STRAWBERRIES.
BOUILLON.
SOFT-SHELL CRABS.
BROILED MUSHROOMS ON TOAST.
CHOPS. PEAS. FRENCH FRIED POTATOES.
CHOCOLATE. LEMON AND PEPPERMINT ICE.
TOMATO AND LETTUCE SALAD. FRENCH DRESSING.
CHEESE STRAWS.
COFFEE MOUSSE. CAKES. BONBONS.
The strawberries should be served with their hulls on, with a spoonful
of powdered sugar on each plate; this may be moulded in a pyramid by
pressing it into a little paper horn Of course finger bowls should be
placed on the table at each plate.
The mousse may be either in a melon form or in slices, as is more
convenient, but a little whipped cream served with it is an improvement
in either case. Having this dessert, coffee is not offered at the close
of the meal, as is usually done, but a cup of chocolate is passed with
the chop course. The mousse is made by whipping sweetened cream,
strongly flavoured with black coffee, until it is perfectly stiff, and
packing it in a mould and burying it in ice and salt for at least four
hours before it is needed.
If a breakfast is desired for this Shakespeare celebration, as possibly
may be if given for a club or class, this luncheon may be easily
transformed into one. Breakfasts and luncheons differ principally in
the hour at which the meal is served, a breakfast being at twelve and a
luncheon at one or half after one. It is also customary to begin a
breakfast with fruit, and often, though not always, the meal concludes
with cheese and coffee rather than with a sweet. This menu might be
altered to cover these requirements, for as it begins with strawberries
there need be no change until the final course, except that the
chocolate should be omitted. Instead of the mousse serve creme Gervaise;
that is, a slice of cream cheese about one inch by three, with a
spoonful of whipped cream on it and a spoonful of gooseberry jam by its
side. There is a variety of French preserved gooseberries called
Bar-le-Duc which is particularly delicious. Sometimes before serving
this dish the cheese is beaten with a little olive oil or cream to make
it soft and light, and then it is pressed into shape again before it is
cut into pieces for serving. If this is the final course at breakfast,
serve coffee with it.
There are an unlimited number of Shakespearian quotations for the cards,
but for a woman's meal they might be taken either from the words of
Juliet, Katharine, Portia, Rosalind, Hermione, Ophelia, Hero, Celia,
Imogen, and Helena, or else the familiar ones which are given below; in
case this luncheon or breakfast is given for those interested in study,
a guessing contest might be introduced, with or without prizes, as to
the context of these quotations:--
"Daffodils, that come before the swallow does."
"Thou shalt not lack the flower that's like the face,
Pale primrose."
"I could wish my best friend at such a feast."
"Things won, are done. Joy's soul lies in the doing."
"I have been so well brought up that I can write my name."
"You have no cause to hold my friendship doubtful;
I never was nor never will be false."
"Love looks not with the eyes but with the mind,
And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind."
"My heart unto yours is knit
So that but one heart we can make of it."
"Loving goes by haps;
Some Cupid kills with arrows, some with traps."
"Of good discourse, an excellent musician."
"My affection hath an unknown bottom."
Still another menu may be given for those who cannot obtain some of the
articles suggested, such as strawberries, crabs, or fresh mushrooms.