Along with the roasts are placed the entremets, and as there are mostly some impatient people at every dinner, these cause themselves to be served with the entremets while the principal joints are being carved ; but this interference is bad style, and is not to be recommended for imitation. At the time of the service of the entremets the convives do not any longer desire substantial dishes, but rather delicacies — fine and savoury vegetables well supplied with coulis, butter, or sugar ; a timbale of macaroni, sugared fritures, light pastry, perfumed creams or cream-like jellies, golden and trembling soufiles, French or Russian charlottes, pyramids of meringues, flans, etc., all so arranged as to 644 THE SPIRIT OF COOKERY please the eye as well as invite the palate. Such are the dishes of that part of the dinner, which may be called the forerunner of the dessert. As regards entremets, care must be taken that the cook do not prefer form to substance, and produce dishes under that name which, though good-looking, are of indifferent taste. This observation applies, e.y., particularly to those creams which are turned out of moulds, and consist of floury compounds with a little cream and much gelatine, the jellies with rum or maraschino liqueur, the blanc- mangers, and others which make a good appearance, but not rarely revolt the taste by their glutinous crudity. They are deteriorating daily, and mixtures are now sold which are pretended to produce, by mere solution in hot water, many of the jellies of which formerly culinary art would be proud as the result of a laborious process. But their taste proves the great philosophical and culinary axiom that ex nihilo nihil fit. The third service is the dessert. After the entremets the servants clear the table entirely, and then give to every guest a new but smaller cover, a knife and plate, and bring in the dessert. The fruit is arranged on green leaves recall- ing its former surroundings ; in winter the leaves can be replaced by elegant forestal mosses ; besides the fresh fruit is served the dried and preserved. Here also is the place for some cheese, Eoquefort, Cheshire, Stracchino, Stilton, or Gruy^re. Almonds and nuts give some mauual occupation, and while the wine circulates conversation becomes most animated. Now, also, is the time for a song or a recitation. The number of dishes to be given at dinners is determined by many considerations, but mainly by the number of diners. Experience has taught that for six persons the following dishes will be sufficient : a soup, a relev6, two entrees, a roast, and four entremets ; for twelve to fifteen persons : six hors d’ceuvres, two soups, two relev4s, four entrees, three DESSERT, NUMBER OF DISHES, GARNISHES 645 roasts, and six entremets ; for twenty persons add a third more of the numbers given for fifteen.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Along with the roasts are placed the entremets, and as there are mostly some impatient people at every dinner, these cause themselves to be served with the entremets while the principal joints are being carved ; but this interference is bad style, and is not to be recommended for imitation. At the time of the service of the entremets the convives do not any longer desire substantial dishes, but rather delicacies — fine and savoury vegetables well supplied with coulis, butter, or sugar ; a timbale of macaroni, sugared fritures, light pastry, perfumed creams or cream-like jellies, golden and trembling soufiles, French or Russian charlottes, pyramids of meringues, flans, etc., all so arranged as to please the eye as well as invite the palate. Such are the dishes of that part of the dinner, which may be called the forerunner of the dessert. As regards entremets, care must be taken that the cook do not prefer form to substance, and produce dishes under that name which, though good-looking, are of indifferent taste. This observation applies, e.y., particularly to those creams which are turned out of moulds, and consist of floury compounds with a little cream and much gelatine, the jellies with rum or maraschino liqueur, the blancmangers, and others which make a good appearance, but not rarely revolt the taste by their glutinous crudity. They are deteriorating daily, and mixtures are now sold which are pretended to produce, by mere solution in hot water, many of the jellies of which formerly culinary art would be proud as the result of a laborious process. But their taste proves the great philosophical and culinary axiom that ex nihilo nihil fit. The third service is the dessert. After the entremets the servants clear the table entirely, and then give to every guest a new but smaller cover, a knife and plate, and bring in the dessert. The fruit is arranged on green leaves recalling its former surroundings ; in winter the leaves can be replaced by elegant forestal mosses ; besides the fresh fruit is served the dried and preserved. Here also is the place for some cheese, Roquefort, Cheshire, Stracchino, Stilton, or Gruyère. Almonds and nuts give some mauual occupation, and while the wine circulates conversation becomes most animated. Now, also, is the time for a song or a recitation. The number of dishes to be given at dinners is determined by many considerations, but mainly by the number of diners. Experience has taught that for six persons the following dishes will be sufficient : a soup, a relev6, two entrees, a roast, and four entremets ; for twelve to fifteen persons : six hors d’ceuvres, two soups, two relev4s, four entrees, three DESSERT, NUMBER OF DISHES, GARNISHES 645 roasts, and six entremets ; for twenty persons add a third more of the numbers given for fifteen.

The spirit of cookery