The home science cook book

The cake was bought at a Woman's Exchange, the soup was the best quality of canned consomme, and the mousse was ordered from a well-known caterer, as were also the delicate Vienna rolls. The spinach was boiled, rinsed, and drained early in the day, that there might be no lingering odor of it in the apartment. The lettuce was washed, drained, and wrapped in a wet napkin and laid on ice, with the cucumber and the cream for the salad, that they might be thoroughly chilled. The cans of consomme were opened, turned out into a large pan, ready for heating to the boiling point at the last moment, thus having a chance to be- 224 Home Science Cook Book. become well aerated before serving. This left only the cooking of the potatoes, steak, and bananas, and the heating of the spinach and consomme to be done on the gas range during the half hour before dinner was served. Early in the day, after the house was put in order, the table was made ready, and then the room was closed until night. No natural flowers were used, as those on the embroidered centerpiece were fine imitations, but on the reflector in the center stood a small dish of ferns, low and broad. At intervals about the center were cut glass and fancy china dishes of pimentos, salted almonds, and pecans, and pink and green confections, with little fancy Venetian salt dishes conveniently near the plates. A china tray was laid at one end and filled with rolls. Seven covers were laid, consisting of dinner plate, a bread and butter plate, with butter spreader near the left upper corner, and a tumbler at the upper right. Next to the plate on the right lay a knife with the sharp edge turned toward the plate, and a soup spoon (not a tablespoon) with the bowl up, and on the left were two forks with tines up. Beyond the forks lay the napkin, and above the plate the spoon for the ice-cream. In front of the hostess's plate was the ladle for the soup. On a small serving table near the door, the plates for the ice-cream and the salad were arranged at one end, leaving room near the front for the water pitcher, the bowl for salad dressing, and the hot plates. On the shelf were laid the plates for the cheese course, holding a finger-bowl half filled with warm water and resting on a netted and embroidered doily, and a small A Dinner without a Maid. 225 tea knife for the cheese. A covered cheese dish stood near by with cheese knife, then the ice-cream cleaver, salad fork and spoon, serving spoons for the vegetables, with small carving knife and fork, arranged in the order in which they would be needed. On a stand near the hostess's chair -were the cups and spoons, sugar and cream, with tongs, ladle, etc., for the afterdinner coffee. The silver coffee pot and tureen, the platters for steak, ice-cream, and salad, the vegetable dishes and soup plates were laid out in order on the kitchen table ready for heating as needed.