No one, especially school children, and those who have
been at hard labor, should come to the table without first
washing face and hands and tidying the hair.
Girls should don a clean apron if the dress be soiled and
must be worn for the after meal work, and in hot weather
boys should cover soiled shirt sleeves with a thin, clean house
jacket.
CHAPTER XVI
WAITING ON THE TABLE
There is no excuse for the sort of every-one-for-himself
style of serving at table which is too often seen. Children,
boys as well as girls, should be taught and allowed to help in
the serving, even if one have a waitress. If they can have a
daily share in the duties, filling the glasses, passing butter
or sauce, removing the dishes between the courses, etc.,
nothing will give them more ease and self-possession when
unexpectedly called to fill the place of mother or father at
the table, or better help to counteract the evil habits of hurried
eating and indifference to the wants of others, or better enable
them to direct if they should ever have homes and maids of
their own. The following general directions may be adapted
to any style of living.
If the serving be done wholly by the family, special pains
should be taken, in laying the table, to provide everything
necessary, that there may be no occasion to leave the table.
Spoons for tea or sauce may be laid at the plates, butter-plates
and glasses filled, and other things made ready before the
family are seated.
At breakfast, nearly every one wants coffee or other drink
first, and there should be no undue haste in passing the sub-
stantial until this has been served. Ascertain the pref-
erence of each one as to sugar and cream, and put them in the
cups, instead of passing them separately.
Do not fill the plates indiscriminately, and send them to go
the round of the table, but consult individual tastes or needs,
and give each one the opportunity of choice as to the various
dishes. Serve first those whom you wish most to honor, and
name the one for whom the plate is prepared,
62
WAITING ON THE TABLE 63
It makes less confusion for some one to sit near the one
who carves, and to help to the vegetables and various dishes
that are to be served on the same plate with the meat, instead
of passing them back and forth. Be careful to pass all the
accompaniments with the principal dishes, — the butter and
syrup with hot cakes, the cream and sugar with mush and
fruit, the condiments and relishes where they are needed, and
avoid having many things passing around at the same time.
There are many families where the lady of the house is the
only person who can leave the table to arrange for the change
of courses, but if there be other and younger members of the
family capable of such service, it should be performed by
them. No girl, old enough to carry a dish without breaking
it, should ever permit her mother to leave the table for any
such purpose. A side table on casters may be placed within
easy reach, and have on it extra dishes and part or the whole
of the last course. It will save much confusion in the serving.
Page 35
Presented as published in 1915. 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
No one, especially school children, and those who have been at hard labor, should come to the table without first washing face and hands and tidying the hair.
Girls should don a clean apron if the dress be soiled and must be worn for the after meal work, and in hot weather boys should cover soiled shirt sleeves with a thin, clean house jacket.
CHAPTER XVI WAITING ON THE TABLE
There is no excuse for the sort of every-one-for-himself style of serving at table which is too often seen. Children, boys as well as girls, should be taught and allowed to help in the serving, even if one have a waitress. If they can have a daily share in the duties, filling the glasses, passing butter or sauce, removing the dishes between the courses, etc., nothing will give them more ease and self-possession when unexpectedly called to fill the place of mother or father at the table, or better help to counteract the evil habits of hurried eating and indifference to the wants of others, or better enable them to direct if they should ever have homes and maids of their own. The following general directions may be adapted to any style of living.
If the serving be done wholly by the family, special pains should be taken, in laying the table, to provide everything necessary, that there may be no occasion to leave the table. Spoons for tea or sauce may be laid at the plates, butter-plates and glasses filled, and other things made ready before the family are seated.
At breakfast, nearly every one wants coffee or other drink first, and there should be no undue haste in passing the substantial until this has been served. Ascertain the preference of each one as to sugar and cream, and put them in the cups, instead of passing them separately.
Do not fill the plates indiscriminately, and send them to go the round of the table, but consult individual tastes or needs, and give each one the opportunity of choice as to the various dishes. Serve first those whom you wish most to honor, and name the one for whom the plate is prepared,
WAITING ON THE TABLE 63
It makes less confusion for some one to sit near the one who carves, and to help to the vegetables and various dishes that are to be served on the same plate with the meat, instead of passing them back and forth. Be careful to pass all the accompaniments with the principal dishes, — the butter and syrup with hot cakes, the cream and sugar with mush and fruit, the condiments and relishes where they are needed, and avoid having many things passing around at the same time.
There are many families where the lady of the house is the only person who can leave the table to arrange for the change of courses, but if there be other and younger members of the family capable of such service, it should be performed by them. No girl, old enough to carry a dish without breaking it, should ever permit her mother to leave the table for any such purpose. A side table on casters may be placed within easy reach, and have on it extra dishes and part or the whole of the last course. It will save much confusion in the serving.