After the sandwich scheme was fully arranged, it seemed as though the
"substantials" were well looked out for, and that I must be giving a
thought to the fruits which were to make glad the senses of those
bidden to the feast. Not any great amount of deep thinking was
required to make a selection, however, for there was an abundance at
hand from which to choose; there were plums, juicy and sweet, of
richest hues--purple, red, and green, and others of the most tempting
golden color imaginable, and certainly no well-furnished table could
afford to be without either specimen. Grapes, too, there were in an
infinite variety, but for Hortensia's party I chose only black
Hamburgs and Muscats. Of course, I knew she must have peaches, and I
spent a weary hour in trying to find some that tasted as well as they
looked, but my labor was in vain. As a compensation for this
disappointment, however, I found cantaloupes possessing a flavor which
can only be expressed by the words "divinely perfect." And I found,
too, delicious little musk melons to be prepared in this way: Slice
the melon, removing both rind and seeds, put in a preserving pan with
a little sugar, and stew to a marmalade; rub it through a sieve,
dissolve in it a sufficient amount of gelatine, and when quite cool
mix with it stiffly whipped cream, flavored with a little essence or
liqueur, as one likes.
Cakes and ices, of course, are as important to the great and
unqualified success of a garden party as are the guests, and of the
former I decided that the varieties known as "Madeleines" and "petits
fours" would be most acceptable to all concerned, while of the latter
there could be no question as to the desirability of moussé with
peaches, chocolat parfait, and milk sherbet.
Of quite as much importance as either of the articles mentioned in the
foregoing paragraph are the bonbons, and the advice which I have
bestowed upon Hortensia in regard to them I repeat here for the
benefit of any who may care to follow it, namely: "Costly thy bonbons
as thy purse can buy."