Oatmeal, cracked wheat, or some
form of hominy or corn-meal, with cream, milk, sugar, or
sirup, is indispensable when the family includes children.
Coffee, chocolate, and cocoa are suitable breakfast bever-
ages, but tea is undesirable. Meat, eggs, or fish, in some
THE ETIQUETTE OF ENTERTAINMENTS. 1 45
hot form, should always be served, and potatoes or variety
in breads are desirable. Nearly all American breakfasts in-
clude some form of hot fried cakes with sirup or sugar.
The family breakfast-table is laid with the coffee-service
at the head of the table ; the largest hot dish at the other
end ; a knife, fork, spoon, glass, napkin, small bread-and-
butter plate, and salt, at each cover; and the side-dish,
breads, and fruit at convenient places upon the table. When
fruit is served first, as a separate course, it may be placed
before the other dishes are brought in, with a special plate,
fruit-knife, and napkin, and a finger-bowl for each cover,
which are to be removed before the breakfast is served.
When there are not many servants, the care of the break-
fast-table falls upon the ladies of the family ; and there
should be preparations made for clearing away the table, and
washing all but the greasy dishes in the breakfast-room. A
side-table is necessary for this, or a large butler's tray, upon
which the dishes can be gathered in regular piles or groups
after they are freed from the remains of the breakfast. Any
dishes removed from the table in the course of the meal can
be placed there, being protected from flies if they contain
food which can be used again ; the plates and saucers in
little piles,' the cups and glasses in groups, and the spoons,
knives, and forks in a tray.
To wash the dishes, a small wooden tub or a tin pan, with
a little mop or a clean dishcloth, soap, and plenty of hot
water for washing and rinsing, are required. The glasses are
to be washed first, rinsed in warm water, and dried at once
on clean towels ; then the cups and saucers and the sauce-
dishes ; next the silver ; and finally the dishes and empty
platters, all scraps of food having first been removed from
them. The washing-water should be changed frequently,
and a little borax or washing-soda dissolved in it to facilitate
the removal of the grease. When a butler's pantry adjoins
146 PRACTICAL AMERICAN COOKERY.
the breakfast-room, the dishes are always washed there ; the
same care being exercised in keeping the sink clean as in
the kitchen. Dishes removed to the kitchen to be washed
should be just as neatly and carefully treated as in the pantry
or breakfast-room : after the dishcloths and towels are used,
they should be thoroughly washed m hot soapy water, rinsed
in hot clean water, and dried in the sun or at least .n the
open air.
FAMILY LUNCHEON.
Page 84
Presented as published in 1885. 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
Oatmeal, cracked wheat, or some form of hominy or corn-meal, with cream, milk, sugar, or sirup, is indispensable when the family includes children. Coffee, chocolate, and cocoa are suitable breakfast beverages, but tea is undesirable. Meat, eggs, or fish, in some
hot form, should always be served, and potatoes or variety in breads are desirable. Nearly all American breakfasts include some form of hot fried cakes with sirup or sugar.
The family breakfast-table is laid with the coffee-service at the head of the table ; the largest hot dish at the other end ; a knife, fork, spoon, glass, napkin, small bread-andbutter plate, and salt, at each cover; and the side-dish, breads, and fruit at convenient places upon the table. When fruit is served first, as a separate course, it may be placed before the other dishes are brought in, with a special plate, fruit-knife, and napkin, and a finger-bowl for each cover, which are to be removed before the breakfast is served.
When there are not many servants, the care of the breakfast-table falls upon the ladies of the family ; and there should be preparations made for clearing away the table, and washing all but the greasy dishes in the breakfast-room. A side-table is necessary for this, or a large butler's tray, upon which the dishes can be gathered in regular piles or groups after they are freed from the remains of the breakfast. Any dishes removed from the table in the course of the meal can be placed there, being protected from flies if they contain food which can be used again ; the plates and saucers in little piles, the cups and glasses in groups, and the spoons, knives, and forks in a tray.
To wash the dishes, a small wooden tub or a tin pan, with a little mop or a clean dishcloth, soap, and plenty of hot water for washing and rinsing, are required. The glasses are to be washed first, rinsed in warm water, and dried at once on clean towels ; then the cups and saucers and the saucedishes ; next the silver ; and finally the dishes and empty platters, all scraps of food having first been removed from them. The washing-water should be changed frequently, and a little borax or washing-soda dissolved in it to facilitate the removal of the grease. When a butler's pantry adjoins
the breakfast-room, the dishes are always washed there ; the same care being exercised in keeping the sink clean as in the kitchen. Dishes removed to the kitchen to be washed should be just as neatly and carefully treated as in the pantry or breakfast-room : after the dishcloths and towels are used, they should be thoroughly washed in hot soapy water, rinsed in hot clean water, and dried in the sun or at least in the open air.
FAMILY LUNCHEON.