low voice, that dinner was served. The hostess then arranged
those that were not previously acquainted, and the gentlemen
conducted the ladies to the dining room, the principal
stranger taking the mistress of the house, and the master giving
his arm to the chief of the female guests. Going into the
dining room, the company passed by the butler and eight foot-
men, all of whom were stationed in two rows.
The table was set for twenty-six, and standing on it were
elegant gilt candelabra. All the lights were wax candles.
Chandeliers were suspended from the ceiling. In the middle
of the table was a magnificent plateau or centre ornament of
gold, flowers surmounted the summit, and the circular stages
below were covered with confectionary, elegantly arranged.
On each side of the plateau, and above and below, were tall
china fruit baskets. In the centre of each basket were im-
mense pine-apples of hot -house growth, with their fresh green
leaves. Below the pine-apples were large bunches of purple
and white hot-house grapes, beautifully disposed with leaves
and tendrils hanging over the sides of the baskets. Down
each side of the whole long table were placed large, round,
saucer-shaped fruit dishes, heaped up with peaches, nectarines,
pears, plums, ripe gooseberries, cherries, currants, and straw-
berries. All the fruits not in season were supplied from hot
houses. And, alternating with the fruit, were all the entremets
in covered dishes, placed on long slips of damask the whole
length of the table. All the plate was superb. The dinner
set was of French china, gilt and painted with roses. At
every plate was a carafe of water, with a tumbler turned down
over it, and several wine glasses. The napkins were large.
The sideboard held only the show silver and the wine. The
side-tables were covered with elegant damask cloths. On
these were ranged, laid along in numerous rows, the knives
forks, and spoons to be used at dinner. The dessert spoons
were in the form of hollow leaves, the stems being the
handles. The fruit knives had silver blades and pearl
handles. There were two soups (white and brown) standing
on a side table. Each servant handed the dishes in his white
kid gloves, and with a damask napkin under his thumb. They
offered (mentioning its name in a low voice) a plate of each
62 ETIQUETTE.
soup to each guest. After the soup, Hock and Moselle were
oftered to each guest, that they might choose either. A dish
of fish , was then placed at each end of the table — one was
salmon, the other turbot. These dishes were immediately
taken off to be helped by the servants, both sorts of fish
being offered to each person; then the appropriate sauce for
the fish, also cucumbers to eat with the salmon. No castors
were on the large table, but they were handed round by the
servants. Directly after the fish came the entremets^ or
French dishes. The wine following the fish was Madeira and
sherry.
Page 41
Presented as published in 1883. 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
low voice, that dinner was served. The hostess then arranged those that were not previously acquainted, and the gentlemen conducted the ladies to the dining room, the principal stranger taking the mistress of the house, and the master giving his arm to the chief of the female guests. Going into the dining room, the company passed by the butler and eight footmen, all of whom were stationed in two rows.
The table was set for twenty-six, and standing on it were elegant gilt candelabra. All the lights were wax candles. Chandeliers were suspended from the ceiling. In the middle of the table was a magnificent plateau or centre ornament of gold, flowers surmounted the summit, and the circular stages below were covered with confectionary, elegantly arranged. On each side of the plateau, and above and below, were tall china fruit baskets. In the centre of each basket were immense pine-apples of hot -house growth, with their fresh green leaves. Below the pine-apples were large bunches of purple and white hot-house grapes, beautifully disposed with leaves and tendrils hanging over the sides of the baskets. Down each side of the whole long table were placed large, round, saucer-shaped fruit dishes, heaped up with peaches, nectarines, pears, plums, ripe gooseberries, cherries, currants, and strawberries. All the fruits not in season were supplied from hot houses. And, alternating with the fruit, were all the entremets in covered dishes, placed on long slips of damask the whole length of the table. All the plate was superb. The dinner set was of French china, gilt and painted with roses. At every plate was a carafe of water, with a tumbler turned down over it, and several wine glasses. The napkins were large. The sideboard held only the show silver and the wine. The side-tables were covered with elegant damask cloths. On these were ranged, laid along in numerous rows, the knives forks, and spoons to be used at dinner. The dessert spoons were in the form of hollow leaves, the stems being the handles. The fruit knives had silver blades and pearl handles. There were two soups (white and brown) standing on a side table. Each servant handed the dishes in his white kid gloves, and with a damask napkin under his thumb. They offered (mentioning its name in a low voice) a plate of each
soup to each guest. After the soup, Hock and Moselle were offered to each guest, that they might choose either. A dish of fish was then placed at each end of the table — one was salmon, the other turbot. These dishes were immediately taken off to be helped by the servants, both sorts of fish being offered to each person; then the appropriate sauce for the fish, also cucumbers to eat with the salmon. No castors were on the large table, but they were handed round by the servants. Directly after the fish came the entremets or French dishes. The wine following the fish was Madeira and sherry.