at a single meal it is both wise and economical to serve the best portions while hot, and before their finest flavors and richest juices have escaped. In carving a leg of lamb or mutton cut several slices crosswise through the thickest part of the leg, then slip the knife under, separate them from the bone, and serve. If more be required, cut them from the thickest and juiciest part of the joint in the same manner. 31 8 The Art of Cookery. As a general rule, all joints of meat, whether roasted or boiled, should be carved essentially in the same manner, that is, they should be cut in thin slices and across the grain of the meat. And whenever practicable the joint should be so placed and held by the carver that the juice will remain upon the surface of the meat, and not run out upon the platter. CHAPTER XXVI. BILLS OF FARE. A DINNER of five courses is sufficiently elaborate to meet the requirements of a cultured taste, and is always enjoyable and satisfactory when the dishes composing it are judiciously selected and properly served. In such a dinner there should be a soup, fish, shell fish, or game, poultry or one of the staple meats, a salad, an acid vegetable or fruit, and a simple dessert, with salted almonds, cheese, or some sort of relish, and also the proper accompaniments of the leading dish of each course. As great a variety of articles may be presented as can be selected within a certain range and grouped harmoniously. Yet no article in any one of the courses must trench upon the province, or interfere with the mission, of any article in any of the other courses of the dinner. In other words, no articles that are similar in character or flavor must be permitted to appear in different courses, except those privileged by established custom to remain on the table during the entire meal. To illustrate the principle that governs the selection of such a dinner a few bills of fare are given. If a four-course dinner is desired, it is only necessary to drop from any of these bills of fare the fish course. If only a three-course dinner is wanted the fish course and the salad course can be dropped ; or, if preferred, 3 2d The Art of Cookery. the salad course can be retained and the fish course and dessert omitted. These bills of fare are not arranged with a view of their being taken up consecutively, in the order in which they are given. Each dinner is complete in itself, without an}^ reference to the dinner that precedes or the dinner that follows, and the housekeeper is at liberty to select from the list the dinner that is best adapted to the special occasion. Care must be observed, however, not to have dinners on two successive days that correspond too nearly in their prominent characteristics. BILLS OF FARE FOR DINNER. No. I. Cream of Celery. Pickles. Olives. Bread. Butter. Broiled Birds. Currant Jelly. Boiled Mutton. Caper Sauce. Mashed Potato. Stewed Turnip. Fish and Tomato Salad. Saltines. Orange Pudding. Cake. Fruit. Nuts. Cheese. Coffee. Bills of Fare. 321 No. 2. Mutton Broth. Barley. Celery. Pickles. Olives. Bread. Butter.

The art of cookery