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What to eat, how to serve it

1891

Page 29 · 1 recipe record on this page

Presented as published in 1891. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
Ham Pdtes. Green Pease. Stuffed Crabs. Chicken Cutlets. Broiled Fillet of Beef, au Maltre d*H6tel. Asparagus. Eoman Punch. Quail on Toast. Celery Salad. Fried Mushrooms on Toast, with Sauce d. TEspagnol. Frozen PuddingLarge Luncheon Menu 2. Whipped Cream. Ices. Fruit. Coffee. Chocolate. With either of these mentis wine may be served, although there is not the variety of these at a ladies' luncheon that there is at a dinner. Claret may be served with the fish or first entree J and drunk during the luncheon, or brought in with the game, or with the heaviest meat course. In some cases no claret is served, and the only wine is the small glass of sherry offered late in the meal. Ill A STANDING LUNCH. FOE a long time there was a felt need for some form of entertainment that would be more general in its character than a dinner or a lunch, less of a full-dress affair than an evening party, and more elaborate than the ordinary kettle-drum or afternoon tea. This want was finally supplied by the introduction of the standing lunch, which is in reality lit- tle more than a regular reception, such as usually takes place in the evening, held in the afternoon. To this both ladies and gen- tlemen are invited. The hours for which the guests are asked — usually from four to six or seven — preclude the necessity of full dress. The men usually wear morning coats, while the wOmen are arrayed in handsome caUing costumes, and do not remove their bonnets. It may be re- marked, en passant^ that the wearing of the 112 A STANDING LUNCH hat or bonnet is, or should be, a rule without exception at a ladies' lunch. Only the host- ess or those of the company who are guests in the house appear with their heads un- covered. The others wear handsome dressy bonnets, such as they would assume for the theatre in the evening or for an afternoon reception. The hostess who desires to entertain her friends or to discharge, her social obligations by a standing lunch must issue her invitations some days in advance of the date fixed. They should be formal, and are usually engraved, although they may be written. The former method is preferabj.e. At a lunch of this kind, as the name im- plies, the guests are not to be seated at one large table, nor even at a number of small ones. The large dining-room table and sideboard are set out with a repast con- sisting of some hot and some cold dishes. The guests move about the drawing-room, seating themselves if they have the chance, as they would at an evening reception, and are served with plates containing the succes- 8 113 WHAT TO EAT — HOW TO SERVE IT sive courses, either by waiters or by their escorts. Not only is there less formality in the conduct of the guests than would be observed at an ordinary luncheon, but there is also less precision in the serving of the refreshments. For such a lunch the hostess does well when she provides a number of camp-chairs in addition to the seats she already has in her room?. It is always more agreeable to eat when one is seated than when standing and endeavoring to handle a full plate and a brimming coflfee-cup at the same time. Such an effort is severe even for a man, who has been obliged to practise it all his life, but it is doubly distressing to a woman, who is in constant terror lest an unguarded movement on her own or her neighbor's part should cause an upset and a spill that might fatal- ly damage at least one gown, and possibly more. In preparing for a standing lunch, or for any other large reception, it is prudent for the hostess to clear her parlors of such break ables as statues, tall vases, piano lamps, etc., 114 A STANDING LUNCH