Instead of sending away for rare luxuries with
which our guests might be familiar every day, let us
make the most of the specialties of our own locality.
The table decorations may take the form or color
of the season, but beware of special shapes or gar-
nishes which might cause any deterioration of the
food to be served.
Other essential points are to have everything served
at the proper temperature, to alternate brown and
white or crisp and soft effects, and to avoid having
the same article appear in two different courses.
This couplet from an old English poet sums up the
whole matter:
"Three dishes well dressed, and a welcome withal,
Both please th thy guest, and become th thy hall."
GENERAL DIRECTIONS
FOR
WAITRESSES AT THE LAKE PLACID
CLUB
By Mrs. Melvil Dewey
Secretary, Lake Placid Conference on Home Economics.
To serve food at the right temperature, both hot and
cold, with neatness and the least possible noise and
delay, constitutes the true art of the waitress. It is
a problem in economics requiring careful study that
there may be no waste of time and energy.
To Lay the Table. Put on silence cloth, then
table cloth with middle folds in the center and the
center ornament of ferns or flowers. Arrange places
symmetrically. Place knives with sharp edge in,
and spoons, with bowl up, at right of plate, forks
with tines up, at the left, all one inch from edge of
table. Napkins in the center. Glass at right just
above point of knife, bread and butter plate at left
above forks. Place three sets of salts and peppers on
each table, one set at each end and one in middle for
long tables; for round tables one third distance apart.
Have bread, butter, and water carafe on table at every
meal. Fill carafe and butter plates the last thing.
Serve cream in individual pitchers, and have a china
pitcher of milk on table for breakfast and supper.
Leave wafers, jelly, and relishes on table as well as
bread, butter, and water.
'83
1 84 PRINCIPLES OF COOKERY
Waiting on Table. Keep cool, move noiselessly,
wear rubber heels, avoid all clatter of dishes. Study
your table carefully, see that everything is in place,
that sugar bowls, salt and pepper sprinklers, vinegar
and oil cruets are filled, that the extra dishes needed,
silver, and finger-bowls are on the side table, and that
neatness prevails.
While waiting, a chair may be drawn back from
table at least three feet, and waitress may sit till
guests for her table enter dining-room. Never sit
near enough to touch the table. Rise as your guests
approach, seat the eldest lady or head of the party,
pass the menu card to her or the one who usually
orders first. Fill glasses and serve butter while menu
card is examined. Put only small piece of ice in
each glass, enough to cool it, unless more is requested.
Some prefer water without ice; study preferences.
Stand at the left when you pass or receive dishes.
Stand at the right when you set down tea, coffee,
plates or other dishes. A safe rule is, pass from the
left, set down from the right. Place dishes in neat
orderly straight lines.
Begin with a lady or older person.
For Breakfast, bring fruit and cereal orders
together. If near kitchen, a second trip may be
made for the hot cereals.
Place finger-bowls when fruit and cereal is set
down and take orders for next course.
Before leaving the room at any time see that each
Page 69
Presented as published in 1910. 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
Instead of sending away for rare luxuries with which our guests might be familiar every day, let us make the most of the specialties of our own locality.
The table decorations may take the form or color of the season, but beware of special shapes or garnishes which might cause any deterioration of the food to be served.
Other essential points are to have everything served at the proper temperature, to alternate brown and white or crisp and soft effects, and to avoid having the same article appear in two different courses.
This couplet from an old English poet sums up the whole matter:
"Three dishes well dressed, and a welcome withal,
Both please thy guest, and become thy hall."
GENERAL DIRECTIONS
FOR
WAITRESSES AT THE LAKE PLACID CLUB
By Mrs. Melvil Dewey Secretary, Lake Placid Conference on Home Economics.
To serve food at the right temperature, both hot and cold, with neatness and the least possible noise and delay, constitutes the true art of the waitress. It is a problem in economics requiring careful study that there may be no waste of time and energy.
To Lay the Table. Put on silence cloth, then table cloth with middle folds in the center and the center ornament of ferns or flowers. Arrange places symmetrically. Place knives with sharp edge in, and spoons, with bowl up, at right of plate, forks with tines up, at the left, all one inch from edge of table. Napkins in the center. Glass at right just above point of knife, bread and butter plate at left above forks. Place three sets of salts and peppers on each table, one set at each end and one in middle for long tables; for round tables one third distance apart. Have bread, butter, and water carafe on table at every meal. Fill carafe and butter plates the last thing. Serve cream in individual pitchers, and have a china pitcher of milk on table for breakfast and supper. Leave wafers, jelly, and relishes on table as well as bread, butter, and water.
Waiting on Table. Keep cool, move noiselessly, wear rubber heels, avoid all clatter of dishes. Study your table carefully, see that everything is in place, that sugar bowls, salt and pepper sprinklers, vinegar and oil cruets are filled, that the extra dishes needed, silver, and finger-bowls are on the side table, and that neatness prevails.
While waiting, a chair may be drawn back from table at least three feet, and waitress may sit till guests for her table enter dining-room. Never sit near enough to touch the table. Rise as your guests approach, seat the eldest lady or head of the party, pass the menu card to her or the one who usually orders first. Fill glasses and serve butter while menu card is examined. Put only small piece of ice in each glass, enough to cool it, unless more is requested. Some prefer water without ice; study preferences.
Stand at the left when you pass or receive dishes. Stand at the right when you set down tea, coffee, plates or other dishes. A safe rule is, pass from the left, set down from the right. Place dishes in neat orderly straight lines.
Begin with a lady or older person.
For Breakfast, bring fruit and cereal orders together. If near kitchen, a second trip may be made for the hot cereals.
Place finger-bowls when fruit and cereal is set down and take orders for next course.
Before leaving the room at any time see that each