A turkey and goose are helped by cutting slices off the
breast, and then the wings and legs are taken off. Wild duck
is helped in the same manner.
HAUNCH OF VENISON.
A haunch of venison should be cut from A to B close to
the knuckle. (See cut first.) Then from C to A.
Coffee is sent to the gentlemen in the dining-room. Tea
HOUSEHOLD. 97
only is handed aftet dinner, when the gentlemen have left the
dinner-table.
A few hints are prefixed on the etiquette of the dinner-table,
which will be found useful. In that, however, much must be
left to a quick and observant eye, and a determination to ren-
der yourself as agreeable as possible.
As Host. — The important day on which you feast your
friends being arrived, you will be duly prepared to receive the
first detachment. It were almost needless to observe that the
brief interval before dinner is announced may be easily filled
up by the common-place inquiries after health, and observa-
tions on the weather; as the company increases, provided they
were previously acquainted, you will find your labors in keep-
ing up the conversation very agreeably diminished.
While your guests are awaiting the announcement of din-
ner, it will be expedient that you should intimate to the ^
gentlemen of the party, as unobtrusively as possible, which
lady you wish each to take in charge, that, when the moment
arrives for your adjournment to the dining-room, there may not
be half a dozen claimants for the honor of escorting la plus
belle of the party, while some plain demoiselle is under the
painful necessity of escorting herself. Such a scene as this
should be carefully provided against by the mode above
suggested.
When dinner is announced, you will rise and request your
friends to proceed to the dining-room, yourself leading the
way, in company with your most distinguished female visitor,
followed immediately by the hostess, accompanied by the
gentleman who has the best claim to such an honor. The
remainder of the guests then follow, each gentleman accom-
panied by the lady previously pointed out to him.
Arrived at the dining-room, you will request the lady whom
you conducted, to take her seat on your right hand; then,
standing behind your chair, you will direct your visitors to
their respective seats.
Having taken your seat, you will now dispatch soup to each
of your guests, from the pile of plates placed on your right
hand, without questioning any whether you shall help them or
not; but, dealing it out silently, you will first help the person
mm^^
98 HOUSEHOLD
at your right hand, then at your left, and so throughout the
table. You will not ask to be allowed to help your guests, but
supply a plate in silence, and hand it to your servants, who will
offer it to such of the company as are unprovided. Never
offer soup or fish a second time.
Page 63
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
A turkey and goose are helped by cutting slices off the breast, and then the wings and legs are taken off. Wild duck is helped in the same manner.
[illustration: Haunch of Venison]
A haunch of venison should be cut from A to B close to the knuckle. (See cut first.) Then from C to A.
Coffee is sent to the gentlemen in the dining-room. Tea
only is handed aftet dinner, when the gentlemen have left the dinner-table.
A few hints are prefixed on the etiquette of the dinner-table, which will be found useful. In that, however, much must be left to a quick and observant eye, and a determination to render yourself as agreeable as possible.
As Host. — The important day on which you feast your friends being arrived, you will be duly prepared to receive the first detachment. It were almost needless to observe that the brief interval before dinner is announced may be easily filled up by the common-place inquiries after health, and observations on the weather; as the company increases, provided they were previously acquainted, you will find your labors in keeping up the conversation very agreeably diminished.
While your guests are awaiting the announcement of dinner, it will be expedient that you should intimate to the gentlemen of the party, as unobtrusively as possible, which lady you wish each to take in charge, that, when the moment arrives for your adjournment to the dining-room, there may not be half a dozen claimants for the honor of escorting la plus belle of the party, while some plain demoiselle is under the painful necessity of escorting herself. Such a scene as this should be carefully provided against by the mode above suggested.
When dinner is announced, you will rise and request your friends to proceed to the dining-room, yourself leading the way, in company with your most distinguished female visitor, followed immediately by the hostess, accompanied by the gentleman who has the best claim to such an honor. The remainder of the guests then follow, each gentleman accompanied by the lady previously pointed out to him.
Arrived at the dining-room, you will request the lady whom you conducted, to take her seat on your right hand; then, standing behind your chair, you will direct your visitors to their respective seats.
Having taken your seat, you will now dispatch soup to each of your guests, from the pile of plates placed on your right hand, without questioning any whether you shall help them or not; but, dealing it out silently, you will first help the person
mm^^
at your right hand, then at your left, and so throughout the table. You will not ask to be allowed to help your guests, but supply a plate in silence, and hand it to your servants, who will offer it to such of the company as are unprovided. Never offer soup or fish a second time.