Foods and home making

After eating the cereal, the soiled dishes may be set aside on the table or placed on a service wagon. 120 Breakfast How is the main dish served? If the main dish is one that needs to be served very hot, as has been stated previously, it is often necessary to leave this dish in the kitchen while the fruit and cereal are being eaten. If the soiled cereal dishes have been carried to the kitchen, on one of the return trips the main dish may be brought to the table and placed at the host’s cover. A pile of hot breakfast plates — one for each member of the family — may also be placed at the host’s cover. The host then serves the main food on plates and passes them to each member of the family. The one nearest the bread should start to pass it. How is the beverage served ? If milk is served for breakfast, a glass of milk is placed at each cover before the family is seated at the table. If cocoa or any other hot beverage is served, the hostess pours it. If cream and sugar are served with the beverage, she may add these to each cup or pass the cream and sugar so that each may help himself. Should food be served on cold or on hot dishes? A cold baked potato is heavy, soggy, and unappetizing. A steaming hot baked potato, white and mealy, is usually delicious. To keep foods hot, the dishes on which they are served should be hot. Foods that are well cooked are sometimes spoiled by being served on cold dishes. Dishes may be heated in the warming oven or in hot water. On the other hand, a chilled fruit or other cold food may lose its attractiveness if served on a warm dish. A rule which should be followed generally in serving food is : Serve hot foods on hot dishes; serve cold foods on cold dishes. What is the main difference between serving with and serving without a maid ? We have discussed the serving of a meal when the entire family is seated at the dining table. If one member of the family “ waits on table ” or if a maid serves the family at the table, how shall a meal be served? For the family style of service, whether or not there is a maid, Serving a Family Breakfast 1 2 1 the host and hostess separate the food into individual portions at the dining table. The maid carries the food to be served and dishes for serving to the dining table. When the food is sepa- rated into portions, she carries one to each member of the family. At the end of each course she also takes soiled dishes to the kitchen. When a meal is served by a maid, there are certain methods of serving which are generally followed. These methods are discussed in the following. Shall dishes be placed or passed to the right or left of the per- son seated at the table ? If bread is offered to a person at the table, he will reach for it with his right hand. It will be easier for the guest to reach, if the waitress stands at his left. One of the rules for waiting on table is : Pass all dishes to the left of a guest. When the host puts food on a breakfast or dinner plate, the plate is not offered to a guest. The maid places a served plate at each cover. It is expected that all guests will desire such dishes. Within the last few years, it has become customary to place dishes at the left of a guest. Therefore, another general rule for serving is : Place dishes at the left of a guest. There are, however, some exceptions to this rule.