Dinners and Luncheons Part 1

Dinners and Luncheons.

by Paul Pierce.

_Respectfully dedicated to the overworked, perturbed American hostess in the sincere hope that the suggestions herein may lighten her perplexities and transform her work of entertaining from a task of dread to one of delight._

This little book is the first of a series containing suggestions for entertaining, which will give the hostess novel and practical ideas on the manner of preparing and conducting various social affairs. There is also another volume on Parties and Entertainments, one on Suppers, and another on Breakfasts and Teas and a fifth on Weddings and Wedding Celebrations. These volumes, it should be remembered, have been compiled by the publisher of What To Eat, The National Food Magazine, America's leading publication upon entertainments, dinners, menus, recipes and the other subjects of importance to the hostess.

With the exercise of a little ingenuity and originality, the directions may be varied--added to or altered--to suit all needs. This first book is designed especially to describe those dinners and luncheons which, while complete in themselves, also afford the best suggestions for others.

THE PUBLISHERS.

CHAPTER I.

DINNER-GIVING FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF BUSY HOUSEWIVES.

Three things are required to give an enjoyable dinner party; good taste, good judgment and an intuitive sense of harmony. Good taste suggests the proper thing in table dressing, in menu cards, in viands and beverages.

Good judgment dictates the fortunate time, the appropriate guests, the seasonable dishes and topics; and last, a sense of harmony is the quality that throws a glamour over all, combining pleasant parts in one symmetrical whole, making a picture "distinct like the billows, but one like the sea." This sense of harmony never yokes uncongenial persons at table, except through unavoidable necessity. It is on the alert to suggest congenial topics and deftly turn the conversation away from disputed or disagreeable ones. It will often succeed in putting a garrulous and self-a.s.sertive man who likes to talk all the time, beside a mild and inoffensive woman who is content if she has naught to do but listen and--eat. It will swell the heart of a silent man with grat.i.tude by reversing this action and placing beside him a woman who chatters like a magpie. It will often turn the stupid guest, who for various reasons will, in spite of all, occasionally appear at the best of tables, over to an intimate friend to whom a sacrifice for the sake of the host or hostess is a pleasure thus saving the formal guest and maintaining the reputation of the household for excellent management.

In fact this sense of harmony is the essence that permeates and vitalizes the entire proceedings and a.s.sures success to the hostess, because it guarantees pleasure to the guests.

Nervousness, annoyance, anxiety on the part of the host or hostess during the serving of dinner are the deadly foes of enjoyment. If you feel these, therefore avoid showing them as you would avoid doing any other act sure to bring discomfort to those you are entertaining.

Nothing conduces more to the enjoyment of guests than the fact that the host is sharing the enjoyment. What if some servant blunders or some dish is spoiled! It is aggravating, of course, but in most cases it will afford amus.e.m.e.nt if the host regards the blunder good naturedly. Of course no lady or gentleman will lose temper under such circ.u.mstances.

Such an exhibition would be unspeakably vulgar; but there ought not to be even a display of irritation or a pursuing of the subject beyond a pa.s.sing and good natured remark.

There is, however, a tendency on the part of too many hosts to fix their thoughts intently on the dinner and the way it is served. They try to show an interest in the conversation, while throwing furtive glances at the servants and taking occasion to communicate orders or complaints in asides. It is far better to say, "John, give Mr. Black some wine," than to communicate the order by nods and winks as if you were secretly ashamed to have Black know that you were observing his consumption of fluids, or were trying to get him intoxicated surrept.i.tiously. Really, of the two evils, it is better to be too inattentive--to let a course wait even--than to be on the alert, watching the dilatory eater and summoning the servant the moment he lays down his knife.

A young housekeeper in medium circ.u.mstances should never attempt too much, too large a number of guests or too many courses. It is always best to practice the dishes before, in fact, if exquisite cooking and cooking even on the smallest scale, is the daily habit, no company, however large, can upset the hostess or her domestics.

And a woman who cultivates the art of little dinners soon becomes famous; men admire her and envy her husband, women dote on her, for an invitation means brightness and merriment as well as a congenial companion. The young married woman who is expert in blending sauces, is just as clever in mixing the human elements of attraction and amalgamation.

Refreshments, daintily served, stimulate conversation; ice cream breaks the ice, so to speak, and warms the company. Serving food is a visible demonstration of hospitality which all the philosophy in the world cannot cover.

Gorgeous ornamentation of dinner table is conceded to be bad form. The embellishment--the ornate, if you will--has been overdone, and now there is a reaction which tends to simplicity extreme expressed by a handsome centerpiece and a moderate exposition of not common flowers.

A different kind and color of china with every course is affected by those whose cabinet is crowded and who are proud of it, but this pride has its limitations among people of refinement and culture. This cla.s.s does not give dinners simply to exhibit earthly treasure and create envy, and, perhaps, covetousness, too.

The larger the table napkin the better. A yard square is none too big, and pleasantly recalls the Parisians, whose liberality in damask is proverbial but not a characteristic in anything else. The material should be the best obtainable, and the design the most beautiful. Any lace edging or embroidery, plain or colored, is just as bad taste as quinine.

Knives, forks and spoons now-a-days, for almost everything, are somewhat confusing to those who do not dine out with sufficient frequency to keep up with the continually advancing procession. Some of these knives, forks and spoons are quite unnecessary, not to say silly, but the business of the silversmith must be considered.

Place cards at dinners should be retained because the host or hostess has had them prepared in expectation of their being retained and preserved as _souvenirs_. Ignoring them would be disrespect, and such disrespect, under the social circ.u.mstances, would be unpardonable.

In planning a regular dinner the fact should always be remembered, that a heavy soup will so far cloy the appet.i.te as to render one indifferent to the rest of the dinner, while a clear soup refreshes, and prepares one for the enjoyment of the succeeding solids. The fish and entrees should not be substantial enough to satisfy hunger entirely; the relishes will then stimulate the appet.i.te for the heavier dishes. The service of Roman Punch before the roast refreshes the palate, and prepares it for the more perfect enjoyment of the succeeding dishes; it is as necessary to the service of a good dinner as cheese is with plain salad. When olives are on the table, they go well with _entrees_ of game; French chestnuts boiled, are excellent with poultry; and almonds, blanched and roasted with salt, are enjoyable with Madeira or Sherry before the sweet _entrements_. Only a plain vegetable salad should accompany the roast or game; and a bit of any old cheese may be pa.s.sed with the salad. Cheese straws or cheese crusts may be served with the salad. Although the cheese belongs with the salad, it enters into some delicate dishes, such as _fondus and souffles_, which may come to the table either after the oysters or soup, as relishes, or before the large sweets at dessert, previous to the service of the nuts and fruit. Then comes the dessert. If the dinner is a small one it is perfectly permissible for the hostess to make the coffee at the table, or it may be served in the drawing-room later. Even with the best chosen _menu_, the success of a dinner depends on the skill of the cook. A good cook appreciates the value of sauces, and will give much care to their preparation, and, above all, will endeavor to preserve the natural flavors of the different dishes. All mingling of flavors is objectionable, except in sauces and salads.

First Course Dishes.--Following are the names of the different courses which make up the detail of the regular dinner, both the English and French names being given. The complete detail of service is indicated, so that the most inexperienced can succeed. THE Sh.e.l.lFISH (_Huitres_), includes small raw oysters, and little neck or hard-sh.e.l.l clams on the half-sh.e.l.l at the same time, brown bread, cut very thin and b.u.t.tered, and cut lemons, salt, cayenne, and some sharp table-sauces are placed upon the table in the original bottles. THE SOUP (_Potage_) is varied according to the character of the dinner, either a perfectly clear soup, or _consomme_, and the other a rich thick one, such as a _bisque_ or cream. A thick cut of bread, or a roll with crisp crust, is placed upon the napkin when the cover, or place, is laid; this is not eaten with the soup usually, but is generally used after it with the sh.e.l.l-fish, hot _entree_, or at any time during dinner. THE FISH (_Poisson_) may be of any large kind, boiled or baked, and served with a good sauce and plain boiled potatoes. If sh.e.l.l-fish is used at this point of the dinner, this dish should be large and hot, like broiled lobster. THE RELISHES (_Hors d'oeuvre_), which are placed upon the table as part of the decoration in the American dinner and the service _a la Russe_, include all kinds of table-sauces and catsups, salted almonds, pickles, olives, caviare, _vinaigrettes_, small cold _entrees_, such as _bouchees_ and _pate-de-foie-gras_, pickled fish and small tongues, and individual escalops; all these are arranged on the table in little dishes. THE REMOVES (_Releves_) consist of boiled, baked and braised meats, poultry and large game, large veal, ham, game and cold ornamental fish pies and large cold joints, such as boiled tongue and ham, generally served with a garnish of vegetables; the remove at a small dinner may consist of an elaborately dressed cold fish, if the regular fish service has been omitted. THE SIDE-DISHES (_Entrees_) are the small hot meats garnished, such as cutlets, chops breaded or larded, sweetbreads garnished, _fricandeaux_, _frica.s.sees_, _ragouts_ and _escalopes_, all hot; hot raised pies, _pates_, and _rissoles_, combination salads of vegetables, salads with _mayonnaise_, such as chicken and lobster; in brief, any dish in size less than a joint or a roast. ROMAN PUNCH (_Sorbet_). There are many delicious ices served under the general name of Roman Punch, all having a combination of frozen fruit-sherbet and some fine _liqueur_, cordial, wine or spirit; served in the midst of the dinner, when the palate needs the sense of refreshment they impart to it; they prepare it for renewed enjoyment, and render it capable of appreciating the intense flavor of the roast and the _bouquet_ of the Burgundy or Champagne that follow these. THE ROAST (_Roti_). For family dinners the roast may be a joint of any meat preferred; but for special occasions it should be of venison, larded hare, or some large game bird. If wild duck is served, there should be more than one, because only the breast is carved; when canvas-backs are used, half a breast cut in one piece is helped to each guest. Smaller birds, either roasted or broiled, may be served in this course. All game should be underdone. A garnish of watercress or celery is used with birds, and always currant-jelly and special sauces should come to the table with venison and hare. SALAD (_Salade_). A green salad is the proper accompaniment of the roast; it may be watercress, lettuce, celery, chiccory, _escarole_, burnet, nasturtium (leaves, fruit and flowers), corn-salad, dandelion, tarragon, fennel, mint, young onions and any of the green sweet herbs; the five first named varieties are the most generally used. Sometimes tomatoes and cuc.u.mbers are served here in this, although they more properly belong, the cuc.u.mbers with the fish; and the tomatoes with a _mayonnaise_ among the cold _entrees_. The best dressing for a green salad is of oil, vinegar, salt and pepper; a salad with _mayonnaise_ belongs among the cold _entrees_, as do the salads of cold cooked vegetables. A little old, rich cheese may be served with the green salad if desired.

DESSERT (_Dessert_). The dessert consists of the small cold sweets, such as _eclairs_, fancy cakes called _pet.i.ts-fours_, confectionery, candied fruits, nuts, individual moulded jellies, ices and creams, _glaces_ and _cafe noir_. When the dessert is divided in two parts, the dishes called _glaces_ or ices are served first; these include every sweet which can be crystalized, frozen or iced; after them comes the dessert proper, composed of candied and dry fruits, nuts, bonbons and little fancy cakes, or _pet.i.t-fours_, with the cheese and coffee at the last.

In preparing the various dishes for the dinner which can be made ready in advance, either uncooked or for cold service, the oysters or clams on the half-sh.e.l.l are to be kept on the ice until just before the dinner is announced; they are then to be arranged on appropriate plates and set at each cover, the oyster-plate being placed on a large dinner plate, which is to be removed with it when the hot plate is placed for the soup or fish. A bit of lemon is to be put in the center of the oyster plate, six half-sh.e.l.ls with oysters being served on each plate (except in California, where one can consume at least a dozen of the small delicious native bivalves). The small oyster-fork is laid either upon the plate or beside it on the table. After the sh.e.l.l-fish are eaten, the guest leaves the fork upon the plate so that it can be removed with it.

Plates of brown bread, cut very thin and b.u.t.tered, are placed upon the table with the sh.e.l.l-fish, and removed with them. If this bread is intended for use with the salad, it should be served in one compartment of a fancy basket or dish; the other divisions containing biscuit, crackers, old cheese, olives and small relishes. The basket containing the bread, etc., should be removed from the table with the salad. All plates are removed from and the various dishes pa.s.sed at the guest's left hand; the wine is poured at the right. Hot plates are served with all the dishes except _foie-gras_, caviare, salads, and the cold sweets.

Great care should be exercised in preparing the dishes in the kitchen, and in bringing them to the table in a perfectly neat condition. The soup should not fill the tureen so far as to endanger spilling. The dishes for fish should be suited in size and shape to the contents. If the fish is boiled, it should be served unbroken, on a napkin laid in the appropriate platter, and garnished with a few sprigs of fresh parsley or slices of lemon, the sauce being served in a sauce-boat; if sauce is served on the dish with the fish, only enough to cover the center of the dish should be used, and the fish laid on it; the rest is served in a sauce-boat. _Entrees_ should be very neatly arranged with the proper garnishes, with only sauce enough to surround them, but not to reach the edge of the dish. Very little gravy, or none at all, should be on the dish with joints, as it is likely to be spilled in carrying; and the dish should be deep enough to contain all that may flow from the cut meat.

UPON THE SERVING OF WINES.

If only two kinds of wine are served, sherry should accompany the soup and fish courses, and either claret or champagne brought on with the roast, and served throughout the remainder of the dinner.

For the ten course dinner, cut gla.s.s goblets filled with water and crushed ice are placed at the right of each plate, about ten or twelve inches from the edge of the table. With these are grouped sauterne, sherry, rhinewine, claret, champagne, burgundy and liqueur gla.s.ses. The goblet of water remains in place throughout the dinner, being refilled at intervals.

First Course. With the oysters, a gla.s.s of sauterne is the most appropriate accompaniment. This should be served in light green gla.s.ses, poured from native bottles, which have been cooled to 52 degrees Fahrenheit, but never iced. When the oyster plates are taken away, the sauterne gla.s.ses should also be removed.

Second Course. With the soup, sherry, slightly cooled, should be served from a decanter, and poured into small white stem gla.s.ses, flaring slightly at the top. The sherry gla.s.ses should be removed after this course.

Third Course. With the hors d'oeuvres, which may consist of cold side dishes, such as canapes, caviar, or anchovies, or of hot dishes, such as timbales, croustades or bouchees; and

Fourth Course. Of fish, rhine wine is served from original bottles cooled to 52 degrees, and poured into long stemmed, light green gla.s.ses.

Fifth Course. With the entree, claret is served from a decanter having a handle and poured into pure white gla.s.ses, never colored. The temperature of the claret should be from 65 to 75 degrees, at least thirteen degrees warmer than other wines.

Sixth Course. With the roast, champagne is served from native bottles, as cold as possible, but not iced. The usual champagne gla.s.ses are saucer-shaped stem gla.s.ses, although some prefer a goblet shape, one size larger than a claret gla.s.s.

Seventh Course. A sherbet. With this cooling refreshment, regular sherbet gla.s.ses (small gla.s.s cups with handles) are necessary.

Eighth Course. Game with salad should be accompanied with burgundy, slightly warm, at 65 or 70 degrees, served from native bottles in wicker basket, poured into plain crystal gla.s.ses. After the eighth course the table is cleared for the first time of all plates, knives and forks, leaving only the water goblets, champagne and liqueur gla.s.ses before the guests. All crumbs are carefully swept away, and dessert spoons and forks laid for the

Ninth Course. With this course champagne is the favorite beverage in every country. After the dessert plates, forks and spoons are removed, a finger-bowl partly filled with water is placed before each guest, on plate having upon it a doily, a fruit knife and a nut pick (if fruits and nuts are to be served). After the fruits, cognac and liqueurs, such as annisette, benedictine, chartreuse or k.u.mmel, are served in miniature decanters, without handles, and poured into tiny thimble-shaped gla.s.ses, which should match the decanters, either plain or colored, cut or in striking gold effects. Creme de menthe is served on shaved ice in a special bowl-shaped gla.s.s, from a highly decorated small decanter either of white or colored gla.s.s without a handle.

Sherry, port and madeira are improved by being decantered several hours before using. In winter, the decanters should be dipped in warm water or otherwise warmed.

All possible care should be taken in handling and decanting wines in order not to disturb the deposit which may exist in the bottle. Nearly all wines precipitate a sediment which sometimes resembles sand or white crystals. Its presence is rather a mark of superiority than inferiority in the quality of the wine. This deposit, however, if shaken, destroys the brilliancy of the wine, and impairs its flavor and bouquet.

Lighter wines, such as bordeaux and most Italian wines, should be decanted only an hour before dinner, and brought into the dining room as late as possible before using. Sauterne, rhine wine, burgundy and champagne should be served from the original bottles, which should be stood up on end at least twenty-four hours before serving, to give the sediment time to settle at the bottom. The cork should be very carefully drawn without shaking the bottle, the bottle slowly tilted, and the clear wine gently poured out. A small quant.i.ty of wine containing the sediment should be left in the bottle. Putting ice in the wine gla.s.s will spoil the flavor of any fine wine.

A few drops of wine should first be poured into the host's gla.s.s, before serving the guests. If a toast to the health of any one present be proposed, the guest in whose honor the toast is given, must not drink, but should acknowledge the compliment with a smile and bow of thanks.

The etiquette in regard to the German custom of clinking gla.s.ses is very well defined. One must hold the wine gla.s.s by the stem, being careful not to touch the bowl with the fingers. Convention also requires that one must look the person with whom one clinks gla.s.ses in the eye, and not at the wine, as one unfamiliar with this custom is very apt to do.

CHAPTER II.