More Looking At Cooking

By Mildred G. Swift

A book of budget recipes, with no unusual ingredients, More Looking at Cooking presents many savory, easily prepared, and tried-and-true dishes that have withstood the test of time.

From "Meats and Sauces" to "Soups and Sandwiches" and "Cakes and Cookies," there is something for every occasion and every appetite. Broomstick Burgers, Shrimp and Caper Sandwiches, and No Bake Peanut Butter Cookies are complemented by "Household Hints," "Kitchen Hints," and even a chapter on proper tables setting and service.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: May 29, 1905
• ISBN: 9781455608973

Book preview

Table Setting and Service

TABLE SETTING AND SERVICE

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It is best to follow the accepted formula for setting a table and serving a meal. That is what I'm giving you here.

If using a table cloth, lay cloth over a silence cloth. Thin fine covers may be put directly on the table. Place cloths with center of fold exactly in center of table, and opposite edges of the cloth at an equal distance from floor. It is really best not to have a crease in a cloth. Plan for cloths to overhang 9 to 15 inches, the larger the table, the longer the drop. If using place mats, lay them directly on the table. They may be even with the table or one inch from the table edge.

Centerpieces should not be more than 12 inches high. Candles should be high to keep the light out of the eyes. Candles are always lighted. Never use candles before six o'clock except for formal teas.

Place plates evenly, allowing at least 22 to 24 inches from center to center. Set plates directly opposite each other, unless an uneven number makes it impossible.

Use only pieces of silver necessary for the menu to be served. It is best not to lay more than six pieces of silver for each place setting. If the menu requires additional, place silver for the last course on the table when dessert and coffee are served. Place pieces of silver parallel to each other with the base of the handles one inch from the edge of the table. Place the knife at the right of the plate with the cutting edge of the blade toward the plate.

Place the spoons with bowls up at right of knife in the order in which they are to be used, from the outside in toward the plate. Place forks with tines up at the left of the plate in the order in which they are to be used from the outside in toward the plate. When a knife is not needed, the forks are placed at the right of the plate. The butter spreader is placed on the top edge of the bread and butter plate, parallel to the edge of the table, handle toward the right. Oyster or cocktail forks are placed at the extreme right of the spoons or on the plate beside the cocktail. Serving pieces are placed on the table, never in the food. (Butter spreader may be placed as in picture.)

The bread and butter plate is placed directly above the tip of the fork. The salad plate is placed to the left of the fork, one inch from the table edge. If no bread and butter plate is used, place salad at head of fork.

Place the water glass above the tip of the knife. The wine glass or milk or tea glass is placed to the right of the water glass.

Place the napkin at the left of the fork, with the hemmed sides parallel with the edge of the table and the plate, (unless monogram in napkin is so placed that you can't fold it as suggested). Place individual sets of salt and pepper above the plate or between the two place settings. Put individual ash trays, when used, directly above each plate or between two place settings.

The host sits at one end of the table, the hostess sits at the other end, which is nearer the kitchen door. A lady guest of honor sits to the right of the host, a gentleman guest of honor sits to the right of the hostess.

Good table manners should be used every day so that doing the right thing at the right time becomes second nature to you.

In taking your place at the table, stand to the left of your chair and take your seat from the left. Take your cue when to start from your hostess. No one starts to eat until the hostess starts.

When soup is eaten, the spoon is dipped away from the individual toward the side of the soup dish farthest away. Soup is taken from the lips from the side of the spoon, never the end. After you have finished eating the soup, place the spoon on the plate in back of the bowl or cup with the handle to the right.

If a relish tray is passed, take the celery, radishes, olives, carrot sticks, olives with the right hand and place them on the bread and butter plate. If bread and butter plates are not being used, put the relishes on the dinner plate, never on the table cloth.

Sometimes a salad is served as a first course. In this case, the salad fork will be the outside piece of silver to your left. Pick your fork up with your left hand and transfer to your right. When you have finished the salad, place the fork on the salad plate so that the tines of the fork, pointing up, are about in the center of the plate.

If you are asked by your host or hostess your preference of, say, light or dark meat, say which you prefer. If foods are passed around the table for each person to help himself, keep foods going toward the right. When cutting the meat on your plate, cut only one or two bites at one time. When not in use, the knife is placed across the right hand edge of the plate with the cutting edge toward the center. If you pass your plate to the host or hostess for a second serving, leave the knife and fork on the plate.

Breads and rolls are taken with the right hand and placed on the bread and butter plate or on the dinner plate if bread and butter plates are not used. Breads (except hot rolls and biscuits) are not buttered all at one time, but broken into pieces which are buttered as eaten. Avoid large bits of food. Chew quietly, with lips closed. Do not attempt to talk or drink with food in the mouth.

When you have finished eating, place the knife and fork at the right side of the plate with the knife on the right. Turn the tines of the fork up and the knife toward the center of the plate. The hostess should continue to eat until all guests have finished. A spoon used for coffee is always placed on the saucer, back of the cup with the handle to the right.

If there is no smoking equipment on the table, this may be a hint that the hostess would prefer that you do not smoke. When you do smoke at the table, put ashes only in the ash tray. The hostess makes the first move to leave the table. You follow. With your left hand, place your napkin carefully but unfolded on the table.

In all methods of service, the following general directions are used in serving and clearing away the table: Serve all foods from the left of the person to be served. Pour water, coffee, or other beverage from the right of the person served. Use pitcher to fill water glasses three-fourths full. Never lift a glass from the table to refill it. When serving coffee with the main course, place coffee cups at the right of the spoons, with the handle of the cup parallel with the edge of the table. In clearing the table, food is removed first, then the plates, knives, forks, and spoons are cleared from the left.

This table service is included because of hundreds of requests from young homemakers. It is not original, but a compilation from leading authorities. There are times when one can deviate, for convenience.

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Meats and Sauces

CURRIED BEEF HAWAIIAN

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Put beef in a 2-qt. heavy pot, sprinkle with salt, add onions, and allow meat to simmer in own juice over low flame. This will brown the meat and saute the onions. (Careful: Don't burn.) Add flour and stir well for about 3 minutes. Add curry powder and stir well. Add tomato puree and apple sauce and enough water to provide one inch of liquid above meat. Add bay leaf and thyme, and simmer slowly in covered pot until meat is tender. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add cream and stir. Take off heat. Serve on a bed of steamed rice or rice pilaf. Garnish with walnuts, shredded coconut, cherries, and raisins combined. For my family, one tsp. of curry is sufficient. 4 to 6 servings.

COOKING ROAST

We've found by experience in my family that roast (pork or beef) must be cooked very slow. Cook tender-cut roast without water in open pan, starting at 350° for 15 minutes, then cut temperature to 300°. A very large roast is fine cooked at 275° until done, and a meat thermometer is best to determine this. With a thermometer you can cook to rare, medium, or well-done without guessing. Cook less tender cuts according to suggestions given in this chapter on cooking chuck roasts.

CHUCK ROAST

Any size roast, any grade can be cooked in this manner. Get your roast VA inches or thicker. Brown in fat. Stuff with garlic, salt, and pepper. Salt and pepper roast. Rub with A-1 Sauce. Place in container that has a tight fitting lid, and pour in beef consomme until you have a half inch. Cover. Cook at 300° until tender. You may need to add water during cooking, but I doubt it. When done, remove roast and make a gravy of drippings.

BEEF AND BEER ROLLS

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