No one should go to the breakfast table without washing the
face and hands, combing the hair, and wearing neat clothes.
The breakfast table is no place for kimonos and boudoir caps.
These are to be worn only in one’s bedroom.
In some families, the only meal in which all can eat together
is the evening meal. In many families the evening meal is the
dinner, i.e., the most elaborate meal of the day. It is a custom
in some homes for the members of the family to change their
clothes for the evening meal. After one has worked in clothes
all day, it is restful to change to other clothes.
If you assist in getting the meal ready, a large apron may be
used to protect your dress. You should, of course, remove the
apron when you sit down to eat.
SUMMARY
Table manners count in the home, in business, and in society.
We should use good manners at our home table because :
1. The way we eat every day becomes a habit.
2. We owe pleasing table conduct to the rest of our family.
Thoughtfulness for others is the basis of good manners.
Move to the left of your chair to be seated at the table. Also rise
unless it is inconvenient, from the left side of your chair.
Do not begin to eat until the hostess starts.
U se of napkin :
1. Unfold and place on your lap.
2. Fold at close of meal, if you will be present at following meal.
3. Leave unfolded at close of meal, if you will not be present at
following meal.
U se of knife :
1. Cutting firm foods.
2. Spreading bread.
Use of fork :
1. Holding food cut with a knife and lifting it to lips.
2. Cutting soft foods.
Use of teaspoon :
1. Stirring.
2. Tasting, not sipping.
3. Eating soft foods.
1 4o
Breakfast
Eating soup :
1. If soup is served in a bowl, sip it from the side of the spoon.
2. If it is served in a cup, drink from the cup.
Foods eaten from the fingers:
Bread Artichokes Candy Radishes
Dry cake Crackers Olives Celery
Dry sandwiches Nuts Hard cheese Firm pickles
REVIEW QUESTIONS AND EXERCISES
1. Suppose that you are having a meal at a friend’s home. On the
table near your cover is a dish of preserves ; there is a spoon on the table
beside the preserves. Suppose- the hostess says : “ Mary, will you
please start passing the preserves? ” What will you do with the spoon
beside the preserves? Will you help yourself first? To whom will
you pass the preserves?
2. Some topics that may be suitable for table talk are :
School athletics
Moving pictures
Books you have read
Picnics
Parties
Current events
What you learned at school in such
classes as history, English, home
economics
a. Make a list of at least five topics that you think would be inter-
esting to discuss at a meal being served at school.
b. Make a list of at least five topics that you think would be interesting
to discuss at a home meal.
3. Suppose you dropped your fork on the floor. What would you
do?
4. Suppose you accidentally spilled a cup of cocoa at the table. What
would you do? What would you say?
5. If there were no bread and butter plates on the table, where would
you put your piece of bread ?
6. If the silver at your cover includes a butter spreader, for what will
you use it ?
7. State whether you should eat the following foods with a fork, with
a spoon, or from your fingers :
Baked potatoes Cup custard Brick ice cream
Beef steak Peas Lettuce
Bread Radishes Cheese
Page 76
Presented as published in 1928. 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
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No one should go to the breakfast table without washing the
face and hands, combing the hair, and wearing neat clothes.
The breakfast table is no place for kimonos and boudoir caps.
These are to be worn only in one’s bedroom.
In some families, the only meal in which all can eat together
is the evening meal. In many families the evening meal is the
dinner, i.e., the most elaborate meal of the day. It is a custom
in some homes for the members of the family to change their
clothes for the evening meal. After one has worked in clothes
all day, it is restful to change to other clothes.
If you assist in getting the meal ready, a large apron may be
used to protect your dress. You should, of course, remove the
apron when you sit down to eat.
SUMMARY
Table manners count in the home, in business, and in society.
We should use good manners at our home table because :
1. The way we eat every day becomes a habit.
2. We owe pleasing table conduct to the rest of our family.
Thoughtfulness for others is the basis of good manners.
Move to the left of your chair to be seated at the table. Also rise
unless it is inconvenient, from the left side of your chair.
Do not begin to eat until the hostess starts.
U se of napkin :
1. Unfold and place on your lap.
2. Fold at close of meal, if you will be present at following meal.
3. Leave unfolded at close of meal, if you will not be present at
following meal.
U se of knife :
1. Cutting firm foods.
2. Spreading bread.
Use of fork :
1. Holding food cut with a knife and lifting it to lips.
2. Cutting soft foods.
Use of teaspoon :
1. Stirring.
2. Tasting, not sipping.
3. Eating soft foods.
1 4o
Breakfast
Eating soup :
1. If soup is served in a bowl, sip it from the side of the spoon.
2. If it is served in a cup, drink from the cup.
Foods eaten from the fingers:
Bread Artichokes Candy Radishes
Dry cake Crackers Olives Celery
Dry sandwiches Nuts Hard cheese Firm pickles
REVIEW QUESTIONS AND EXERCISES
1. Suppose that you are having a meal at a friend’s home. On the
table near your cover is a dish of preserves ; there is a spoon on the table
beside the preserves. Suppose- the hostess says : “ Mary, will you
please start passing the preserves? ” What will you do with the spoon
beside the preserves? Will you help yourself first? To whom will
you pass the preserves?
2. Some topics that may be suitable for table talk are :
School athletics
Moving pictures
Books you have read
Picnics
Parties
Current events
What you learned at school in such
classes as history, English, home
economics
a. Make a list of at least five topics that you think would be inter-
esting to discuss at a meal being served at school.
b. Make a list of at least five topics that you think would be interesting
to discuss at a home meal.
3. Suppose you dropped your fork on the floor. What would you
do?
4. Suppose you accidentally spilled a cup of cocoa at the table. What
would you do? What would you say?
5. If there were no bread and butter plates on the table, where would
you put your piece of bread ?
6. If the silver at your cover includes a butter spreader, for what will
you use it ?
7. State whether you should eat the following foods with a fork, with
a spoon, or from your fingers :
Baked potatoes Cup custard Brick ice cream
Beef steak Peas Lettuce
Bread Radishes Cheese