Breakfasts, luncheons, and ball suppers

LOBSTER FOR MAYONNAISE. No. 89. Take the meat out of the tail whole, cut it in slices about half an inch thick, mask with Mayonnaise Sauce (No. 55), and arrange neatly in rows round the dish with a salad of lettuce in the centre, and pour over the latter some Mayonnaise Sauce (No. 52). CHAUFROIX OF LOBSTER. No. 90. Prepare the lobster in the same way, only mask with Chaufroix Sauce (No. 55) and serve with salad de Idgumes in the centre. LOBSTER IN ASPIC. No. 91. Prepare some lobster as in Lobster qu Gratin, only use Mayonnaise instead of Bechamel Sauce, and instead of warm- ing, mix with a little mustard and cress, and having filled sorne darioles (which can be obtained for this purpose from Adams & Son, Haymarket) with aspic jelly, fill the centre with the lobster, and run in over it some more aspic jellyj which should be nearly cold. Put the darioles on ice and there keep them until just before being served, when turn them carefully out and garnish the dish with either chopped aspic jelly or mustard and cress. FISH AU GRATINS. 97 MACKEREL, BROILED. No. 92. Cut off the head and tail, split down the back, extract the bones of as many mackerel as are required (allow one for two people), put on a gridiron and broil over or in front of a clear fire ; rub a little soft butter over, and sprinkle a little pepper and salt over it before serving. OYSTERS, TO OPEN AND SERVE. No. 93. It seems almost unnecessary to give directions for opening oysters, but I have seen them, poor things ! so mangled, so mutilated, that I think a few words on the subject may be useful. Be careful that the oyster knives are sharp, if not, they break the shell instead of opening the oyster. Having seen that the knife is sharp, take a cloth and hold the oyster in it in your left hand on the table, the hinge part in the hollow of your hand and the flat shell uppermost ; with the right hand insert the knife into the upper shell near the thin part, working it about until this is accomplished, when press the handle of the knife downwards and at the same time push it in along the top shell, moving it about to release the oyster ; when released, pull the top shell off, turn the oyster over in the bottom shell, and be careful not to upset the liquor in it. If they are not to be used immediately put the top shell on each, as it prevents their getting dry. Remember the bottom shell is the proper shell in which they should be sent to table ; one generally in the country sees them served in the top shells, ivhich is exceedingly 'provincial and absolutely wrong. Hand round, or put on the table near them cayenne pepper, lemons divided into eight parts, and vinegar, or the following mixture : Chop half-a-dozen shalots very fine, throw them into cold water, strain and dry them in a cloth, put them in a butter-boat and add a dessert-spoonful of mignonette pepper, a dash of cayenne, and three table-spoonfuls of the best French vinegar, or lemon juice. With a tea-spoon put one or two drops on each oyster. H 2 98 BREAKFASTS, LUNCHEONS, AND BALL SUPPERS. OYSTERS IN ASPIC. No. 94.