72 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



February, 1 9 1 3 



a whole for one may not be possible for another. A beauti- 

 ful table, with its original centerpiece, may be made out of 

 some mosses and ferns, and be correct for the woman of 

 small means, where orchids would not. 



There are some absolute rules about the placing of the 

 dishes and silver on the table that everyone should know. 

 All undue gorgeousness should be avoided even by the 

 woman of unlimited means, unless the occasion is very 

 formal. There are many wild flowers which lend them- 

 selves wonderfully to take decoration, and a woman who 



plans her table decorations 



herself will often evolve 

 delightful schemes which 

 will carry great personal- 

 ity, but restraint should 

 generally be in order. 



For breakfast, where 

 fruit, cereal, and coffee 

 with toast are served, the 

 setting of the table is very 

 simple. A central dish of 

 fruit should be placed on 

 the centerpiece whether 

 cloth or doilies are used on 

 the table. We oftener see 

 doilies used now, and I 

 think the table is less for- 

 mal and more graceful as 

 well as cosy with doilies 

 than with a cloth. Then 

 for each person there 

 should be a fruit plate 

 with doily on plate and a 

 finger bowl one third full 

 of water. On the right of 

 the plate place a fruit 

 knife and on the left of the 

 plate a fruit spoon. 



At the right of each 

 plate place a tumbler of 

 water and an extra tum- 

 bler for milk, where milk 

 may be served. At the 

 left put a little plate for 

 butter. At the right lay a 

 small knife for butter, a 

 teaspoon, and a dessert- 

 spoon with bowls turned 

 up, while the napkin should 

 be placed at the left. The 

 hostess should see that the 

 water is poured just be- 

 fore ringing the breakfast 

 bell, and also look over 

 the table and make sure 

 that everything is placed 

 upon it. A large spoon and cereal dishes should be placed 

 before the person who is to serve the cereal. If a maid is 

 serving, she will remove the fruit plates and finger-bowls, 

 and place a cereal dish on a plate to each person as she 

 does so. Then she will take the serving dish of cereal, 

 holding it at the left of each person as she passes it around. 



The hostess serves the coffee usually and the maid places 

 the cup at the right of each person. If only all of a house- 

 hold sit down together, it does not take wondrous skill to 

 serve it properly, for it becomes easy to make all comfort- 

 able, and good cheer is the result. There should never be 

 any hurry for the stomach's sake. Hot toast should be 

 brought in from time to time; this may easily be managed 

 even when one has no maid. Always keep the air of your 



THE RIGHT AND THE WRONG WAY OF ARRANGING 

 A BREAKFAST TRAY 



By Mary H. Northend 



The above illustration suggests a decided contrast between the right 

 way to arrange a breakfast tray and the wrong way as illustrated below. 

 There are few things more important in the sick-room than the attrac- 

 tive arrangement of the invalid's tray, a matter too often carelessly 



attended to 







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dining-room pure and fresh, and be sure to open the win- 

 dows wide after breakfast. For luncheon, place your floral 

 centerpiece, whatever you choose it to be. At the foot of 

 the table your tray or mat for the meat, with carving knife 

 and fork, and a spoon for the gravy. At the head of the 

 table place the stand for cocoa, tea, or coffee, also sugar- 

 bowl and tongs, cream pitcher, and cups and saucers. 



The setting of the places must be governed by the needs 

 of the things to be served. If soup is to be served, a soup 

 spoon at the right; if oysters on the half-shell, an oyster 



fork upon the left. The 

 luncheon knife on the right 

 with the sharp edge 

 toward the plate, and on 

 the left the luncheon fork 

 with its tines turned up. 

 The salad fork also at the 

 left, with another fork if 

 pastry is to be the dessert, 

 each placed in the order of 

 serving. You may have 

 your dessert forks and 

 plates on the sideboard if 

 you prefer. 



One must keep in mind 

 that the position of 

 knives, forks, and spoons 

 is determined by the need 

 for them; then the placing 

 of them is a matter of the 

 taste of the hostess, 

 whether they are to be in 

 a straight row or inten- 

 tionally irregular. The 

 napkin always at the left 

 and the tumbler to the 

 right. This applies to the 

 dinner table as well as to 

 the luncheon. Doilies are 

 now used for luncheon 

 quite as much as are table- 

 cloths. 



For dinner, the cloth 

 should always be used and 

 napkins folded simply. 

 The edge of the knife 

 towards the plate, and 

 bowls of spoons and tines 

 of forks always turned up. 

 Knives and spoons must 

 be placed at the right of 

 the plate and the forks at 

 the left. Bread and but- 

 ter plates should be placed 

 to the left, tumblers to 

 the right. A dinner table 

 is much more attractive and really invites one when in laying 

 the table a beautiful plate is placed for each person. Olives, 

 nuts, bonbons, and pickles may be placed in small dishes in 

 the middle of the table, also celery and radishes. Unless 

 the vegetables are in a semi-liquid form they may all be 

 eaten from the dinner plate. 



A safe rule for every hostess to follow is to try her 

 experiments upon her family, both as to serving and as to 

 the cooking of the things to be served. Another is, three 

 courses, exquisitely served and properly cooked, is far better 

 than six courses which fail in some of the details. This 

 applies particularly to the person who desires to entertain 

 well and who does her own work. There are many simple 

 menus which may be prepared and served with daintiness. 



