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Bills of Fare for Parties

"spread," but for really agreeable and social dinner parties, the above is sufficient to procure what is wanted, calculating the residue as useful for the house, and as coming in to the ordinary expenditure. The actual dinner, it is true, costs more than the above sum; but as the remains will feed the household for a week, the difference from the usual whole weekly expenditure will not be more than £5 or £6, unless every delicacy of the season is considered indispensable. At all events, it is a fact that many people, celebrated for the pleasantness of their dinner parties, confine themselves to the above sums. 1313. The following bills of fare are introduced as a guide to those who are anxious to follow out the present fashion. The first may be considered as a specimen of the style adopted in the highest circles of London society, being in fact very similar to those introduced at the very highest tables in the present year. The dessert may or may not be placed on the table, some people disliking the smell of fruit; besides which the silver is, to a certain extent, hidden or eclipsed by it. The fish and top-dishes are usually carved on the side table, and handed round by the servants; also the mutton, venison, chickens, game, &c.; the tureens are left on the table till the puddings are put on. Many have only two sweets and two vegetables for corners; the sweets being handed, while the puddings are being brought in by the servants. Others, again, merely deviate from the above plan by ornamenting the table with dried fruits and pyramids in addition to the usual display of silver, and have the top dishes put on the table for a few seconds only, and then removed to be carved at the side-table, and the fresh fruit brought in after the cheese has been handed round. A third plan consists in having nothing but dessert on table, and a bill of fare to every two guests, the dishes being all from the first placed and carved on the side-tables, which saves much trouble in garnishing. Many who adopt this style have only three or four entrées for sixteen or eighteen guests. Even in all those cases where the dishes are placed on the table, flanks are seldom now introduced. Ice is becoming every year in greater request, both as pure ice placed in the glasses, and in the shape of water and cream-ices, as well as ice puddings. The two first of these are introduced as a part of the dessert, and are handed round by the servants before they leave the room, the last being made a part of the usual sweets. The ARRANGEMENT OF BREAKFASTS depends greatly upon the season of the year, ornamentation with natural flowers being the chief means employed for decorative purposes. Epergnes, vases, small flowering plants, and fruits in pots, are introduced on the table with a very light and elegant effect. The sweets are also thickly garnished with flowers, and sometimes wreaths are placed round them. This, however, depends so much upon the opportunities for obtaining choice flowers and fruit, and upon the taste of the parties concerned, that no minute directions can be here given. Every thing is cold, excepting tea, coffee, and chocolate, and the rolls and fancy breads, which are served hot. Sugar and cream are placed at short intervals round the table, so as to be within the reach of all the guests. LUNCHEONS, in their arrangements, are very similar to breakfasts, except that they are not ornamented with flowers to the same extent; and that, instead of tea and coffee, a hot top and bottom, and also a principal dish of sweets are introduced, with hot vegetables handed round. TEA and COFFEE are served soon after dinner, the latter being introduced on the dinner-table for the gentlemen, and in the drawing-room it is handed round to the ladies. When tea is announced to the gentlemen, it is served both to them and the ladies in the drawing-room. Instead of dessert, a continental plan is sometimes now adopted in England, in which finger-glasses are placed on the table before each person, and when they have been used they are taken away, coffee being immediately handed round on a small tray, which is then left on the table, the servant retiring from the room, This plan is intended to supersede the English custom of sitting over the wine, as the gentlemen then leave the dining-room at once. It is, however, only suited to quiet family meetings, or those in which all are known to be averse to sitting long after dinner. For a large evening party, tea and coffee are made by the servants in a room devoted to the purpose, and partaken of by each guest before entering the reception-room, a long table or counter being generally put up, covered with a large table-cloth, and arranged with biscuits, small cakes, &c. SEVERAL BILLS OF FARE FOR SUPPER PARTIES are also shown in the following pages; but they are now generally given without seats, counters being arranged on two sides of the room, with servants behind. Hot soup is always given, and chickens, cut up and tied as described at par. 1291. Ice is not placed on the counters, but supplied by the servants as wanted, the doors being opened at an early hour of the evening, and the guests going in whenever they wish for refreshment.