HomeHaven Homemaking Lesson

Hello from HomeHaven. 

Hope your Thanksgiving Day and week-end went really well.  

Mine was pleasant!  Wonderful to have a pleasant day.

On Mondays I've been concentrating on my 1926 book

 by Sarah Field Splint for my Homemaking Lesson.  

Can you believe a 55 year old Homemaker still needs Homemaking Lessons?  

I will probably always want to see what's out there concerning domestic arts.  

Even if it's from 1926.

Heard that saying, everything old is new again!  

Things seem to go in cycles/phases.  In some areas of life I believe this is alright.  

Casual living has its place.  

Being overly formal is a bit stiff and uncomfortable to me at times.  

I LOVE going barefoot in the house in the Winter.  

You'll catch me wearing blue jeans and sweatshirts.  

No make-up and very little jewelry.  

But there are times I want to go out to Dinner, dressed up and p r i s s i f i e d.  

So in this case I want to know some manners and which fork to use.  

Talking with my mouth full of food.....not attractive.

What is Sarah going to say about THE FORMAL DINNER?  

 It's nice to have servants. 

~Deanna~   

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THE ART OF

Cooking and Serving

by Sarah Field Splint

Chapter 2

Table Service

in the House with a Servant

~THE FORMAL DINNER~

The dinner party, whether it be a small affair of half a dozen people, or stretches the table to the last limit of extra leaves and brings out the reserves of the family china and silver, will always be the entertainment par excellence in our social calendar.  Served in the glow of candlelight, with men and women of congenial tastes together, there is a sparkle about it that no other form of entertainment can ever quite rival.

As befitting the more formal meal a dinner expresses a certain stateliness and dignity in its appointments. What guest is not subtly flattered to know that the yellow gleam of candles in the silver candelabra shines upon one's best silver and prized Wedgewood and that the tea roses in the bowl in the center of the table have been especially selected to give him pleasure?

Seat your guests with thought as to which ones "match up" well,  plan the best dinner of which your house is capable, and then settle back with a calm mind to contribute the very best of yourself to the great event.

A place at the dinner table is set very much as it is for luncheon except that there is no bread~and~butter plate, that some extra knives or forks are seen and that the napkin is a large one to match the cloth.  If there are any other beverages to be served than water, the extra glasses are arranged in a semi-circle to the right of the water glass.

For a dinner of more than eight it is almost necessary to have two maids and a double service, each dish of food being exactly duplicated.  For a small dinner use the divided dish in which two vegetables can be offered at one time.  Each dish when it is brought in is passed first to the hostess.  

If there are two maids one serves one side of the table and the other the opposite side and usually they vary the ends at which they begin so that one guest is not every time left until the last.  At a formal dinner things are passed but once; at a smaller affair they may be passed twice.

How to serve the meat course is entirely a matter for individual choice.  If a hostess abides by the letter of the law of fashion the roast is carved in the kitchen, then skillfully put together again so that its appearance is not harmed.  It is then brought in and offered to each guest who serves himself.  But even with a retinue of servants some households prefer to have the carving done at table, and there is no good reason why this should not be done.

Coffee is usually served in the living-room.  In very formal houses the women would leave the men in the dining-room to drink their coffee and to smoke, while they went to the drawing-room for their coffee.  (It would have to be called a drawing-room in such a house!)  There the men would join them later.  But in these informal days comparatively few houses follow this plan.

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I like the idea of divided vegetable dishes and a retinue of servants!

I learned this week about the letter of the law of fashion 

and the roast being carved in the kitchen 

then skillfully put together again so that its appearance is not harmed.

May you have a delightful day!

~d~