Breakfasts, luncheons, and ball suppers

For the benefit of these, let there be slices of cold meat and a loaf. Gingerbread cake is much to be commended for cold weather, and cheese may be added if necessary. Hard-boiled eggs are always in high favour, and may legitimately find a place in the menu. Soups, fish, hashes, pastry, etc. — let all these be anatJmna inaranatha. As for drink, whisky or claret is best ; beer always interferes with walking, and sometimes with shooting; champagne should be inexorably banished. Just one glass of brown sherry is a seductive luxury, which perhaps may be condoned ; then that precious half-pipe — and away once more. If the shooting is really good, as little time as possible should be wasted over Luncheon ; if bad or moderate, in the winter, a plate of Mulligatawny or an Irish Stew is not to be despised. 54 SHOOTING LUNCHEONS. If the Luncheon is to be cold and no time to be wasted, the Author suggests that a selection from the dishes below given should be taken in a luncheon basket with knives only : Fish Rolls. Chicken Rolls. Slices of Galantines. ,, Ham. „ Beef. „ Tongue. Filets of Chicken. Claret, Whisky, Sherry, Orange or Cherry Brandy, Soda Water. If the shooting is moderate, the weather cold, and Luncheon is the feature of the day, it is much better to arrange if possible to have it in a cottage or shooting lodge, and a list of suitable dishes is here given to select from : Filets of Pheasant. „ Partridge, „ Grouse. Small Pies full of Jelly. Plum Pudding. Cakes. Soups — Mulligatawny. Mutton Broth. Mock Turtle a la Liable. Chicken Pie. Partridge „ Beefsteak „ Sautes of Poultry or Game. Braised Duck aux Navets. „ Beefsteak. „ Mutton. Haricot of Mutton. Irish Stew. Beefsteak Puddings. Civet of Hare. Hashed Venison. Mince Pies, Plum Pudding, Apple Charlotte, Cakes of all sorts. BALL SUPPERS. CHAPTER IX. Ball Suppers, like other repasts, require some care, some management, some taste to be displayed, to be really nice. In the winter a clever cutlet is a luxury, but unless the establishment is large I should almost advise that everything should be cold, soups of course excepted. Cold suppers are much more easily served, and a hot meal so soon after dinner is hardly required. Everything, except perhaps a ham or two and a game pie, should be neatly filleted or cut up. Fish, poultry, game, etc., should be neatly arranged in aspic or chaufroix, or if plain with slices of ham or tongue between each fillet, and salads of some kind arranged in the centre of all cold dishes. Galantines, Ballotines in the same manner should be sliced with alternate slices of ham or tongue, and garnished with chopped aspic or salad de legumes. I should also strongly advise that suppers should be served on several small tables in preference to one large one, and that a dish of each sort .should adorn each table. Fill the room, and close it until the tables have been rearranged, as nothing looks so uncomfortable as to see the remnants of bread, etc., left on the tables. It is easily done in a very few moments, and it makes all the difference in the success of the affair. I shall give only four Bills of Fare. Any one who gives more than fotir balls in one year will probably be in a lunatic asylum before the next, so will not require more. 56 BALL SUPPERS. BALL SUPPERS. JANUARY. Consomm^ a la Royal.