Plate Service. There are some advantages
in serving the plates from the stove and tak¬
ing them to the table complete. The use
of a tray will save trips when the family is
large. The salad and other cold foods may
be served in advance. This method elimi¬
nates serving dishes, such as meat platters and
vegetable dishes, since with this form of
service the meat is carved in the kitchen and
the vegetables are served directly from the
utensils in which they were cooked.
A disadvantage of this style of service is
that it is difficult to supply second helpings.
With a little experience the homemaker is
able to adapt the servings to the needs and
appetities of individual members of the
family.
Table Serving. When the food is served
at the table, one person carves the meat and
places it on each plate, while another may
serve the vegetables. Still another may, if
desired, serve the salad which may come to
the table in a bowl. The dessert also may be
served at the table, after the used dishes
and silver from the main course have been
removed.
This form of serving is usually called
"family style.” The more usual adaptation
of it is a combination of table and plate
serving. The salad may be served in the
kitchen and placed on the table before the
family is seated. The dessert, too, if it is not
a frozen dessert, or one to be served hot, may
be served beforehand and placed conven¬
iently near the dining-table, on a side table
or a tray cart.
This is an excellent method of teaching
family help and co-operation, with the father
doing the carving, the mother serving the
vegetables, one child serving something else,
and perhaps another removing the dishes.
On the other hand, one person may do all
the serving if necessary.
With the serving of dishes of food on the
table it is possible to serve fairly small por¬
tions, certain to be eaten, with second help¬
ings for those who need or want them. For
this reason family style is good when the
group is made up of different ages. Such a
method of serving has many advantages,
the only disadvantage being that more
dishes are required than in plate service.
Buffet Service. A very easy and attractive
method of serving a large group with little
or no help is a form of self-service, often
called "buffet service.” The food, however,
is more often served from the dining-table
than from a buffet. The meat or main dish
is placed at one end of the table with a stack
of plates near it. The salad may be served in
a large bowl or in lettuce cups on a tray, at
the opposite end. Vegetables, relishes, and
rolls are attractively spaced on the table,
with the necessary silver and the napkins.
The host may carve and serve the meat
[362]
while the hostess serves the salad; or the
hostess may ask various guests to help with
the serving, leaving her free to see that foods
are replenished as needed.
Small tables may be set up for the guests,
or, if the menu has been planned accordingly,
tables may not be needed. In the latter case,
water and glasses should be placed con¬
veniently on a side table.
The dessert may be served in advance and
placed on the buffet or tray cart. The cof¬
fee may be near the dessert, made where it
is served or made in the kitchen and brought
in at the proper time.
Page 335
Presented as published in 1935. 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
Plate Service. There are some advantages in serving the plates from the stove and tak¬ ing them to the table complete. The use of a tray will save trips when the family is large. The salad and other cold foods may be served in advance. This method elimi¬ nates serving dishes, such as meat platters and vegetable dishes, since with this form of service the meat is carved in the kitchen and the vegetables are served directly from the utensils in which they were cooked.
A disadvantage of this style of service is that it is difficult to supply second helpings. With a little experience the homemaker is able to adapt the servings to the needs and appetities of individual members of the family.
Table Serving. When the food is served at the table, one person carves the meat and places it on each plate, while another may
serve the vegetables. Still another may, if desired, serve the salad which may come to the table in a bowl. The dessert also may be served at the table, after the used dishes and silver from the main course have been removed.
This form of serving is usually called "family style.” The more usual adaptation of it is a combination of table and plate serving. The salad may be served in the kitchen and placed on the table before the family is seated. The dessert, too, if it is not a frozen dessert, or one to be served hot, may be served beforehand and placed conven¬ iently near the dining-table, on a side table or a tray cart.
This is an excellent method of teaching family help and co-operation, with the father doing the carving, the mother serving the vegetables, one child serving something else, and perhaps another removing the dishes. On the other hand, one person may do all the serving if necessary.
With the serving of dishes of food on the table it is possible to serve fairly small por¬ tions, certain to be eaten, with second help¬ ings for those who need or want them. For this reason family style is good when the group is made up of different ages. Such a method of serving has many advantages, the only disadvantage being that more dishes are required than in plate service.
Buffet Service. A very easy and attractive method of serving a large group with little or no help is a form of self-service, often called "buffet service.” The food, however, is more often served from the dining-table than from a buffet. The meat or main dish is placed at one end of the table with a stack of plates near it. The salad may be served in a large bowl or in lettuce cups on a tray, at the opposite end. Vegetables, relishes, and rolls are attractively spaced on the table, with the necessary silver and the napkins.
The host may carve and serve the meat
[362]
while the hostess serves the salad; or the hostess may ask various guests to help with the serving, leaving her free to see that foods are replenished as needed.
Small tables may be set up for the guests, or, if the menu has been planned accordingly, tables may not be needed. In the latter case, water and glasses should be placed con¬ veniently on a side table.
The dessert may be served in advance and placed on the buffet or tray cart. The cof¬ fee may be near the dessert, made where it is served or made in the kitchen and brought in at the proper time.