OUR BILL OF FARE

Vegetable Soup. Smoked Shad with drawn Butter. Roast Rump of Salted Beef. Boiled Potatoes. Parsnip Fritters. Weed Salad. Home-made Cheese. Cold Johnny-cake. Acorn Coffee.

My long tramp over the prairie hunting prairie-chickens may possibly have had something to do with my ferocious appetite, but I do not remember an occasion when I enjoyed myself so much at table or ate so heartily. The dinner was a success, and the potatoes surpassed all expectations. I am not much of a potato-eater, but on this occasion I surprised myself by asking for a potato the third time.

Her receipt for boiling potatoes was very simple. She washed them well and peeled off a strip about a quarter of an inch wide lengthwise round each potato, placed them in an old iron pot, covered them with fresh rain-water (cold), and added a teaspoonful of salt. She allowed them to boil fifteen minutes, and then poured out a quart of the hot water and added a quart dipperful of cold water. When the edge of the peel began to curl up, she pronounced them done, and removed them from the pot, covered the bottom of a baking-tin with them, placed them in the oven with a towel over them for fifteen minutes, with the oven-door open. They were splendid.

The roast rump of salt beef was a new dish to me, but it was very good. It had stood in water twenty-four hours to extract the salt from it. It was a little dry and a trifle too well done.

My salad was composed of a few dandelions that had grown in a shady spot, a few inch dock-leaves, the tip-ends of the milk-weed, and a few wild chives, with bacon dressing; but I had no vinegar. As a substitute I gathered a handful of sheep sorrel, chopped it up fine, and sprinkled it over the salad.

On my departure the _judge_ addressed me as Mr. Weedeater, and requested me to make his cabin my home whenever I was in Minnesota.

Cabbage.=—Never buy overgrown cabbages. They may appear very pleasing to the eye, but they are apt to be too coarse and too full of fibres to make a palatable dish. Do not trim off the outer leaves until the day they are wanted. It is a good plan to purchase a few dozen heads of cabbage with the stalks on, and hang them up in the cellar, heads down; then cut them down when wanted. Cut the heads into quarters; trim off all wilted leaves; cover them with cold water; add a handful of salt, and let them stand an hour before boiling. This process thoroughly cleanses them from insects, etc., that may be concealed between the leaves. When ready to boil cover them with boiling water; add a pea of soda, a little salt, and boil till tender. The old-fashioned way of boiling cabbage and other vegetables for a boiled dinner with the joint is not to be recommended for families outside of the farm, as it makes altogether too hearty a meal for those taking but little exercise.

Boiled Asparagus.=—If the cut end of asparagus is brown and dry and the heads bent on one side, the asparagus is stale. It may be kept a day or two with the stalks in cold water, but it is much better fresh. Scrape off the white skin from the lower end, and cut the stalks of equal length; let them lie in cold water until it is time to cook them; tie the asparagus in small bundles, put them into a pot with plenty of water, and a handful of salt. When the asparagus is sufficiently cooked serve it on toast with drawn butter or with cream dressing, sauce vinaigrette, etc.

Boiled Artichokes.=—Soak the artichokes and wash them in several waters; cut the stalks even; trim away the lower leaves, and the ends of the others; boil in salted water with the tops downwards, and let them remain until the leaves can be easily drawn out. Before serving remove the choke and send to table with melted butter.

Jerusalem Artichokes.=—Peel the artichokes and throw each root into cold water and vinegar immediately, to preserve the color. Put them into boiling water, with a little salt, until sufficiently tender for a fork to pass through them easily; then pile them on a dish, and serve as hot as possible with melted butter or white sauce poured over. Soyer shaped them like a pear, then stewed them gently in three pints of water with two or three onions thinly sliced, one ounce of salt, and one ounce of butter. He then placed a border of mashed potatoes round a dish, stuck the artichokes in it points upwards, poured over them either white sauce or melted butter, and put a fine Brussels sprout between each. It made a pretty, inviting dish. Time to boil, about twenty minutes. They should be tried with a fork frequently after a quarter of an hour, as they will become black and tasteless if allowed to remain on the fire longer than necessary.

Brussels Sprouts.=—Pick, trim, and wash a number of sprouts; put them into plenty of fast-boiling water. The sudden immersion of the vegetables will check the boiling for some little time, but they must be brought to a boil as quickly as possible, that they may not lose their green color. Add a tablespoonful of salt and a pea of soda, and boil very fast for fifteen minutes. Lose no time in draining them when sufficiently done; and serve plain, or with a little white sauce over the top.

Green Peas.=—To have green peas in perfection, care should be taken to obtain them young, freshly-gathered, and freshly-shelled. The condition of the peas may be known from the appearance of the shells. When the peas are young the shells are green, when newly-gathered they are crisp, when old they look yellow, and when plump the peas are fine and large. If peas are shelled some hours before they are cooked they lose greatly in flavor.

Bottled Green Peas.=—Shell the peas; put them into dry, wide-mouthed bottles, and shake them together so that they may lie in as little space as possible; cork the bottles closely, and seal the corks; bury the bottles in dry earth in the cellar, and take them up as they are wanted. They will keep three or four months.

Boiled Turnips.=—Turnips should only be served whole when they are very young, and then they should be covered with white sauce. When they have reached any size they should be mashed. Pare the turnips, and wash them; if very young a little of the green top may be left on; if very large they should be divided into halves or even quarters; throw them into slightly-salted water, and let them boil gently till tender; drain and serve them.

Carrots.=—This vegetable is almost invariably sent to table with boiled beef. When the carrots are young they should be washed and brushed, not scraped, before cooking—and old carrots also are better prepared in this way—then rubbed with a clean coarse cloth after boiling. Young carrots require an hour for cooking, and fully-grown ones from one hour and a half to two hours. The red is the best part. In order to ascertain if the root is sufficiently cooked, stick a fork into it. When they feel soft they are ready for serving.

Boiled Celery.=—Have ready a saucepan of boiling water, with a little salt in it. Wash the celery carefully; cut off the outer leaves, make the stalks even, and lay them in small bunches; throw these into the water, and let them boil gently until tender, leaving the saucepan uncovered. When done, drain, and place them on a piece of toast which has been dipped in the liquid; pour over them a little good melted butter, and serve.

Boiled Spinach.=—Take two pailfuls of spinach, young and freshly-gathered. Pick away the stalks, wash the leaves in several waters, lift them out with the hands that the sand or grit may remain at the bottom, and drain them on a sieve. Put them into a saucepan with as much boiling water slightly salted as will keep them from burning, and let them boil until tender. Take the spinach up, drain it, and press it well; chop it small, and put it into a clean saucepan with a little pepper and salt and a slice of fresh butter; stir it well for five minutes. Serve with the yolk of hard-boiled egg.

Onion.=—This vegetable may be regarded either as a condiment or as an article of real nourishment. By boiling it is deprived of much of its pungent volatile oil, and becomes agreeable, mild, and nutritious. There is no vegetable about which there is so much diversity of opinion as there is about the onion, some persons liking a little of it in every dish, and others objecting to it entirely. Generally speaking, however, a slight flavoring of onion is an improvement to the majority of made dishes, but it should not be too strong. The smell which arises from the esculent during cooking and the unpleasant odor it imparts to the breath of those who partake of it are the principal objections which are urged against it. The latter may be partially remedied by eating a little raw parsley before and after it. When onions are used for stuffing, the unpleasant properties belonging to them would be considerably lessened if a lemon, freed from the outer rind but covered as thickly as possible with the white skin, were put in the midst of them, and thrown away when the dish is ready for the table. Onions may be rendered much milder if two or three waters are used in boiling them. Spanish onions are not so strong as the English, and are generally considered superior in flavor. The largest are the best.

Boiled Beets.=—Wash, but do not cut them, as it would destroy their sweetness; put them on to boil in a sufficiency of water, and let them boil from two to three hours, or until they are perfectly tender; then take them up, peel and slice them, and pour vinegar or melted butter over them. The root is excellent as a salad, and as a garnish for other salads it is desirable on account of the brightness of its color.

Boiled Corn.=—Strip the ears, pick off the silk, and put them in a pot of water with a little salt; boil half an hour. When done, cut off the corn from the cob and season it with butter, pepper, and more salt if necessary, or serve on the ear.

Oyster-Plant.=—Scrape the roots lightly; either cut them into three-inch lengths, or leave them whole, and throw them into water with a little lemon till wanted; put them into boiling salt and water, and keep them boiling quickly till tender; drain them, arrange on toast upon a hot dish, and pour over them good melted butter, white sauce, or sauce maître d’hôtel.

Boiled Cauliflower.=—Cut the stalk close to the bottom, and pare away the tops of the leaves, leaving a circle of shortened leafstalks all round. Put the cauliflower head downwards into a little vinegar and water for a quarter of an hour. Put it into a pan of boiling water, with a tablespoonful of salt in it. Some persons prefer milk and water. Remove the scum carefully as it rises or the cauliflower will be discolored. Boil till tender. This may be ascertained by taking a little piece of the stalk between the finger and thumb, and if it yields easily to pressure it is ready. Drain, and serve. Put a lump of butter the size of an egg into a saucepan with a cupful of cold water; add gradually a teaspoonful of flour, mix smoothly, boil, and strain over the vegetable.

Boiled Horse Radish.=—Cut each root into pieces two inches in length, and each piece into quarters; boil in water containing a little salt and one tablespoonful of vinegar. When tender drain, place the strips on a napkin, and send to table with drawn butter. This vegetable is seldom used except as a condiment or sauce ingredient. Although ignored in any other form, it is one of the most nutritious and healthful of all vegetables. It makes an excellent dish when used in equal portions with any vegetables handled in making fritters.

Stewed Cucumber.=—Peel and quarter two cucumbers lengthwise; put them in a saucepan, add one teaspoonful of salt and one dozen whole peppers. When tender take them out; place them on toast, the edges of which have been dipped in water used in stewing. Pour drawn butter over them, well seasoned with cayenne pepper, and serve.

Stewed Dandelion.=—The first mention of this dish will perhaps inspire most American people with aversion, but I can honestly advise them to try it. It is an inexpensive dish, and easily obtained; for fresh growths after showery weather may be had throughout the year. Gather a quantity of fresh dandelion; pick off all the withered tips and hard parts; shred them into strips, and wash them free from grit; put the dandelion into a stew-pan with a strip of bacon, and add one tablespoonful of vinegar; cover it with a small quantity of boiling water, and stew until tender. Mash with a wooden spoon; stir in a lump of butter; flavor with pepper and salt, and serve like spinach. The dish may be garnished in a variety of ways, either with hard-boiled eggs, sippets of fried bread, or slices of boiled carrot cut into shapes. It is usually served with white meats, as veal, sweet-breads, etc., but it is excellent as a garnish for poached eggs.

The following weeds= are all good greens if properly treated: the milk-weed, the different docks, fat hen, ox-tongue, jack-by-the-hedge, sea-holly (a substitute for asparagus), sea beet, shepherd’s purse, sow thistle, hawk-weed, stinging nettle, willow herb, pile-wort, Solomon’s seal, lamb’s quarter, and a number of other weeds common to this country, and known only to a few. Once known they would be much sought after.

_TABLE ETIQUETTE._

The following article from _Harper’s Bazaar_ is so appropriate under this head that we take the liberty of inserting it entire:

“TABLE ETIQUETTE.—There are a few points of table etiquette not directly connected with the giving and receiving of dinners and teas, but which are of the first importance, as they concern individual behavior. We would be inclined to think every one acquainted with them, and allusion to them a matter of supererogation on our part, if it were not that we see them so frequently violated. Those of our readers who are, or who have always been, familiar with them will perhaps pardon our speaking of them for the sake of those who are not.

“We do not expect to see these gaucheries in the best society; but there are many people perfectly well fitted for the best society but for ignorance concerning these things, which, although trifles in themselves, are of such infinite importance on the whole. For instance, where all the requirements are not fully known, if a general cessation of conversation should suddenly supervene upon the serving of the soup, would there be silence in the place? Not at all; the gap would be filled with a continuous bubbling sound from the mouth of some one or other unlucky wight whose mother never taught him to take soup properly, and who is possibly disturbing and disgusting all those that do better, and who know how easily the trouble might be avoided. Soup is to be taken from the side of the spoon, not from the tip, and it is not to be sucked in, but the spoon being slightly tilted, it is rather poured into the mouth than otherwise, the slightest silent inhalation being sufficient for the rest.

“Another generally neglected obligation is that of spreading butter on one’s bread as it lies in one’s plate, or but slightly lifted at one end from the plate; it is very frequently buttered in the air, bitten in gouges, and still held in the face and eyes of the table with the marks of the teeth on it. This is certainly not altogether pleasant, and it is better to cut it a bit at a time, after buttering it, and put piece by piece in the mouth with one’s finger and thumb.

“Let us mention a few things concerning the eating of which there is sometimes doubt. A cream cake, and anything of similar nature, should be eaten with knife and fork—never bitten. Asparagus—which should always be served on bread or toast, so as to absorb superfluous moisture—may be taken from the finger and thumb; if it is fit to be set before you, the whole of it may be eaten. Peas and beans, as we all know, require the fork only. Potatoes, if mashed, should be eaten with the fork. Green corn should be eaten from the cob; but it must be held with a single hand, and not after the fashion of the alderman’s wife at the lord mayor’s dinner. French artichokes are to be eaten with the fingers, slightly pulled apart at the top and one of the leaves pulled out with finger and thumb; the fleshy end of this leaf is then dipped in the salad dressing served with it, and only that atom of a paler color at the bottom of the leaf is taken as it peels off between the lips, when the dry portion is to be laid back in the plate. It is always served as a separate course by itself; a pretty hand looks very pretty indeed when fingering a French artichoke. Celery, cresses, radishes, and all that sort of thing are, of course, to be eaten from the fingers; the salt should be laid upon one’s plate, not upon the cloth. Fish is to be eaten with the fork, without the assistance of the knife; a bit of bread in the left hand sometimes helps one to master a refractory morsel.

“It is best to be very moderate in the beginning of a dinner, as one does not know what is to follow, and all the rest may be spoiled for one by an opposite course. We remember the case of a lady in Mexico, who, dining with the governor of the province, was served for the first course with a hash. She was somewhat surprised; but it was a very good hash, and she really made her dinner upon it. But the next course was also hash—there were seventeen courses of hash before the main dinner, of every delicious delicacy under the sun, made its appearance! Of course, a tiny morsel of each hash, for the sake of the flavoring, was all she should have taken; as it was, she sat afterwards like Tantalus.

“Berries, of course, are to be eaten with a spoon. In England they are served with their hulls on, and three or four are considered an ample quantity. But, then, in England they are many times the size of ours; there they take the big berry by the stem, dip it into powdered sugar, and eat it as we do the turnip-radish. It is not proper to drink with a spoon in the cup, nor should one, by the way, ever quite drain cup or glass. Spoons are sometimes used with puddings, but forks are the better style. A spoon should never be turned over in the mouth. Ladies have frequently an affected way of holding the knife half-way down its length, as if it were too big for their little hands, but this is as awkward a way as it is weak; the knife should be grasped freely by the handle only, the forefinger being the only one to touch the blade, and that only along the back of the blade at its root, and no further down. In sending one’s plate to be helped a second time, one should retain one’s knife and fork, for the convenience of waiter and carver. At the conclusion of a course where they have been used, knife and fork should be laid side by side on the plate—never crossed; the old custom of crossing them was in obedience to an ancient religious formula. The servant should offer everything at the left of the guest, that the guest may be at liberty to use the right hand. If one has been given a napkin ring, it is necessary to fold one’s napkin and use the ring; otherwise the napkin should be left unfolded. One’s teeth are not to be picked at table; but if it is impossible to hinder it, it should be done behind the napkin. One may pick a bone at the table, but, as with corn, only one hand is allowed to touch it; yet one can usually get enough from it with knife and fork, which is certainly the more elegant way of doing; and to take her teeth to it gives a lady the look of caring a little too much for the pleasures of the table; one is, however, on no account to suck one’s fingers afte

“Wherever there is any doubt as to the best way to do a thing, it is wise to follow that which is the most rational, and that will almost invariably be found to be the proper etiquette. There is a reason for everything in polite usage; thus, the reason why one does not blow a thing to cool it is not only that it is an inelegant and vulgar action intrinsically, but because it may be offensive to others—cannot help being so, indeed; and it, moreover, implies haste, which, whether resulting from greediness or from a desire to get away, is equally rude and objectionable. Everything else may be as easily traced to its origin in the fit and becoming.

“If, to conclude, one seats one’s self properly at table, and takes reason into account, one will do tolerably well. One must not pull one’s chair too closely to the table, for the natural result of that is the inability to use one’s knife and fork without inconveniencing one’s neighbors; the elbows are to be held well in and close to one’s side, which cannot be done if the chair is too near the board. One must not lie or lean along the table, nor rest one’s arms upon it. Nor is one to touch any of the dishes; if a member of the family, one can exercise all the duties of hospitality through servants, and wherever there are servants, neither family nor guests are to pass or help from any dish.”

I would here disclaim against the disgusting habit of mouth-rinsing so prevalent at many dinner-parties. The bad taste of such a procedure seems to me so evident that everybody of refinement would avoid it. Yet I have repeatedly seen it resorted to in fashionable society.

_BANQUET SERVICE._

The correct or proper manner of taking care of a number of guests that have assembled before the hour of dinner or supper has always been a puzzling problem to the novice in this line of business; but a first-class caterer will always be willing to help the host out of the dilemma, provided the host does not pretend to know more about the business than the caterer. It is a very good plan to have a colored servant at the door, another to receive the coat, hat, and cane, and give a paper check therefor, and still another to usher the guests to the reception-room, where they will find the host holding court over a bowl of lemonade or a light punch. The guests are eventually summoned to the banquet-room, but just before they enter it is “in good form” to serve them with a glass of plain Vermouth, or a Vermouth cocktail, as an appetizer. White servants are particularly to be recommended for the dining-room.

They then sit down to a repast, served in the following order (assuming of course that the table is set for a banquet):

No less than three, or more than five, oysters on the plate of each guest (with celery on table if in season). The oyster plates and forks are removed. Next serve the soups, with a grated rusk, plain roll, or French bread. _Hors-d’œuvres_, or whets, are now in order. Next serve the boiled releve; then the heavy entrée; after which serve the light entrée. Your guests will now expect the punch Roumaine, after which serve a good Russian cigarette (if gentlemen only). Then the roast joint; after which serve the game. Then the light salad, with a plain French dressing. Next the sweet entremet. The table should now be cleared; cheese and hard cracker offered; then the ices, with cake, etc., confectionery, dessert, coffee, liquors and cigars. The appropriate vegetables to be passed round with each joint or dish where they _naturally_ belong.

The proper wines for above banquet are: with oysters, white Burgundies, Sauternes, and, if no other wine is at hand, a bottle of still Moselle may be served; with the soup, Sherry and Madeira; with the releves of fish, Hock wines; with the boiled joints, light Bordeaux (claret) and Burgundy wines; with the entrées, champagnes (though champagne may be served from the beginning to the end of dinner if asked for), after the last entrée serve the punch Roumaine, cardinal, etc., with cigarette if desired. A Rhenish wine may be on table to prepare the palate for the roast, and to counteract the sweetness of the punch. With the roasts and game heavy Burgundy and Bordeaux. At many English banquets port wine is sprinkled over the lettuce, and cheese and crackers are served at the same time, but it is not a modern custom. With the sweets, sherry and Madeira. A spoonful of brandy added to the coffee will aid digestion.

A _pony_ of half green Chartreuse and S. O. P. brandy is excellent at the end of a dinner.

Serve the punch Roumaine after the last entrée, and not after the _roast_, as I have occasionally seen it on bills of fare.

Remember that venison cools rapidly. Iced or cold wines should not be served with it. Hot plates should not be forgotten.

Rhine wine takes kindly to boiled or roast ham.

Have you tried blanched almonds sautéed with a little butter, and seasoned with salt and pepper, and served after the cheese?

But one might suggest in this way indefinitely. The subject is inexhaustible.

Remarks on Wines.=—A guest should not be censured “by looks” from the host if he refuses to drink any other wine than that served with the first course, provided it is of a good vintage and pleases his palate. Good, honest wines should be served at all large entertainments, but “private stock” and “rare vintages” should be reserved for the more private affairs, where the guests are personal friends of the host, and, though not recognized as wine-drinkers, they are good judges of and appreciate thoroughly a good glass of wine. The promiscuous gathering (with few exceptions) seldom appreciates a rare bottle of still wine. Their ideal wine is the champagne. I have often seen a bottle of splendid Chateau Yquem and Johannesberger pushed aside as “stuff” the moment the champagne appeared, and by gentlemen whom I had previously considered _bon vivants_. They will tell you that a wine with a deposit or crust cannot be pure, and it is only a waste of time to attempt to explain that old wines without a deposit are more or less _doctored_.

The host should be censured for sending his cellar curiosities to table when the majority of the guests are strangers to him.

On decanting wines, Denman has observed: “To fully develop the flavor and bouquet of any wine a little gentle warmth is necessary, and it is therefore advisable that the wines intended for immediate use should be placed in a warmer temperature than that of the cellar”; and Fin-Bee adds “that the dining-room is the proper place,” which is the custom among first-class caterers. The heavy wines should remain in the dining-room uncorked a few hours under the supervision of a trusty person, for the average waiter is partial to good wine, and can remove a bottle as dexterously as a king of legerdemain.

Francatelli insists that the different kinds of sherries, ports, Madeira, and all Spanish and Portuguese wines are improved by being decanted several hours before dinner.

His advice and suggestions are proper; but does it not please the eye—is there not an unwritten history in all the dark cobwebs, etc., that cling with a brotherly affection to the original bottle?

The favorite Hocks with Americans are P. A. Mumm’s Johannesberg, Barton & Guestier’s, Henkell & Co.’s wines, and a few other well-known reliable firms. Prince Metternich, Schloss Johannesberg wines are very good, but “Blue Seal” is held at too high a figure ($150 per case) to ever become popular.

P. A. Mumm’s Hock wines are favorites, and justly so, for they are entirely free from adulteration.

At an American banquet recently given in London, the favorite wine was Heidsieck, on the ground that it was one of the first wines to find popular favor in America. This information will, no doubt, surprise wine-drinking Americans, for if our custom-house reports of importation are reliable, we have discovered several Rheims wines that are decidedly superior to Heidsieck. The importation in 1879 of G. H. Mumm’s champagne alone was twenty-two thousand five hundred and twenty-six cases more than of any other brand.

Pommery and Cliquot (the two widows), Roederer dry, Moët & Chandon, Imperial, and a few others are all good dinner wines.

Sparkling Hock, if properly handled, is a wine that should find favor in this country, but the demand is so limited that it is very apt to spoil before the case is used up. That made from the Riesling grape is the best.

American champagnes (and it grieves me to say it) are not the proper wines to serve at a banquet or dinner. Their peculiar acrid taste does not suit a palate that has been educated on foreign wines. They may be served at a banquet given in a foreign country where every dish and every wine is purely American, or sent to the cook for his champagne(?) sauce, etc. A bottle of “Cook’s Imperial” may be served at lunch, and it is proper enough at the end of the bar where the crackers and cheese hold court. It finds favor with the youth “seeing the sights” of a great city, but not elsewhere.

Pierre Blot, in the _Galaxy_, observed “that American wines are just as good as foreign wines for the table and for cooking purposes. Bogus wines,” he said, “are sold to native Americans almost entirely.” Friend Blot evidently got in with the _wrong crowd_ when he visited us.

The First Champagne.=—It happened that about the year 1668 the office of cellarer was conferred upon a worthy monk named Perignon. Poets and roasters, we know, are born, and not made; and this precursor of the Moëts and Cliquots, the Heidsiecks and the Mumms of our days, seems to have been a heaven-born cellarman, with a strong head and a discriminating palate. The wine exacted from the neighboring cultivators was of all qualities, good, bad, and indifferent; and with the spirit of a true Benedictine, Dom Perignon hit upon the idea of “marrying” the produce of one vineyard with that of another. He had noted that one kind of soil imparted fragrance and another generosity, and discovered that a white wine could be made from the blackest grapes, which would keep good, instead of turning yellow and degenerating like the wine obtained from white ones. Moreover, the happy thought occurred to him that a piece of cork was a much more suitable stopper for a bottle than the flax dipped in oil which had heretofore served that purpose. The white, or, as it was sometimes styled, the gray wine of Champagne grew famous, and the manufacture spread throughout the province, but that of Hautvillers held the predominance. The cellarer, ever busy among his vats and presses, barrels and bottles, alighted upon a discovery destined to be far more important in its results. He found out the way of making an effervescent wine, a wine that burst out of the bottle and overflowed the glass, that was twice as dainty to the taste, and twice as exhilarating in its effects. It was at the close of the seventeenth century that this discovery was made, when the glory of the Roi Soleil was on the wane, and with it the splendor of the court of Versailles. The king for whose especial benefit liquors had been invented found a gleam of his youthful energy as he sipped the creamy, foaming vintage that enlivened his dreary tête-à-tête with the widow of Scarron. It found its chief patrons, however, among the b

_MIXED DRINKS._

My receipts under this head are inserted for the benefit of _the gentlemen_, many of whom in the course of my experience have bewailed their lack of knowledge on this point when wishing to entertain their male friends at home.

Lemonade.=—Take half a pound of loaf-sugar and reduce it to a syrup with one pint of water; add the rind of five lemons and let stand an hour; remove the rinds and add the strained juice of the lemons; add one bottle of “Apollinaris” water, and a block of ice in centre of bowl. Peel one lemon and cut it up into thin slices, divide each slice in two, and put in lemonade. Claret or fine cordials may be added if desired. Serve with a piece of lemon in each glass.

Milk Punch.=—For a small party: Dissolve half a pound of sugar in a little hot water which has been flavored slightly with a little lemon-peel; add the syrup to two quarts of rich milk (cream is preferable); pour in one pint of brandy and one gill of Jamaica rum; mix thoroughly, dust a little grated nutmeg over it, and set it in a cool place. Beat the whites of four eggs to a stiff froth with a little sugar and float on top of punch same as with egg-nogg. Sprinkle a little confectionery sugar over froth. Place a small piece of ice in each tumbler when serving.

Egg-nogg.=—For a small party: Separate the yolks and whites of twelve eggs; beat the yolks thoroughly, add two heaping cupfuls of sugar and half a grated nutmeg; beat the whole together thoroughly; add half a pint of brandy, half that quantity of Jamaica or Santa Cruz rum, and two quarts of rich milk. Beat up the whites of six of the eggs to a stiff froth, float it on top of mixture, and dust with a little confectioner’s sugar. Place a piece of ice in each tumbler when serving.

Hot Tom and Jerry.=—Separate the yolks and whites of ten eggs. Beat the yolks up thoroughly and add gradually four pounds of sugar. Beat up whites of eggs to a stiff froth and add gradually to above mixture. Flavor this batter with one wineglassful of Maraschino and a little nutmeg. Put one tablespoonful of this mixture into a china mug with a wineglassful of brandy and one tablespoonful of rum, and fill up the mug with hot water, stir well and dust a little more grated nutmeg over it if desired. Sherry may be used instead of brandy if preferred.

Hot Apple Toddy.=—Heat a tumbler with hot water; throw out the water; put in one teaspoonful of sugar and one wineglassful of apple brandy; fill glass two-thirds full with hot water, add one-quarter of a warm baked apple, a trifle of grated nutmeg, and send to table with spoon in the glass and some hard water crackers.

Hot Spiced Rum.=—Heat a glass with a little hot water; throw out the water; put in one teaspoonful of sugar, one wineglassful of rum, a walnut of butter, three whole allspice, one clove, and fill up with hot water. Dust a little grated nutmeg over top if desired. Substitute Scotch whiskey for rum if preferred.

Santa Cruz Punch.=—Place the juice of two lemons, one heaping tablespoonful of sugar, and a little water in a tumbler; stir a few minutes to dissolve the sugar; add a wineglassful of Santa Cruz rum; fill up the goblet with fine ice; add a slice each of orange, lemon, and pineapple. Stir well and serve with straws.

The favorite brands of whiskies are the famous “Old Crow” Bourbon, “Hermitage” and “Monongahela Monogram” rye.

Orange Co., N. Y., apple-jack is superior to that made in New Jersey.

Have you tried the sherries from the oldest house in Spain—Juan Gmo. Burdon? They are excellent. Served with our favorite dish, terrapin, the epicure exclaims: “The eternal fitness of things!”

_PRESERVING, ETC._

It is not many years since every good housewife felt called upon at least once a year to take a great deal of trouble in preserving a supply of fruit for use during the winter months. The purchase of fruit-jars, the picking, or purchase, and sorting of fruit, the purchase of sugar, the boiling and preparation of the syrup, oftentimes in the hottest weather, was a task which many a good housewife looked forward to with some trepidation, while the uncertainties attending the keeping qualities of the preserves, after they were manufactured, made this a rather undesirable feature in housekeeping.

Within a few years, however, all this has become unnecessary; the manufacture of preserves on a large scale, with skilled labor and improved appliances, has proven, as in many other branches of manufacture, a great success; and while there are some thrifty housewives who still think their “home-made” preserves are better than the “store” article, it is undoubtedly true that the high-class preserves, such as are sold by Thurber, Park & Tilford, Acker, Merrall & Condit, and other first-class grocers, are decidedly fine, and in a number of cases far more appetizing and delicate than the home-made article. I say this with all due respect for the skill shown by many careful, conscientious housewives throughout the land, but in this case the doctrine “survival of the fittest,” I think, is quite applicable. Too many people are apt to sit down, fold their hands, and disclaim against anything not made at home, at least as far as preserves and candied fruits are concerned. The sword, I must admit, cuts both ways. While I have wrestled carefully and conscientiously at many houses with _alleged_ preserves made at home, I have suffered the “pangs of Tantalus” from atrocious compounds put on the market by conscienceless manufacturers. For the benefit of those who desire to “do up” their own fruits I append a few trustworthy receipts. For preserving, the “Almy jar” is particularly to be recommended.

In using this jar, fill it with the desired fruit while cold. Make a syrup of sugar (quantity as given below) by boiling well to prevent fermentation, or it can be put on fruit dry. Fill jar with fruit, pour sugar over it until jar is full half-way up the neck; screw on covers of jars without rubber rings; put a board indented with holes in bottom of wash-boiler and stand jars on it; fill boiler with cold water up to neck of jars; boil (time necessary for different fruits is given below), then remove jars one by one, take off covers, fill with boiling water, put on rubber rings and screw covers on tightly as possible. The same process is used in preserving all kinds of fruits.

PREPARING FRUITS FOR PRESERVING. Boil Cherries moderately 5 minutes. „ Raspberries „ 6 „ „ Blackberries „ 6 „ „ Plums „ 10 „ „ Strawberries „ 8 „ „ Whortleberries 5 „ „ Pie-Plant sliced 10 „ „ Small Sour Pears, whole 30 „ „ Bartlett Pears, in halves 20 „ „ Peaches „ 8 „ „ Peaches, whole 15 „ „ Pineapple, sliced ½ inch thick 15 „ „ Siberian or Crab Apple, whole 25 „ „ Sour Apples, quartered 10 „ „ Ripe Currants 6 „ „ Wild Grapes 10 „ „ Tomatoes 90 „ Pour into warm jars.

The amount of sugar to a quart jar should be:

For Cherries 6 ounces. „ Raspberries 4 „ „ Lawton Blackberries 6 „ „ Field „ 6 „ „ Strawberries 8 „ „ Whortleberries 4 „ „ Quince 10 „ „ Small Sour Pears, whole 8 „ „ Wild Grapes 8 „ „ Peaches 4 „ „ Bartlett Pears 6 „ „ Pineapples 6 „ „ Siberian or Crab Apples 8 „ „ Plums 8 „ „ Pie-Plant 10 „ „ Sour Apples, quartered 6 „ „ Ripe Currants 8 „

Cider= may be kept fresh and sweet by simply heating it until it throws off steam, then putting into hot jars and sealing immediately.

Apple-Sauce= ready for table use or pies may be preserved by putting in hot jars and sealing at once. Remember cold fruit requires cold jars, hot fruit requires hot jars.

To open the Jar.=—Take the blade of a penknife, or any other thin instrument, and push the rubber in towards the neck at the O on the shoulder of the jar. The air will enter and the lid will easily unscrew.

Currant-Jelly.=—One pound of granulated sugar to each pint of juice. Squeeze the currants and boil juice twenty minutes, then add sugar, which should be heating while the juice boils; stir well together until sugar is well dissolved.

Wine Jelly.=—One box of Cox’s gelatine, dissolved in one pint of cold water, one pint of wine, one quart of boiling water, one quart of granulated sugar, and three lemons.

In making Jam=, the first thing to be looked after is the fruit. As a general rule, this should be fully ripe, fresh, sound, and scrupulously clean and dry. It should be gathered in the morning of a sunny day, as it will then possess its finest flavor. The best sugar is the cheapest; indeed, there is no economy in stinting the sugar, either as to quality or necessary quantity, for inferior sugar is wasted in scum, and the jam will not keep unless a sufficient proportion of sugar is boiled with the fruit. At the same time too large a proportion of sugar will destroy the natural flavor of the fruit, and in all probability make the jam candy. The sugar should be dried and broken up into small pieces before it is mixed with the fruit. If it is left in large lumps it will be a long time in dissolving, and if it is crushed to powder it will make the jam look thick instead of clear and bright. The quantity to be used must depend in every instance on the nature of the fruit. Fruit is generally boiled in a brass or copper pan uncovered, and this should be kept perfectly bright and clean. Great care should be taken not to place the pan flat upon the fire, as this will be likely to make the jam burn to the bottom of the pan. If it cannot be placed upon a stove plate, set it upon a slab of soap-stone or marble over the fire. Glass jars are much the best for jam, as through them the condition of the fruit can be observed. Whatever jars are used, however, the jam should be examined every three weeks for the first two months, and if there are any signs of either mould or fermentation it should be boiled over again. If you do not want to use the patent glass jar, the best way to cover jam is to lay a piece of paper the size of the jar upon the jam, to stretch over the top a piece of writing-paper or tissue-paper which has been dipped in white of egg, and to press the sides closely down. When dry, this paper will be stiff and tight like a drum. The strict economist may use gum disso

Canning Tomatoes.=—Scald your tomatoes; remove the skins, cut in small pieces, put in a porcelain kettle, salt to taste, and boil fifteen minutes; have tin cans filled with hot water; pour the water out and fill with tomatoes; solder tops on immediately with shellac and rosin melted together.

In canning, it is customary at hotels to follow the same process as in preserving, with the exception that not nearly so much sugar is used.

To Can Quinces.=—Cut the quinces into thin slices like apples for pies. To one quart jarful of quince take a coffee-saucer and a half of sugar and a coffee-cup of water; put the sugar and water on the fire, and when boiling put in the quinces; have ready the jars with their fastenings, stand the jars in a pan of boiling water on the stove, and when the quince is clear and tender put rapidly into the jars, fruit and syrup together. The jars must be filled so that the syrup overflows, and fastened up tight as quickly as possible.

Green Tomato Pickle.=—One peck green tomatoes sliced, six large onions sliced, one tea-cup of salt over both; mix thoroughly and let remain over-night; pour off liquor in the morning and throw it away; mix two quarts of water and one of vinegar, and boil twenty minutes; drain and throw liquor away; take three quarts of vinegar, two pounds of sugar, two tablespoonfuls each of allspice, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, and mustard, and twelve green peppers chopped fine; boil from one to two hours. Put away in a stone crock.

Chili Sauce.=—Eight quarts tomatoes, three cups of peppers, two cups of onions, three cups of sugar, one cup of salt, one and one-half quarts of vinegar, three teaspoonfuls of cloves, same quantity of cinnamon, two teaspoonfuls each of ginger and nutmeg; boil three hours; chop tomatoes, peppers, and onions very fine; bottle up and seal.

Hot Sauce.=—Six tablespoonfuls of sugar, two tablespoonfuls of butter, one egg; beat butter, sugar, and yolks together, the white, beaten to a stiff froth; add a teacupful of boiling water and one teaspoonful of vanilla.

The best way= to prepare a new iron kettle for use is to fill it with clean potato parings; boil them for an hour or more, then wash the kettle with hot water, wipe it dry, and rub it with a little lard; repeat the rubbing for half a dozen times after using. In this way you will prevent rust and all the annoyances liable to occur in the use of a new kettle.

A new antiseptic= is described by the _Journal of Chemistry_. It is a double salt of borate of potassium and sodium; and is made by dissolving in water equal portions of chloride of potassium, nitrate of sodium, and boracic acid, filtering and evaporating to dryness. It does not give a bad taste to food. Butter may be kept sweet by it at ordinary temperatures for a week. Meat, game, etc., dipped in a weak solution remain pure for a long time. A piece of meat well rubbed with the salt and laid away two years ago is now in perfectly good condition. Eggs dipped in a solution of this antiseptic remain good for a long period.

Morning Tonic.=—An agreeable and effective tonic for the correction of any discomfort arising from a too heavy supper the night before may be taken in the morning before breakfast, as follows: One wineglassful of “Hunyadi Water,” fifteen minutes afterward a goblet of “Apollinaris Water”; wait half an hour before breakfasting. The use of any alcoholic beverages before breakfast, such as cocktails, etc., is to be deprecated, as, aside from any moral point, it tends to promote indigestion, creates a false appetite, and is in every way injurious to the system. The man who resorts to it for “toning up,” or as an “appetizer,” deceives himself.

Dyspepsia Cure.=—One-half an ounce each of pepsin and bismuth, one-quarter of an ounce cubebs, and two and a half grains lime; mix well and take a pinch of the powder fifteen minutes after each meal. I have never known this remedy to fail when tried.

My object in introducing the following menus is to serve a double purpose: first, to show progress made in the art of constructing menus in the past thirty years—for it is an art, and a very important one, too—among leading caterers; and second, to furnish hints to all who may wish to give dinners or suppers more or less elaborate. It has often happened in my experience that customers would submit to me bills of fare constructed by another caterer in the event of a prospective “spread,” and say there was something about it they did not like, some dish they would like to substitute, etc. In this small space I have only attempted to give a few of the many thousand varieties in my collection, but I now have in preparation a volume embodying bills of fare, estimates for cost of different bills based on number of guests to be seated, together with a glossary or dictionary of French idioms and words used in menus and the reason of their adoption. The use of any but our own language on bills of fare ought to be avoided, but there are cases where it is impossible, and it is with the view of enlightening those who cannot understand the meaning of French terms used, and yet shrink from displaying their lack of knowledge, that I have devoted my time to the construction of a glossary.

_DINNER ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE BIRTH OF DANIEL WEBSTER._

AT THE REVERE HOUSE, BOSTON, FRIDAY, JAN. 18, 1856.

Oysters on Shell.

Mock Turtle. Tomato. Fish Chowder.

Boiled Cod’s Head and Oysters. Fried Sea Trout with Rashers of Pork. Baked Striped Bass, Stuffed, Claret Sauce.

_Removes._

Roast Turkey. Boiled Turkey and Oyster Sauce. Roast Sirloin of Beef. Boiled Capons and Pork, Celery Sauce. Roast Mongrel Geese from Marshfield. Boiled Leg English Mutton, Caper Sauce. Roast Westphalia Ham, Champagne Sauce.

_Cold Ornamental Dishes._

Boar’s Head on a Soclé, Decorated. Lobster Salad, Garnished, in Jelly. Galatine of Turkey with Truffles. Quail with Plumage, on Form. Boned Chicken with Truffles. Pate of Liver in Jelly. Aspic of Oysters, a la Royale.

_Entrees._

Macaroni a la Anizine. Mutton Cutlets, Breaded. Venison Steak, Jelly Sauce. Vol au Vent, a la Financiere. Arcade of Partridge with Olives. Terrapin, Stewed, Port Wine-Sauce. Fillets of Black Grouse with Truffles. Sweet-breads, Larded, with Green Peas. Veal Cutlets, Larded, Tomato Sauce. Mutton Kidneys, Champagne Sauce. Fillet of Beef with Mushrooms. Turban of Fillets of Chicken. Calf’s Head, Turtle Sauce. Oysters Fried in Crumbs. Tripe, Webster Style.

Gray Ducks. Canvas-Back Ducks. Black Ducks. Widgeons. Partridge. Red Heads. Prairie Grouse. Quail. English Pheasants. Teal. Brant. Meringue Baskets. Omelet Soufflee. Blanc-Mange. Pastry. Creams. Confectionery. Wine Jelly. Charlotte Russe.

ORNAMENTS.

_Dessert._

Lemon Ice-Cream. Fruit. Frozen Plum-Pudding. Roman Punch. Bon-Bon Glace.

_Coffee and Liqueurs._

_BANQUET AT THE TENTH ANNUAL REUNION OF THE SOCIETY OF THE ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND._

FRIDAY, JULY 7, 1876, ST. GEORGE’S HALL, PHILADELPHIA.

_President.—Lieut.-Gen. Philip H. Sheridan._

Green Turtle, Sherry Wine.

Salmon—Lobster Sauce, Iced Cucumbers, Haut Bareac.

Spring Lamb, Mint Sauce. Fillet de Bœuf, with Mushrooms. Geisler Blue Seal Champagne.

_Vegetables._

Potatoes. Peas. Tomatoes. Cauliflower.

_Entrees._

Sweet-breads and Peas. Chicken Croquettes.

_Dessert._

Ices. Meringues. Fruit. Claret Wine. Coffee. Brandy. Whiskey. Cigars.

The President of the U. S., Gen. J. S. Fullerton. George H. Thomas, Gen. J. A. Garfield. The Army and Navy, Gen. W. T. Sherman. The Volunteers, Gen. J. P. Bankson. The Army of the Cumberland, Gen. C. H. Grosvenor. Sherman’s Army, Major W. H. Lambert. Our Departed Comrades, Gen. Wm. Cogswell.

_BANQUET AND RECEPTION TO HON. MATTHEW S. QUAY._

NOVEMBER 23, 1878.

Second only to the entertainment given to Grand Duke Alexis, in 1869, was the reception and banquet tendered to Hon. Matthew S. Quay, late chairman of the Republican State Committee, by the Union Republican Club, yesterday afternoon and evening, at the club-rooms and banqueting-room of the Continental Hotel. The reception ceremonies commenced promptly at the hour of five o’clock, at the club-rooms, President Addicks officiating, and continued until seven o’clock, when the members of the club to the number of 112, accompanied by twenty-five invited guests, and the grandest display of fireworks ever witnessed in this city, repaired to the banqueting-room of the Continental Hotel.

At precisely eight o’clock the party assembled sat down to the most sumptuous banquet ever prepared in this city, and it was not until 10 o’clock that the lengthy bill of fare was disposed of. At the latter hour Mr. Rufus E. Shapley, the toastmaster of the evening, announced the first toast, to which the honored guest of the occasion, Hon. M. S. Quay, fittingly responded. He was followed by Hon. Morton McMichael, and ex-Governor Thomas L. Young, of Ohio, responded to the toast of “the President of the United States.” Governor Hartranft followed, and succeeding him came Governor-elect Hoyt, who, after an excellent speech, introduced General Adam E. King, of Baltimore, who made one of the best speeches of the evening. Hon. Galusha A. Grow followed in a lengthy speech, and he was followed by General Palmer, of Wilkesbarre. Speeches were also made by Colonel Norris and others, until the hour of twelve o’clock arrived, when the party dispersed.

Carl Sentz’s band furnished the music for the occasion, while Mr. Murrey superintended the banquet. One of the chief features of the banquet was the bill of fare, which was certainly the handsomest and most costly of any ever gotten up in this city, and, as a souvenir, will long be treasured by all who participated on the occasion.

Prominent among those present were Governor Hartranft, Governor-elect Hoyt, ex-Governor Young, of Ohio, Hon. Galusha A. Grow, Mayor Stokley, ex-Mayor McMichael, Judges Yerkes, Thayer, Briggs, and Ashman, Gen. McCartney, Gen. Palmer, Gen. Owen, Hon. B. H. Brewster, Attorney-General Lear, Hon. Butterworth, First Congressional district of Ohio, Gen. Bingham, James McManes, Esq., United States District-Attorney Valentine, Lieutenant-Governor-elect C. W. Stone, Messrs. Leeds, Hill, Thomas J. Smith, Henry Bumm, and Colonel Norris.

Blue Point Oysters. Chablis. Green Turtle. Colbert. Sherry. Pates a la Reine. Salmon Sauce, Hollandaise. Filet of English Sole, a l’Allemande. Potato Croquette. Marcobrunner. Sweet-Bread, a la Morland. Breast of Capon, a la Marengo. Terrapin. La Rose. Asparagus, French Peas. Mumm’s Extra Dry. Punch a la Romaine, in Orange Baskets. Cigarettes. Canvas-back Duck. Saddle of Venison. Potatoes Parisienne. Chambertin. Celery, en Mayonnaise, Lettuce. Old English and Roquefort Cheese. Osbourne’s Old Port. Charlotte Russe, Jellies. Gateaux Assortis Bisquit, Glace. Ice-Cream, Fruits, French Coffee, Liquors.

—_Judge Bunn’s Transcript._

_DINNER A LA MARYLAND._

A patriotic son of Maryland has suggested as a perfect dinner, the choice of the amphitryon being restricted to the productions of the State, the following:

Four small Lynhaven Bay oysters. Terrapin, a la Maryland. Canvas-back Duck. Salad of Crab and Lettuce. Baked Irish Potatoes. Fried Hominy Cakes. Plain Celery.

A royal feast, I assure you; but as I have not been invited, and as the affair may not come off, I feel at liberty to criticise. I consider a salad of crab and lettuce “too heavy” for such a menu as our “patriotic son of Maryland” has suggested; and as for the fried hominy cakes, why, it is like feeding swine on truffles—out of place, I assure you! It is too suggestive of the hog and hominy of the Sunny South. My gastronomic friend, where is your elegant Burgundy, or a bottle of the Leland Brothers’ private stock Madeira?

Now I will give you my idea of a loyal dinner:

Four Blue Point Oysters. Consomme with Egg. Celery. Grated Rusk. “Petites Bouchees” of Quail. Terrapin, Philadelphia style. Saratoga Chips.

Canvas-back Duck. Currant-Jelly. Lettuce Salad, plain Dressing. Roquefort Cheese, with Hard Water-Cracker. Coffee Demi-tasse.

The coffee is to be made at table by an expert; and the wines—well, say a bottle of sparkling Hock made from the Riesling grape served after the soup-plates have been removed, and a choice bottle of good old Burgundy or rare Madeira.

_BANQUET TO THE HON. GEORGE LEAR, EX-ATTORNEY-GENERAL, TENDERED BY THE SENATE OF PENNSYLVANIA._

LOCHIEL HOTEL, HARRISBURG, PA., THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 1879.

Served by Thomas J. Murrey, of Continental Hotel, Phila.

Oysters. Celery. Chablis. Chicken a la Reine. Amontillado Sherry. Petites Bouchees a l’Imperial. Boiled Striped Bass, Hollandaise. Broiled Shad, Sauce Tartare. Cucumber Salad. P. A. Mumm’s Johannesberg. Fillet of Beef, with Mushrooms. Loin of Lamb, Epicurean. Godillot’s French Peas. Potatoes Duchesse. Chateau La Rose. Supreme of Fowl, Sauce Bearnaise. Cutlet of Sweet-breads a la Perigord. Tomatoes Stuffed au Gratin. G. H. Mumm’s Extra Dry. Punch Cardinal. Cigarettes a la Russe. Squabs Stuffed a la Murrey. Chambertin. Lettuce Salad. Omelette Souffle. Assorted Jelly. Glace Napolitaine. Assorted Cake. Fruit. Roquefort Cheese. Boston Water-Crackers. Coffee.

_A DICKENS CHRISTMAS DINNER._

(From Dickens’ Story of “A Christmas Carol.”)

COMPOSED BY T. J. MURREY.

_Preparatory._

“What’s to-day, my fine fellow?” “To-day? why, Christmas day.”

The flickering of the blaze showed preparations for a cozy dinner, with hot plates baking through and through before the fire.

She laid the cloth, assisted by Belinda. And everything was good to eat, and in its Christmas dress.

At last the dishes were set on and grace was said.

“Self-contained and solitary as an oyster.”

Barrels of Oysters. Chateau Sauterne.

“A glass of wine ready to our hand.”

Light Wine.

_Hors-d’œuvre._

Tiny Tim Pickles.

Creme of Cauliflower—Fin-Bec.

“The compound was considered perfect.”

“It had a remarkable quality, and Scrooge observed it.”

Sherry (private stock, 1836).

“From a cask in the merchants’ wine-cellars below.”

“Here he produced a decanter of wine.”

Filet of Sole—Sam Ward.

“The very fish in a bowl, though members of a dull and stagnant-blooded race, appeared to know that there was something going on. Scrooge’s ‘two fish-baskets’ never held anything like them.”

Boiled Potatoes.

“He blew the fire until the slow potatoes, bubbling up, knocked loudly at the saucepan-lid to be let out and peeled.”

Nackenheimer Auslese.

“Satisfactory, too. Oh! perfectly satisfactory.”

Tenderloin of Pork—Chas. Lamb.

“An animal that grunted sometimes.”

“Seasonable at Christmas time.”

Spanish Onions Stuffed and Baked.

“Shining in the fatness of their growth like Spanish friars.”

Pommery Sec.

“Never out of season.”

“He iced his.”

Punch a la Bishop.

“We will discuss your affairs over the punch.”

“It is not a fictitious one, glued on a wooden platter.”

“Not unlike the big prize turkey that Scrooge sent to the Cratchit family.”

Cranberry Sauce.

“Modest tartness.”

Goose, Apple-Sauce. Mashed Potato.

“Bob said he didn’t believe there ever was such a goose cooked; its tenderness and flavor were the themes of universal satisfaction.”

“Eked out by apple-sauce and mashed potato, it was a sufficient dinner for the whole family.”

Romanee Conti.

“Came after the roast.”

“A noble adjustment of things.”

_Plain Salad._

“Like lettuce.”

“It was made plain enough by the dressing. The ‘aromatic vinegar’ improved it.”

_Dessert._

“With the dessert upon the table.”

Plum-Pudding, Brandy Sauce.

“Hallo! a great steam! the pudding was out of the copper.”

“Mrs. Cratchit entered with a pudding blazing in half a quartern of ignited brandy.”

“And a wonderful pudding it was.”

Mince-Pies.

“They had mince-pies.”

Confections.

“The candied fruits, so caked and spotted with molten sugar as to make the coldest lookers-on feel faint—and subsequently bilious.”

“Cherry-cheeked apples and oranges, beseeching to be carried home in paper bags and eaten after dinner.”

“There were bunches of grapes, and figs, and raisins, and almonds.”

“A crumb of cheese.”

Tea and Coffee.

“The blended scents of tea and coffee were so grateful to the nose.”

“At last dinner was all done, the cloth was cleared, the ‘hot stuff’ in the jug was tasted, and Bob proposed—‘A Merry Christmas to us all.’”

* * * * *

On Easter day (1880) there was a private banquet at the Rossmore Hotel in this city, prepared, devised, and superintended by Mr. T. J. Murrey. The service was for twenty, and the menu was as follows:

Who can help loving the land that has taught us six hundred and eighty-five ways to dress eggs.—Moore.

_Oysters._

Wm. Travers once observed that the oyster was a most intelligent creature, since it “shuts up sometimes.”

Consomme Colbert.

“On holydays, with an egg or two at most.”—Chaucer.

Shad Roe—Bechamel.

“He was as thin as a lath, and lank as a June shad.”—W. H. Smith, in the novel of “The Minister’s Wife.”

_Fresh Cucumbers._

“For this, be sure to-night thou shalt have cramps.”—Shakspere.

Leg of Mutton, Caper Sauce.

“It gives true epicures the vapors To see boiled mutton minus capers.” —Sam Ward.

Puree of Guinea-Hen with Poached Eggs.

“The vulgar boil, the learned poach an egg.”—Pope.

_Omelette au Rum._

“Made fair in the form of a maiden, A medley of music and flame.” —Justin McCarthy.

Egg-Nogg, Frappe a l’Alexandria.

Squab, stuffed a la Lindenthorpe.

“Like a fat squab upon a Chinese fan.”—Cowper.

_Green Peas._

“Of the sort that cost some four or five guineas a quart.”—Hood.

_Baked Potatoes._

“Ireland’s native esculent in a baked condition.” —Lord Beaconsfield.

“The principal kind of ‘taters’ raised by Ireland last year was agitators.”—New York _World_, Jan. 18, 1880.

Lettuce Francaise.

“Back to the world he’d turn his fleeting soul And plunge his fingers in the salad-bowl.” —Sydney’ Smith.

_Dessert._

“I crack my brains to find out tempting sauces, And raise fortifications in the pastry.” —Lady Allworth’s Cook.

“Mocha’s berry from Arabia pure, In small, fine China cups, came in at last.” —Byron.

“Ah! social friend, I love thee well, In learned doctors’ spite. Thy clouds all other Clouds dispel, and lap me in delight.” —Charles Sprague.

_SALAD COLLATION TO GEO. M. TOTTEN, U. S. N._