The host and the other members of the family can do much to add to the pleasure of a meal by introducing an interesting topic of conversation that will occupy the atten- tion of the guests during the absence of the hostess. If the hostess is sole entertainer, she would do well to start an absorbing subject of conversation just before leaving the dining room. QUESTIONS Why is it desirable to use doilies on plates containing crackers, bread, and cakes ? Why should baked potatoes, corn, and hot breads be served on a folded napkin ? Why should the coffee pot be placed at the right of the hostess's cover and the cups and saucers at the left of her cover ? 346 THE PLANNING AND SERVING OP MEADS In laying the table, why should the knives, spoons, and the forks that are to be used without knives be placed at the right of the plates ? Why should the forks that are to be used with knives be placed at the left of the plates? In serving, why should dishes which admit of choice be passed to the left of a guest ? Why should dishes which do not admit of choice be placed at the right ? Why should this order of clearing the table at the end of a course be followed : first, the soiled dishes, then the food, then the clean dishes, and finally the crumbs ? Why should all dishes belonging to a particular course be removed at the end of the course ? Why is a brush not desirable for crumbing the table ? Why are finger bowls used after the fruit course of breakfast and at the end of luncheon or dinner ? Make a list of the linen, silver, glass, and china needed for the din- ing and serving tables, when serving the menu given below. Give method of serving each course, using the Russian style. Cream of Tomato Soup Soup Sticks Veal Cutlets Rice Rolls — Butter Cucumber Salad Wafers Snow Pudding, Custard Sauce Cakes — Coffee CHAPTEE V Dining Room Courtesy THE VALUE OF GOOD TABLE MANNERS No matter how cultivated in mind and spirit one may be, if there is an absence of refinement of manners, the higher qualities are likely to be overlooked. No one can afford to slight the study of good manners. The basis of all good manners is tact, i.e. a kindly consideration of others. This consideration may be shown at the dining table quite as well as at a social gathering. Graceful and easy table manners and a knowledge of how to serve and be served add to the comfort as well as to the pleasure of one's associates in the dining room. Most of the rules of table conduct have been adopted be- cause they lend ease and grace or because they are sensible ; others have been established by custom and long usage. SUGGESTIONS CONCERNING TABLE MANNERS The Chair. — If the chair is placed so that the front edge of the seat just touches the tablecloth, there is no ne- cessity for moving the chair when taking one's seat or when rising. One should stand back of his chair until the hostess moves to seat herself and then move to the left of the chair to seat himself. One should also rise at the left of the chair. The hostess sits at the foot of the table, the host at the head. If there is a waitress to do the serving, the head of the table should be farthest from the entrance of the dining room. If there is no maid, the hostess' chair should be 347 348 THE PLANNING AND SERVING OF MEALS nearest the kitchen door or pantry. A lady guest of honor should sit at the right of the host j a gentleman guest, at the right of the hostess. The Knife and Fork. — There is but one " right " way to hold the knife or fork. When the knife and fork are used together, grasp the handle of the knife or fork with the first Fig. 62. — Method of holding knife and fork.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

The host and the other members of the family can do much to add to the pleasure of a meal by introducing an interesting topic of conversation that will occupy the attention of the guests during the absence of the hostess. If the hostess is sole entertainer, she would do well to start an absorbing subject of conversation just before leaving the dining room. Why is it desirable to use doilies on plates containing crackers, bread, and cakes ? Why should baked potatoes, corn, and hot breads be served on a folded napkin ? Why should the coffee pot be placed at the right of the hostess's cover and the cups and saucers at the left of her cover ? In laying the table, why should the knives, spoons, and the forks that are to be used without knives be placed at the right of the plates ? Why should the forks that are to be used with knives be placed at the left of the plates? In serving, why should dishes which admit of choice be passed to the left of a guest ? Why should dishes which do not admit of choice be placed at the right ? Why should this order of clearing the table at the end of a course be followed : first, the soiled dishes, then the food, then the clean dishes, and finally the crumbs ? Why should all dishes belonging to a particular course be removed at the end of the course ? Why is a brush not desirable for crumbing the table ? Why are finger bowls used after the fruit course of breakfast and at the end of luncheon or dinner ? Make a list of the linen, silver, glass, and china needed for the dining and serving tables, when serving the menu given below. Give method of serving each course, using the Russian style. Cream of Tomato Soup Soup Sticks Veal Cutlets Rice Rolls — Butter Cucumber Salad Wafers Snow Pudding, Custard Sauce Cakes — Coffee CHAPTER V Dining Room Courtesy THE VALUE OF GOOD TABLE MANNERS No matter how cultivated in mind and spirit one may be, if there is an absence of refinement of manners, the higher qualities are likely to be overlooked. No one can afford to slight the study of good manners. The basis of all good manners is tact, i.e. a kindly consideration of others. This consideration may be shown at the dining table quite as well as at a social gathering. Graceful and easy table manners and a knowledge of how to serve and be served add to the comfort as well as to the pleasure of one's associates in the dining room. Most of the rules of table conduct have been adopted because they lend ease and grace or because they are sensible ; others have been established by custom and long usage. SUGGESTIONS CONCERNING TABLE MANNERS The Chair. — If the chair is placed so that the front edge of the seat just touches the tablecloth, there is no necessity for moving the chair when taking one's seat or when rising. One should stand back of his chair until the hostess moves to seat herself and then move to the left of the chair to seat himself. One should also rise at the left of the chair. The hostess sits at the foot of the table, the host at the head. If there is a waitress to do the serving, the head of the table should be farthest from the entrance of the dining room. If there is no maid, the hostess' chair should be nearest the kitchen door or pantry. A lady guest of honor should sit at the right of the host j a gentleman guest, at the right of the hostess. The Knife and Fork. — There is but one " right " way to hold the knife or fork. When the knife and fork are used together, grasp the handle of the knife or fork with the first Fig. 62. — Method of holding knife and fork.

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