Prepare and Serve a Meal and Interior Decoration | Page 5

wafer-cut sandwiches (lettuce, tomato, deviled ham, etc.); small cakes,
frozen creams and ices.
The informal luncheon at small tables calls for service by a number of
maids, hence the "buffet" plan is preferable.
THE FORMAL LUNCHEON
A "luncheon set" (a luncheon cloth or center-piece with doilies of the
same color and design) or a bare table may be used for the formal
luncheon, with special luncheon napkins, in a three-cornered fold.
Butter is not usually served, the individual dishes (filled) are placed at
the top of the plate without doily, and if a "cup" of some sort is to be
served, an apollinaris glass is placed a little below the water glass.
Bread and rolls had best be passed, though they may be placed in or on
a napkin, instead of a bread dish. Favors, if used, should appear at the
top of the plate, or grouped about the center-piece, with connecting
ribbons to the plates. This is an attractive form of arrangement. Dishes
of candies and bonbons (with bonbon spoon beside them) are placed on
the table at will, wherever they make the best appearance, but large
dishes with spoon must be taken from the serving table and passed.
THE FORMAL LUNCHEON MENU

The cocktail is the preliminary entering wedge of the formal luncheon.
Some hostesses serve a light cocktail with very thin sandwiches or
wafers in their drawing room before luncheon proper is served. At the
latter the fruit cocktail (served on small plate, with doily, glass and
spoon) or a Lobster or Scallop Cocktail (oyster fork) is followed by the
first course.
Here there is a wide choice--Cream of Pea soup with or without
croutons, Lobster Bisque, Mock Turtle, Consomme (Parmesan or
Chicken), White Soup with Wine--whatever best fits in with the
general scheme of the luncheon may be served. The handles of the
bouillon cup, when it is placed before the guest, should parallel the
edge of the table.
The passing of Bread Sticks, Olives and Radishes should precede the
removal of the bouillon cup, and the placing before the guest of the
warmed plates for the fish. Here we have the same embarrassment of
riches. Deviled Crabs, Fried Sardines, Fish Cutlets with Dutch Sauce,
Fried Shad Roe, Oyster and Mushroom Patties, Halibut in any style,
together with rolls (passed in napkins) and Dressed Cucumbers will
answer for the fish course.
Before the meat course the claret cup should be poured, the waitress
ready with napkin in her left hand to catch any drops which may spill
from the pitcher. We will merely indicate five choices for the _piece de
resistance_ of the formal luncheon, 1. Fillets of Beef, with Raisin Sauce,
Parisian Potatoes (ball-shaped) and French Peas. 2. Broiled Wild Duck,
Curried Vegetables, and Currant Jelly Sauce. 3. Fried Chicken with
Tomato Mayonnaise, Steamed New Potatoes and Boiled Green Corn. 4.
Squab Breasts larded around hot ripe Olives, with Brown Sauce, and
Potato Croquettes with Peas. 5. Roast Saddle of Venison, with Saute
Potato Balls and Broiled Tomatoes with Horseradish Hollandaise Sauce.
None of these combinations should disappoint a formal luncheon guest.
When this course is over, the salad should be substituted for the dinner
plate which has been removed.
The salad is by no means the least attractive among the courses. You
may have Pepper and Fruit Salad, with Nut-Bread Sandwiches or an

Asparagus Salad with Lemon Rings. You may incline to Spring Salad
with Horseradish Sandwiches or to Dressed Lettuce with Cheese-Bread
Wafers. Or, again, you may prefer Chicory Salad with Cheese
Croquettes. You have but to choose. With the passing of the salad and
its sandwiches, salt and pepper sets are removed, the table is crumbed
and the icecream plates are laid out, together with ice-cream forks and
spoons.
Will you have Maroon Ice Cream with Sponge Drops or a Tutti-Frutti
Ice? Canton Mousse with Cream Cones, or Orange Cream Sherbet with
Chocolate Petits Fours? Chocolate Parfait with Lady Fingers or Frozen
Neapolitan Charlotte with Marshmallow Wafers? You must exercise
your individual choice among these and a hundred others.
The passing of the finger-bowl service (plate, bowl and doily) precedes
the appearance of the demi-tasse, and the passing of candies and
bonbons. (At less formal luncheons, the hostess pours the coffee at the
table. When this is done the service usually is placed before her when
the dessert course ends.)
The more formal luncheon dictates that coffee be served in the drawing
room. Here the waitress passes the after-dinner coffee which the
hostess pours. If it seems preferrable to serve coffee at the table, the
waitress, after she has placed the finger-bowl service, puts the coffee at
the guest's left hand, and passes him cream and sugar. When he has
removed his finger bowl the guest uses the plate for his bonbons.
CHAPTER V