The distinction between five o'clock teas, kettledrums, afternoon
receptions and high tea, is not very clearly drawn. Strictly speaking,
the afternoon or morning reception is the most formal, and has been
dwelt upon in a former chapter.
High Tea.
This is really the evening supper, which has also been described in
detail, although sometimes the "high tea" is spread for an earlier
hour than the supper, say seven or eight o'clock. The ladies come in
visiting costume, and the gentlemen in morning dress in country towns.
In cities, sometimes, dress coats and light gowns are considered
essential. Guests are expected to spend the evening.
Where there are two rooms, such as dining-room and parlor, or two
parlors, the tables can be laid in one room, while the guests are
assembling in the other. Often, however, the hostess can command but
one large room in which to entertain her friends. In this case, the
little tables can be brought in by a servant and spread in the
presence of the guests without the least breach of propriety. After
the meal is over, the dishes are quickly carried out on trays and the
tables either taken from the room or left where they stand for cards
or any of the many pencil-and-paper games that are pleasant at such
gatherings.
One waitress, if quick and deft, can readily wait on a dozen people,
especially if all the necessary articles for changing the courses,
plates, silver, etc., are arranged on a side table in the room or
outside the door.
There are many attractive menus that can be suggested for teas, but
the following seems to demand as little home labor for satisfactory
results as any other. The word _tea_, by the way, is something of a
misnomer, as at these entertainments the beverages are almost
invariably coffee or chocolate, or both, tea being left entirely out
of the question.
Menu.
Bouillon. Bread. Crackers. Celery. Pickled Oysters.
Chicken Salad. Peanut Sandwiches. Olives. Salted Almonds.
Chocolate. Coffee. Ice Cream. Fancy Cakes. Fruit.
Serve the bouillon in cups, and be sure that it is _very_ hot. Have a
thin slice of lemon floating on the surface of each cup. Pass crackers
(the Zephyr or Snowflake brands are best,) with this, and choice
blanched celery. If the tables are set before the guests arrive, it is
well to have a couple of short stalks of celery laid at each plate and
spare that amount of waiting. Have each cup and saucer set in a plate,
and take all three pieces off at once. Either tea or coffee cups may
be used, and it is, of course, unnecessary to have them match.
The pickled oysters, with not too much liquor, may either be served on
the same plate with the salad or separately. Glass or china dishes may
hold the salad and oysters. Forks should be used with this course. The
sandwiches must be neatly piled on fringed napkins on bread plates,
and must be passed several times, and the olives and salted almonds
may fill small glass dishes. The olives may be helped with a fork or
spoon or with the fingers, the almonds may be served with spoons. The
coffee and chocolate should be poured out at a side table, and sugar
and cream passed with them to each person.
The ice cream should also be served off the table and passed in the
plate or saucer from which it is to be eaten. The cakes should be
prettily arranged in a cake dish with a doily under them. The fruit
should be placed on a flat salver, as high piled dishes are apt to be
top-heavy and difficult to pass. Oranges, bananas, grapes, the last
cut into rather small bunches, make a pretty array. Each guest must be
supplied with a fruit plate, doily, finger-bowl, fruit-knife and fork
or spoon. Souvenirs are sometimes given, or attractive menu cards are
used.