The reasons given at the beginning of this chapter are quite sufficient to account for this almost universal practice. The good house- keeper enjoys seeing her culinary handiwork appreciated, and she generally reserves any especially tempting bonnes hcmchea for Sun- day, when she knows that those for whom she delights to cater will have the time and inclination to give her cookery its meed of attention. Without cavilling at this, one must at the same time deprecate the amount of additional work that the Sunday dinner often involves upon what should be, both physically and spiritually, a day of rest as well as of refreshment. A little thought will often enable the housekeeper to so min- ify the amount of work to be done on Sunday 182 THE SUNDAY DINNER that the domestic labors will be perceptibly lightened, and the dinner in no wise injured. So much of the preparation for the meal can be made the day before that the business of finally getting, it ready for the table will seem comparatively light. In one family of strong Sabbatarian prin- ciples the omission of soup from the Sunday bin of fare was evidently considered a means of grace. The tureen and ladle always en- joyed a rest upon the first day of the week, but by some curious process of ratiocination no harm was thought of having at dinner a course of salad which cost as much time to prepare, and demanded the use and washing of as many dishes as would have sufliced to serve the tabooed soup. Yet the hostess would always say, with an air of conscious virtue, " Oh, we never have soup on Sun- days," as though the non appearance of that dish upon the first day of the week was proof positive of a high order of piety. In spite of this, the soup course may be made a very trifling affair. To say nothing of two or three excellent brands of canned 183 WHAT TO EAT — HOW TO SERVE IT soups, which, with a little " doctoring " in the way of seasoning, may be rendered quite equal to those fleshly made, there are many soups which can be brought on Saturday into a state of such complete readiness that all that is necessary on Sunday is to heat them for the table. Of these are chicken, mutton, and veal broths, consomme^ Julienne, ox-tail, mock-turtle, black or white bean and pea soup — indeed, nearly every soup with a meat stock. Cream soups, like tomato, celery, potato, cauliflower, green pea, and corn soups, are better prepared just before using, and these may be served on week-days and yet leave a large variety of potages from which to make a choice for the Sunday dinner. Leaving the soup, something should be said concerning the introduction of entrees^ etc. They are not necessary at a repast so essentially domestic as the first-day feast. Even if they are prepared the day before, their insertion in the bill of fare compels the use and washing of another set of plates. The man-servant and maid -servant witliin our gates merit a little consideration upon a 184 THE SUNDAY DINNER day which should bring to them too a modi- cum of rest. Still, if an entree is occasionally desired, there are those which may be made on Saturday, and will need only warming to be fit for the table, such as pdUs of various kinds. For these both pastry shells and fill- ing may be prepared the day before, so that simply heating them and putting them to- gether will comprise the work involved in getting them ready for the table.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

The reasons given at the beginning of this chapter are quite sufficient to account for this almost universal practice. The good housekeeper enjoys seeing her culinary handiwork appreciated, and she generally reserves any especially tempting bonnes hcmchea for Sunday, when she knows that those for whom she delights to cater will have the time and inclination to give her cookery its meed of attention. Without cavilling at this, one must at the same time deprecate the amount of additional work that the Sunday dinner often involves upon what should be, both physically and spiritually, a day of rest as well as of refreshment. A little thought will often enable the housekeeper to so minify the amount of work to be done on Sunday that the domestic labors will be perceptibly lightened, and the dinner in no wise injured. So much of the preparation for the meal can be made the day before that the business of finally getting, it ready for the table will seem comparatively light. In one family of strong Sabbatarian principles the omission of soup from the Sunday bill of fare was evidently considered a means of grace. The tureen and ladle always enjoyed a rest upon the first day of the week, but by some curious process of ratiocination no harm was thought of having at dinner a course of salad which cost as much time to prepare, and demanded the use and washing of as many dishes as would have sufliced to serve the tabooed soup. Yet the hostess would always say, with an air of conscious virtue, " Oh, we never have soup on Sundays," as though the non appearance of that dish upon the first day of the week was proof positive of a high order of piety. In spite of this, the soup course may be made a very trifling affair. To say nothing of two or three excellent brands of canned soups, which, with a little " doctoring " in the way of seasoning, may be rendered quite equal to those fleshly made, there are many soups which can be brought on Saturday into a state of such complete readiness that all that is necessary on Sunday is to heat them for the table. Of these are chicken, mutton, and veal broths, consomme^ Julienne, ox-tail, mock-turtle, black or white bean and pea soup — indeed, nearly every soup with a meat stock. Cream soups, like tomato, celery, potato, cauliflower, green pea, and corn soups, are better prepared just before using, and these may be served on week-days and yet leave a large variety of potages from which to make a choice for the Sunday dinner. Leaving the soup, something should be said concerning the introduction of entrees^ etc. They are not necessary at a repast so essentially domestic as the first-day feast. Even if they are prepared the day before, their insertion in the bill of fare compels the use and washing of another set of plates. The man-servant and maid -servant witliin our gates merit a little consideration upon a day which should bring to them too a modicum of rest. Still, if an entree is occasionally desired, there are those which may be made on Saturday, and will need only warming to be fit for the table, such as pdUs of various kinds. For these both pastry shells and filling may be prepared the day before, so that simply heating them and putting them together will comprise the work involved in getting them ready for the table.

What to eat, how to serve it