73. ESSENTIALS OF GOOD TABLE SERVICE.--Too much cannot be said of the
importance of attractive table service. The simplest kind of meal served
attractively never fails to please, while the most elaborate meal served
in an uninviting way will not appeal to the appetite. Therefore, a
housewife should try never to neglect the little points that count so
much in making her meals pleasing and inviting. It is not at all
necessary that she have expensive dishes and linen, nor, in fact,
anything out of the ordinary, in order to serve meals in a dainty,
attractive way. Some points, however, are really essential and should
receive consideration.
74. In the first place, there should be absolute cleanliness in
everything used. To make this possible, the dishes should be properly
washed and dried. The glasses should be polished so that they are not
cloudy nor covered with lint. The silver should be kept polished
brightly. The linen, no matter what kind, should be nicely laundered.
Attention given to these matters forms the basis of good table service.
[Illustration: FIG. 9]
Close in hand with these points comes a well-arranged and neatly set
table. To this may be added some attractive touches in the way of
flowers or other simple decoration. These need cost little or nothing,
especially in the spring and summer seasons, for then the fields and
woods are filled with flowers and foliage that make most artistic table
decorations. Often, too, one's own garden offers a nice selection of
flowers that may be used for table decoration if a little time and
thought are given to their arrangement. In the winter, a small fern or
some other growing plant will answer.
75. BREAKFAST, LUNCHEON, AND DINNER SERVICE.--To give an idea of proper
table service for the three meals, breakfast, luncheon, and dinner,
Figs. 9, 10, and 11 are offered. Attention should be given to the
details of each of these, for they show how to arrange meals that are
intended to be served tastily and invitingly.
76. In Fig. 9 is shown a breakfast cover for one. By a _cover_ is meant
the silver and dishes placed on the table for one person. In a simple
meal, this might consist of a knife, a fork, spoons, a plate, a glass, a
cup and saucer, and a bread-and-butter plate. Here the cover has been
arranged on a breakfast tray for service at a bedside. This meal is not
in the least unusual, but it is very dainty and pleasing. It consists of
strawberries with the stems left on so that they may be dipped into
sugar and eaten, a cereal, a roll with butter, a hot dish of some kind,
such as eggs, and a hot beverage.
[Illustration: FIG. 10]
77. A luncheon table with covers for six is shown in Fig. 10. The first
course consists of a fruit cocktail, which is placed on the table before
the persons to be served are seated. The silver required up to the
dessert course is also laid beforehand. Just before the dessert is
served, the entire table should be cleared and the silver necessary for
this course laid at each place.
A point to be remembered in the placing of silver is that the various
pieces should always be placed on the table in the order in which they
are to be used. Here the first spoon is for the cocktail, which is
already on the table, while the second spoon is for the soup, the next
course. The knife, which is the third piece of silver, with the two
forks on the opposite side will be required for the dinner course, while
the third fork is a fork for the salad course.
As will be noted, doilies have been used in place of a table cloth for
this luncheon. These, which may be as simple or as elaborate as desired,
save laundering and, if they are inexpensive, they are an economy as
well as a convenience. Since they also make a luncheon table very
attractive, they are strongly recommended for meals of this kind. The
luncheon napkin, which is smaller than that used for dinner service,
should always be placed where it is shown here, that is, at the left of
the forks. If only one beverage is to be served, as is usually the case,
the glass is placed at the tip of the knife.
[Illustration: FIG. 11]
78. An example of a correctly set dinner table is shown in Fig. 11. A
table cloth, as will be noted, is used, for a cloth is always preferable
to doilies for dinner. At this meal, the first course is soup. This,
with anything that is to be eaten with the soup, such as the wafers used
here, or a relish, should be placed before the guests are seated. The
bread-and-butter plate, which is placed just at the top of the fork,
should also be on the table. Between each two persons, it is well to
have a set of salt-and-pepper shakers.
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