Protection of the Table. Food served hot requires
warm plates and serving dishes, so that it may lose
none of the heat while being served. The serving
dish should be warmer than the plates. As heat mars
varnished and polished surfaces, the table must be
protected by some substance that will keep the heat
from spoiling it.
The first thing in the laying of the table linen is the
placing of the thick cloth of felt, double Canton
flannel, or of one of the many thick materials made
for this purpose; flannel is better than cotton, as
cotton is not a good non-conductor of heat. Thick
mats placed imder hot dishes are a protection. Tiles
are often used, but they absorb heat and transmit it
to the table imless they are set in a frame or on little
feet. Even then they are not satisfactory supports,
as dishes are apt to slip on the glazed surface.
A thin pad of flannel covered with a Unen slip may be
placed under the carving-cloth. For coffee, tea, or
hot-water pots, a broad tile or a slightly raised wire
frame may be used. On this place the linen-covered
flannel pad. The flannel preserves the heat in the
164 DOMESTIC SCIENCE
vessel set upon it. If the tea or coffee-pot is placed
on the cold tile it loses heat rapidly. A polished sur-
face is a costly luxury if, for the sake of protecting
it, one's food and drink must suffer from lack of
temperature. But with pads of non-conducting mate-
rial on tiles or other supports, which are raised to
allow a current of air to pass between them and
the table, food may be kept hot and the polish of the
table preserved at the same time.
The imder-cloth protects the table from hot dishes,
protects the table-cloth from wear, especially at the
ends and comers, makes even a handsome cloth look
handsomer, and keeps the dishes from making a noise.
It is sometimes called a " husher " or silence-cloth.
When this cloth is smoothly in place, spread the table-
cloth over it, taking care to have the center crease
come exactly in the center of the table, and crossing
the crease of the cross folds in the center. The use of
the table-cloth is to make the table look neat and
attractive, to prevent noise from dishes, and to pro-
tect the table from hot dishes, scratches, etc. But
it has been seen that the table-cloth is not sufficient.
The under-cloth is a necessity.
The lines of the table being true, put the plates
in position. The distance between plates should be
at least twenty inches. When they are correctly
placed, it will be easy to arrange the table symmetri-
cally. Place the center ornament next, and then the
silver and glass.
Setting the Table. Place knives and spoons at the
right of the plate, having ends of the handles near
the edge of the table, with the sharp edge of the
knife next to the plate and the inside of the bowls of
THE DINING-ROOM AND SERVING 165
the spoons turned up. Place the forks so that the
prongs will not make rough places in the table-cloth.
Put the glasses on the right of the plate; the water
glass coming to the point of the knife. If carving-
cloths are used, arrange them before the plates are
put on the table. Fresh napkins should be placed
on the plates or on the left-hand side. If the napkins
are in rings, place them at the side.
Individual butter-plates and small butter-knives,
called spreaders, may be put at the end of the forks.
If individual salt-cellars and salt-spoons are used, they
should be placed at the corner, or within the reach of
the people — or a salt-cellar and salt-spoon may be
placed at each plate, English fashion.
If a carafe is used, put water in it before the
meal is served and set it in the refrigerator to keep
cool. This is better than serving ice-water.
Page 66
Presented as published in 1911. 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
Protection of the Table. Food served hot requires warm plates and serving dishes, so that it may lose none of the heat while being served. The serving dish should be warmer than the plates. As heat mars varnished and polished surfaces, the table must be protected by some substance that will keep the heat from spoiling it.
The first thing in the laying of the table linen is the placing of the thick cloth of felt, double Canton flannel, or of one of the many thick materials made for this purpose; flannel is better than cotton, as cotton is not a good non-conductor of heat. Thick mats placed imder hot dishes are a protection. Tiles are often used, but they absorb heat and transmit it to the table imless they are set in a frame or on little feet. Even then they are not satisfactory supports, as dishes are apt to slip on the glazed surface. A thin pad of flannel covered with a Unen slip may be placed under the carving-cloth. For coffee, tea, or hot-water pots, a broad tile or a slightly raised wire frame may be used. On this place the linen-covered flannel pad. The flannel preserves the heat in the
vessel set upon it. If the tea or coffee-pot is placed on the cold tile it loses heat rapidly. A polished surface is a costly luxury if, for the sake of protecting it, one's food and drink must suffer from lack of temperature. But with pads of non-conducting material on tiles or other supports, which are raised to allow a current of air to pass between them and the table, food may be kept hot and the polish of the table preserved at the same time.
The imder-cloth protects the table from hot dishes, protects the table-cloth from wear, especially at the ends and comers, makes even a handsome cloth look handsomer, and keeps the dishes from making a noise. It is sometimes called a " husher " or silence-cloth. When this cloth is smoothly in place, spread the tablecloth over it, taking care to have the center crease come exactly in the center of the table, and crossing the crease of the cross folds in the center. The use of the table-cloth is to make the table look neat and attractive, to prevent noise from dishes, and to protect the table from hot dishes, scratches, etc. But it has been seen that the table-cloth is not sufficient. The under-cloth is a necessity.
The lines of the table being true, put the plates in position. The distance between plates should be at least twenty inches. When they are correctly placed, it will be easy to arrange the table symmetrically. Place the center ornament next, and then the silver and glass.
Setting the Table. Place knives and spoons at the right of the plate, having ends of the handles near the edge of the table, with the sharp edge of the knife next to the plate and the inside of the bowls of
the spoons turned up. Place the forks so that the prongs will not make rough places in the table-cloth. Put the glasses on the right of the plate; the water glass coming to the point of the knife. If carvingcloths are used, arrange them before the plates are put on the table. Fresh napkins should be placed on the plates or on the left-hand side. If the napkins are in rings, place them at the side.
Individual butter-plates and small butter-knives, called spreaders, may be put at the end of the forks. If individual salt-cellars and salt-spoons are used, they should be placed at the corner, or within the reach of the people — or a salt-cellar and salt-spoon may be placed at each plate, English fashion.
If a carafe is used, put water in it before the meal is served and set it in the refrigerator to keep cool. This is better than serving ice-water.