The finest fruit grouped in the centre
of the table, set off with leaves, the garnished dishes, the
lustre of glass and silver, and the colors of delicately
painted china, need no improvement as a picture. A low
silver basket of flowers at the sides, and a crystal bouquet
holder with a delicate blossom and leaf, sparingly intro-
duced, are all that is allowed for ornament's sake. Large
dinner services of one pattern are no longer chosen. The
meats and large dishes are in silver or electrotype ware,
the sweets come in heavy English cut crystal, and each
course brings with it plates of a different ware.
The order of wines is sometimes perplexing, and the
novice should remember that Chablis or Sauterne comes
with the small oysters before soup, and that Sherry
38
THE HOME COOK BOOK.
is drank after soup and with fish. Claret may be
taken by those who prefer it during a whole din-
ner with entire propriety. Champagne comes with the
roast, and Burgundy with game. The French and Ger-
mans reserve champagne for a dessert wine, but we drink
it with both roast and dessert. After dessert comes coffee,
which with us is served at table, not in the drawing-room.
Fingerbowls with warm water are placed on the napkin
on the dessert plate, and removed by the guest to the left,
to be used by dipping the fingers in lightly and drying
them on the d'oylay. When the ladies are quite through
with dessert the hostess catches the eye of each or raises
her gloved hand slightly, as a signal, and they leave the
table, the oldest lady going first, the youngest last, followed
by the hostess — the youngest gentleman, or the one near-
est the door, taking it on himself to hold the door open.
After half an hour a guest is at liberty to withdraw, but a
dinner party rarely breaks up till half past ten or later, if
cards and dancing follow.
As to the individual etiquette of the table, on seating
himself a guest draws off his gloves, and lays them in his
lap under the napkin, which should be spread lightly, not
tucked in the dress. The raw oysters are eaten with a
fork ; the soup, only a ladleful to each plate, is sipped
from the side of the spoon, without noise, or tilting the
plate. The head should never stoop toward the plate or
cup, but the shoulders be kept straight and the food lifted
to the mouth, the head being naturally bent a little. A
quiet celerity in eating is preferable to the majestic deliber-
ation which many people consider genteel. Bread should
DINNEK ETIQUETTE.
39
be broken, never cut at table, and should be eaten morsel by
morsel, not crumbed into soup or gravy. Food should
not be mixed on the plate. Sweet corn is brought on, tied
'.n its husk by a strip of leaf, and should be eaten from the
cob, breaking the ear in two, and holding the piece in the
left hand. Asparagus should not be touched with the fin-
gers, but the tender part cut up, and eaten with the fork.
Fish is eaten with the fork, asssisted by a piece of bread
in the left hand. Maccaroni is cut and taken with the
fork, unless served with the tomatoes, when a teaspoon is
allowed, as with green peas, and stewed tomatoes alone.
Cheese is crumbled with the fork and eaten with it, never
touched by the fingers. Pastry should be broken by the
fork without the aid of a knife.
Page 16
Presented as published in 1896. 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
The finest fruit grouped in the centre of the table, set off with leaves, the garnished dishes, the lustre of glass and silver, and the colors of delicately painted china, need no improvement as a picture. A low silver basket of flowers at the sides, and a crystal bouquet holder with a delicate blossom and leaf, sparingly introduced, are all that is allowed for ornament's sake. Large dinner services of one pattern are no longer chosen. The meats and large dishes are in silver or electrotype ware, the sweets come in heavy English cut crystal, and each course brings with it plates of a different ware.
The order of wines is sometimes perplexing, and the novice should remember that Chablis or Sauterne comes with the small oysters before soup, and that Sherry
is drunk after soup and with fish. Claret may be taken by those who prefer it during a whole dinner with entire propriety. Champagne comes with the roast, and Burgundy with game. The French and Germans reserve champagne for a dessert wine, but we drink it with both roast and dessert. After dessert comes coffee, which with us is served at table, not in the drawing-room. Fingerbowls with warm water are placed on the napkin on the dessert plate, and removed by the guest to the left, to be used by dipping the fingers in lightly and drying them on the d'oylay. When the ladies are quite through with dessert the hostess catches the eye of each or raises her gloved hand slightly, as a signal, and they leave the table, the oldest lady going first, the youngest last, followed by the hostess — the youngest gentleman, or the one nearest the door, taking it on himself to hold the door open. After half an hour a guest is at liberty to withdraw, but a dinner party rarely breaks up till half past ten or later, if cards and dancing follow.
As to the individual etiquette of the table, on seating himself a guest draws off his gloves, and lays them in his lap under the napkin, which should be spread lightly, not tucked in the dress. The raw oysters are eaten with a fork ; the soup, only a ladleful to each plate, is sipped from the side of the spoon, without noise, or tilting the plate. The head should never stoop toward the plate or cup, but the shoulders be kept straight and the food lifted to the mouth, the head being naturally bent a little. A quiet celerity in eating is preferable to the majestic deliberation which many people consider genteel. Bread should
DINNEK ETIQUETTE.
be broken, never cut at table, and should be eaten morsel by morsel, not crumbed into soup or gravy. Food should not be mixed on the plate. Sweet corn is brought on, tied '.n its husk by a strip of leaf, and should be eaten from the cob, breaking the ear in two, and holding the piece in the left hand. Asparagus should not be touched with the fingers, but the tender part cut up, and eaten with the fork. Fish is eaten with the fork, asssisted by a piece of bread in the left hand. Maccaroni is cut and taken with the fork, unless served with the tomatoes, when a teaspoon is allowed, as with green peas, and stewed tomatoes alone. Cheese is crumbled with the fork and eaten with it, never touched by the fingers. Pastry should be broken by the fork without the aid of a knife.