Silver. — Convenience and order have determined the customary way of placing the silver at each cover. At the right of the plates place the knives, the spoons, and the forks that are to be used with knives. Many prefer, however, to place all of the forks, except the oyster fork, at the left of the plate. Enough silver for all courses, except DINING ROOM SERVICE 339 the dessert course, is usually placed on the table ; however, it is permissible to place the silver for all courses. If the silver for any course is not placed on the table before the meal is announced, it may be brought in on a tray and placed at each cover just before serving the course ; or it may be laid on each serving dish of the course. The silver may be laid at each cover in the order of its use — on the right, that which is to be used first should be placed farthest to the right ; while on the left, that first to Fig. 80. — Cover of luncheon table laid for informal service. be used should be placed farthest to the left All silver should be placed from one half to one inch from the edge of the table ; the sharp edges of the blades of the knives should be turned towards the plates ; the spoons and forks should be placed with their bowls and tines turned up. The butter spreaders should be laid across the bread-and- butter plates. Generally when soup and raw oysters are served, the oyster fork is laid across the soup spoon. If the silver that is to be used in serving a dish of food is placed on the table, it should be laid beside not in the dish of food. 340 THE PLANNING AND SERVING OF MEALS Table Accessories. — A low bowl of flowers or fruit, taste- fully arranged, makes a pleasing centerpiece. A centerpiece, however, should be a real source of pleasure ; it should not obstruct the view of guests opposite. Place cards afford a graceful means of seating guests. When used, they should be placed on the napkin. Menu cards, sometimes used for occasional dinners, are also placed on the napkin. STYLES OF SERVING There are several styles of serving : English (ordinary family service). — The foods are served at the table, the host serving fish, meat, and vegetables; the hostess serving soup, salad, and dessert ; and other members of the family serving fruit and the vegetables that are served in individual dishes. The served dishes may be passed to each guest by the maid, or when no maid serves, they may be passed from one person to another. This method is used for family and informal service, and also when serving is done without a maid. Russian (serving from the side). — This may be observed in one of two ways : (a) Foods are separated into portions on individual plates and placed before the guests. (b) Foods are separated into portions on the serving dishes and passed to the left of each guest so that he may help himself, or the portions may be served by the maid. The necessary serving spoon or fork should be provided with the serving dishes. The Russian style of serving is the most formal and requires the service of at least one maid. Compromise. — Sometimes it is desirable to use one style of serving for one course and another style for another course, as the Russian style for the soup course, and the DINING ROOM SERVICE 341 English style for the meat course. Or the foods of one course may be in such form that it is convenient to follow both styles of serving, as meat served in English style and " side dishes " served in Russian style. METHODS OF SERVING WITH A MAID Established Rules for Serving. — While each hostess follows her own inclination in the details of serving, there are cer- tain rules that are always observed : Cold foods are served on cold dishes; hot foods on hot dishes.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Silver. — Convenience and order have determined the customary way of placing the silver at each cover. At the right of the plates place the knives, the spoons, and the forks that are to be used with knives. Many prefer, however, to place all of the forks, except the oyster fork, at the left of the plate. Enough silver for all courses, except the dessert course, is usually placed on the table ; however, it is permissible to place the silver for all courses. If the silver for any course is not placed on the table before the meal is announced, it may be brought in on a tray and placed at each cover just before serving the course ; or it may be laid on each serving dish of the course. The silver may be laid at each cover in the order of its use — on the right, that which is to be used first should be placed farthest to the right ; while on the left, that first to Fig. 80. — Cover of luncheon table laid for informal service. be used should be placed farthest to the left All silver should be placed from one half to one inch from the edge of the table ; the sharp edges of the blades of the knives should be turned towards the plates ; the spoons and forks should be placed with their bowls and tines turned up. The butter spreaders should be laid across the bread-and-butter plates. Generally when soup and raw oysters are served, the oyster fork is laid across the soup spoon. If the silver that is to be used in serving a dish of food is placed on the table, it should be laid beside not in the dish of food. Table Accessories. — A low bowl of flowers or fruit, tastefully arranged, makes a pleasing centerpiece. A centerpiece, however, should be a real source of pleasure ; it should not obstruct the view of guests opposite. Place cards afford a graceful means of seating guests. When used, they should be placed on the napkin. Menu cards, sometimes used for occasional dinners, are also placed on the napkin. STYLES OF SERVING There are several styles of serving : English (ordinary family service). — The foods are served at the table, the host serving fish, meat, and vegetables; the hostess serving soup, salad, and dessert ; and other members of the family serving fruit and the vegetables that are served in individual dishes. The served dishes may be passed to each guest by the maid, or when no maid serves, they may be passed from one person to another. This method is used for family and informal service, and also when serving is done without a maid. Russian (serving from the side). — This may be observed in one of two ways : (a) Foods are separated into portions on individual plates and placed before the guests. (b) Foods are separated into portions on the serving dishes and passed to the left of each guest so that he may help himself, or the portions may be served by the maid. The necessary serving spoon or fork should be provided with the serving dishes. The Russian style of serving is the most formal and requires the service of at least one maid. Compromise. — Sometimes it is desirable to use one style of serving for one course and another style for another course, as the Russian style for the soup course, and the English style for the meat course. Or the foods of one course may be in such form that it is convenient to follow both styles of serving, as meat served in English style and " side dishes " served in Russian style. METHODS OF SERVING WITH A MAID Established Rules for Serving. — While each hostess follows her own inclination in the details of serving, there are certain rules that are always observed : Cold foods are served on cold dishes; hot foods on hot dishes.

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