A formal dinner calls for full dress. This is a chance for the
display of much jewelry. The ladies wear decollete gowns, — low neck
and short sleeves, or very thin lace sleeves, or the like if long sleeves
are worn. With short sleeves, long gloves should be worn, removing
the hand portion at table and turning it at the wrist ; or if this cannot
be done readily, it is perfectly proper to remove the glove entirely.
Of course, short gloves are removed at table. No hats should be
worn. The hair is to be dressed with ribbons, aigrettes, fancy combs,
flowers, or any kind of hair ornaments. The display at a formal din-
ner is mostly in the dress and the silver displayed upon the table.
The entrance and presentation of guests, the conduct of the guest
of honor, the announcing of dinner, and the entrance and seating of
the guests in the dining-room, are quite as for the formal luncheon.
TABLE DECORATION.
For a formal dinner, the decoration should be only round the
centre of the table; for a luncheon, it can be around the edge of the
table, but never for a dinner. A centerpiece of flowers is appro-
priate. As above mentioned, most of the display is in the dress
and table silver.
PLACE CARDS.
Place cards are not decorated much for a formal dinner; they
can be decorated, but if so, the decoration must be very simple, with-
out color. We remember that color Was permissible, and even desir-
able, for a luncheon. Never, in any place card, use the Christian
name unless there are to be more than one of the same surname. It
should be simply "Miss White," etc.
TABLE COVERING.
The -table at a formal dinner must always be covered with a linen
or damask table cloth; at a luncheon, it is very proper to use the bare
table with doilies and centrepieces to match; in fact, it is better so.
As stated before, the table cloth for a dinner must be linen or damask.
Underneath this must go a silence cloth. On each side of the table,
14 of a yard of the table cloth should hang over the edge; a table
cloth with many creases and folds is not permissible at a formal
dinner. It is better to have it laundered with a single fold; when
LABORATORY COOK BOOK. 227
this is done, the cloth is rolled on a long roller to keep it fresh until
needed. It is, however, proper to have but one crease, if any, in the
table cloth. This should extend through the centre of the cloth
lengthwise. It is well to have asbestos mats under the doilies usee)
about the table for dinner. Square tables have square doilies and
centrepieces, while round tables have round doilies and centrepieces.
All doilies and centrepieces must match. Paper doilies may be used,
provided one has a cloth centrepiece to match.
NAPKINS.
In folding the napkins, the top square of the last fold should
present the selvedge and hem. Fold the napkin again ; place it, when
setting the table, to the extreme left of the plate beyond the forks,
with the inside of the fold toward the plate. The place card is placed
crosswise upon the napkin.
MENU.
Page 119
Presented as published in 1914. 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 formal dinner calls for full dress. This is a chance for the display of much jewelry. The ladies wear decollete gowns, — low neck and short sleeves, or very thin lace sleeves, or the like if long sleeves are worn. With short sleeves, long gloves should be worn, removing the hand portion at table and turning it at the wrist ; or if this cannot be done readily, it is perfectly proper to remove the glove entirely. Of course, short gloves are removed at table. No hats should be worn. The hair is to be dressed with ribbons, aigrettes, fancy combs, flowers, or any kind of hair ornaments. The display at a formal dinner is mostly in the dress and the silver displayed upon the table.
The entrance and presentation of guests, the conduct of the guest of honor, the announcing of dinner, and the entrance and seating of the guests in the dining-room, are quite as for the formal luncheon.
TABLE DECORATION.
For a formal dinner, the decoration should be only round the centre of the table; for a luncheon, it can be around the edge of the table, but never for a dinner. A centerpiece of flowers is appropriate. As above mentioned, most of the display is in the dress and table silver.
PLACE CARDS.
Place cards are not decorated much for a formal dinner; they can be decorated, but if so, the decoration must be very simple, without color. We remember that color was permissible, and even desirable, for a luncheon. Never, in any place card, use the Christian name unless there are to be more than one of the same surname. It should be simply "Miss White," etc.
TABLE COVERING. The -table at a formal dinner must always be covered with a linen or damask table cloth; at a luncheon, it is very proper to use the bare table with doilies and centrepieces to match; in fact, it is better so. As stated before, the table cloth for a dinner must be linen or damask. Underneath this must go a silence cloth. On each side of the table, 14 of a yard of the table cloth should hang over the edge; a table cloth with many creases and folds is not permissible at a formal dinner. It is better to have it laundered with a single fold; when
this is done, the cloth is rolled on a long roller to keep it fresh until needed. It is, however, proper to have but one crease, if any, in the table cloth. This should extend through the centre of the cloth lengthwise. It is well to have asbestos mats under the doilies used about the table for dinner. Square tables have square doilies and centrepieces, while round tables have round doilies and centrepieces. All doilies and centrepieces must match. Paper doilies may be used, provided one has a cloth centrepiece to match.
NAPKINS.
In folding the napkins, the top square of the last fold should present the selvedge and hem. Fold the napkin again ; place it, when setting the table, to the extreme left of the plate beyond the forks, with the inside of the fold toward the plate. The place card is placed crosswise upon the napkin.
MENU.