Class IH-X-^S-S^ GBpightN? COnRIGHr DEPOSIT. Hospitality BY Mary M. Wright Author of "Candy Making at Home" "Preserving and Pickling" "Salads and Sandwiches" "Dainty Desserts'* RECIPES AND ENTER- TAINMENT HINTS FOR ALL OCCASIONS Philadelphia The Penn Publishing Company 1922 COPYRIGHT 1922 BY THE PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY Hospitality Made in the U. S. A. JUL 25 72 ©CI.A677622 Contents I. Hospitality for Holidays 13 Table Decorations for New Year's Day. 15 New Year Bell Luncheons 17 Pimiento Canapes 18 Bell-shaped Salmon Croquettes 19 Potato Salad Garnished with Beet Bells 19 Cherry Gelatin in Bell-shape 20 A Date Luncheon for New Year's Day. 21 Date and Grapefruit Cup 21 Sauted Dates with Cream Cheese 22 Date Salad 22 Date Sandwiches 22 Menus for the New Year's Day Dinner . 23 Fruit Salad 24 Confection Pie 24 Cranberry Sponge with Marshmallow Border 25 Steamed Fig Pudding 26 Frozen Plum Pudding with Ginger Sherbet 27 Table Decorations for Washington 's Birthday 28 3 • CONTENTS Menus for Washington's Birthday Luncheons 29 Cream of Carrot Soup 30 Deviled Lobster 31 Tomato Bouillon 31 Cherry Sherbet 32 Table Decorations for Fourth of July Tables 33 Children 's Tables for the Fourth of July 34 Menus and Recipes for the Fourth of July 35 Iced Cherries 36 Baked Stuffed Tomatoes 36 Raspberry Sherbet 37 Tomato Appetizer 38 Cherry Salad 38 Red Watermelon with White Ice- Cream 39 Chicken in Sweet Bell Peppers 39 Table Decorations for the Thanksgiving Dinner 40 Thanksgiving Tables for the Children . . 42 Menus for the Thanksgiving Dinner with Recipes 44 Oyster Stuffing for Turkey 46 Stuffed Onions 46 Browned Sweet Potatoes 47 Cranberry Sherbet 47 Cream of Celery Soup 48 Caramel-Pumpkin Pie 49 Plum Pudding 49 CONTENTS 6 Table Decorations for Christmas 50 Christmas Decorations for Children's Tables 54 Menus for the Christmas Dinner 56 Sweet Potato Puff 57 Orange Bavarian Pudding 57 Baked Apples and Cranberries 58 Mushroom Sauce for Roast Duck 58 Pea Patties 59 Steamed Date Pudding 59 II. Hospitality for Special Days 61 Table Decorations for St. Valentine's Day 63 Menus and Recipes for St. Valentine Luncheons 65 Cheese and Nut Hearts 66 Cheese Sandwiches in Heart-shape ... 66 Lobster Hearts 67 Heart Tarts 68 Angel Hearts 68 Heart's Delight 69 Table Decorations for St. Patrick's Day 69 Menus and Re^ cupfuls bread-crumbs 1 cupful raisins 1 cupful chopped suet ^ cupful chopped citron 1 cupful currants J4 teaspoonful allspice, ]^ cupful chopped almonds nutmeg, and salt 4 eggs Grated rind of one lemon 5^ cupful grape-juice 1 cupful milk y2 teaspoonful soda Mix the dry ingredients thoroughly to- gether, and the liquid ingredients also thor- 50 HOSPITALITY oughly together, adding the soda last dissolved in a little water. Stir the liquid into the dry ingredients. Turn this into a mold and steam six hours. This makes a very large pudding. Serve with a hard sauce or a fruit sauce. TABLE DECORATIONS FOR CHRISTMAS Every home should be decorated for the merry holiday season. Especially should this be true of the dining-room and the table around which the festivities circle. These decorations need not be elaborate, but can be simple and artistic. Red and green are called the Christmas colors; the other colors that are especially suitable for Christmas are white, the emblem of purity, and yellow, which signi- fies joy and happiness. A red and green basket scheme makes a very effective table decoration for the Christ- mas season, and need not be expensive. A basket can be painted a deep red and filled HOSPITALITY FOR HOLIDAYS 51 witli trailing vines and ferns; this basket, if not too large, may be suspended over the cen- ter of the table, with the vines trailing down on the cloth. Have at each plate little ever- green baskets filled with red blossoms, or they can be lined with waxed paper and filled with red bonbons. An evergreen basket filled with red blossoms makes a pretty centerpiece. From the basket fine ropes of evergreen may extend to the four corners of the table, and there tied to other smaller baskets. An ever- green basket filled with ruddy red apples may be substituted for one with flowers if pre- ferred. At each plate may be placed a spray of holly with its red berries. The ices may be served in little green and red baskets lined with waxed paper. A sparkling snow effect is nice carried out in the dining-room and table decorations. The evergreen, holly and mistletoe used for decora- tions should be treated to a shower of thin gum arable or alum water, and while still damp sprinkled with diamond dust, making the deco- rations look as if they were covered with hoar- 62 HOSPITALITY frost or ice. Everything in tlie form of deco- ration should be white on the table except a touch of green and red which sprays of holly will provide. Use pure white china and white candle holders or crystal holders. Cover the white candles with white shades made of white frosted crepe paper which one may buy ready for use, and the edges may be decorated with tiny glass icicles. For a centerpiece for the table cut a circular mat out of cotton wadding, and in the center of this place a snowball made out of the same material. Sprinkle all over plentifully with diamond dust. On the top of the snowball place a spray of frosted holly, and partly encircle the ball with a diminutive Santa Glaus, fur-clad and white-bearded, driv- ing his eight reindeers attached to a tiny sled or sleigh containing little bundles done up in red and green paper. Have at each plate snowballs made out of frosted crepe paper and decorate the tops with sprays of frosted holly ; if liked, these balls may contain souvenirs of the occasion or some little toy. At each end of the table have a crystal dish HOSPITALITY FOE HOLIDAYS 53 heaped up with popcorn balls; these are nice rolled in a sticky sirup, then rolled in rock candy that has been pounded into bits. These will sparkle in the light. Snowball cakes may be made by cutting any white loaf cake into ball shape, icing in white, and then rolling them in cocoanut. Mashed potatoes may be formed into snowballs and surrounded with parsley to give a touch of green. The ice- cream may be molded in the same shape also. The place-cards may be decorated with little frosted snow scenes, and also with a bit of holly. A pretty table effect that is especially dainty is carried out in gold and white. The china and table linen should all be in pure white. Have for the centerpiece a gilded basket or gold bowl filled with pure white blossoms, such as carnations or roses. The place-cards should be gilt-edged and if liked a little figure in gold may be painted or appliqued on. Serve yellow bonbons in little white or gold recepta- cles. Another pretty effect may be obtained with 54: HOSPITALITY gilt stars. Have a toucli of green with this decoration; for instance, in the center of the table may be arranged a star made of ever- green, and in the center of this place a smaller gilt star. The place-cards may be decorated with a border of tiny gilt stars, or just one larger gilt star in the corner. White bonbon boxes decorated Avith tiny gilt stars are nice to have at each plate; and if candles are used, have them decorated with tiny stars. Christmas Decorations for Children's Tables A Christmas-tree table always delights the children. Paint a pot red and plant in it a small Christmas tree. Choose a nice-shaped tree ; just a branch of evergreen, if of the right shape and nicely trimmed, will serve the pur- pose very nicely. Be sure to have it firm and secure in the pot. It can be decorated with tinsel, cranberries, popcorn and tiny toys, stars and little stockings made of cambric or HOSPITALITY FOR HOLIDAYS 55 tarletan. Tiny candles can be used on the tree, and everything should be on the small order. Little individual trees to place at each plate can be made by taking small sprays of evergreen and sticking them in the ends of spools that have been painted or colored red. Fasten on the top of each tree a gilt star, a little Santa Claus or a tiny red candle. A nice centerpiece for a children's table is made by laying a circular mat of fleecy cotton in the center of the table and sprinkling it well with mica. Place a wreath of holly around the edge, and coming across the snow have a little sleigh drawn by reindeers with Santa Claus driving, surrounded by his toys. Santa Claus in his aeroplane is another good idea. The aeroplane should be suspended over the table, and for a centerpiece have a row of little pasteboard houses arranged on a square of cotton. These houses can be made of red card- board, with windows and doors outlined with chalk or with ink, and with little chim- neys pasted on. They can be bought if pre- ferred. 56 HOSPITALITY Christmas Dinner Menus Menu No. i Clear Soup Wafers Roast Goose with Potato Stuffing Escalloped Onions Sweet Potato Puff Celery Cole Slaw Orange Bavarian Pudding Fruit Cake Mince Pie Nuts Raisins Candies Coffee Menu No. 2 Oyster Soup Crackers Roast Turkey with Rice Dressing Baked Apples and Cranberries Creamed Carrots Glazed Sweet Potatoes Apple and Date Salad Cheese Straws English Plum Pudding Lemon Pie Grape Cream Fruits , Christmas Bonbons Menu No. 3 Tomato Bouillon Croutons Roast Duck with Mushroom Sauce Sweet Potato Croquettes Pea Patties Jellied Tomato Salad Cream Cheese Balls Celery Olives Pickles Steamed Date Pudding with Orange Sauce Bonbons Nuts Coffee HOSPITALITY FOE HOLIDAYS 61 Sweet Potato Puff 3 cupfuls sweet potatoes 3 eggs i^ cupful cream Salt and pepper Peel, wash and boil some sweet potatoes, and pass through a potato ricer, then season with the cream, salt and pepper, and add the well-beaten egg yolks. Beat up the whites of the eggs until stiff and fold in. Mix lightly, and put in a buttered bake-dish and bake until puffed up and a nice brown on top. Orange Bavarian Pudding 1 pint orange-juice 1 cupful rich cream 2 tablespoonfuls gelatin yi cupful boiling water y2 cupful sugar 1 teaspoonful orange y2 cupful cold water extract Dissolve the gelatin in the cold water, then stir in the boiling water, add the sugar. When cool, stir in the cream beaten to a stiff froth. Beat up until light and foamy. Pour in wet- ted mold and chill. Turn out, and serve with whipped cream, and garnish with orange car- pels. 58 HOSPITALITY Baked Apples and Cranberries Sweet apples Cranberries Cinnamon Sugar Peel, halve and core some nice large sweet or semi-sweet apples, and fill the cavities with sugar and cinnamon mixed. Place these in the bottom of a bake-dish and place over them a layer of cranberries, sprinkled liberally with sugar. Bake in the oven until the apples are tender and the cranberry juice has penetrated them. Mushroom Sauce for Roast Duck 1 pint canned mushrooms ^ cupful water 2 tablespoonfuls butter 2 tablespoonfuls flour Yi cupful milk Vi cupful stock J/2 teaspoonful salt ^ teaspoonful pepper Make a cream sauce by blending together in a double boiler the butter and flour and the water, milk and soup stock. Stir until smooth and thick, then season to taste. Turn in the mushrooms and simmer slowly for ten or fif- teen minutes. If too thick thin with a little milk or stock. HOSPITALITY FOR HOLIDAYS 59 Pea Patties To make these take small rolls and scoop out some of the centers from each and toast a deli- cate brown in the oven. Drain a can of peas from all liquid, and place in a colander and throw some cold water over them. Make a cream sauce with butter, flour and milk; sea- son to taste, and stir in the peas. Fill these in the patty rolls. If preferred the peas may be served in pastry patty shells. Steamed Date Pudding 1 cupful stoned and 1 teaspoonful salt chopped dates 1 cupful sweet milk 2 tablespoonfuls grated 3 level cupfuls bread orange peel 2 teaspoonfuls baking- ^ cupful sugar powder 1 cupful flour 1 well-beaten egg Sift the baking-powder and salt with the flour and mix it and the other ingredients thor- oughly together. Pour into a greased mold, and steam for two hours at least. Serve with an orange sauce made the same as lemon sauce only use orange-juice and orange extract for flavoring instead pf the lemon. II HOSPITALITY FOR SPECIAL DAYS CHAPTER II HOSPITALITY FOR SPECIAL DAYS Table Decorations for St. Valentine^s Day Hearts always make the most appropriate decorations for the St. Valentine's Day tables. A charming effect is obtained by cutting hearts out of crepe paper in all colors ranging from the palest pink to the deepest red. Place four red hearts in the center of the table, having the bottom of the hearts pointing towards the cor- ners of the tables ; then gradually arrange the hearts in a line from these, shading towards the pale pink hearts at the corners of the table. The hearts would be nice if cut in different sizes, the largest hearts placed in the center of the table and gradually smaller as they near the corners of the table. In the center of the table may be placed a vase or basket of pink or red roses. The place-cards may be pale pink, Valentine hearts. 63 64 HOSPITALITY A heart-shaped Jack Horner pie always makes a good centerpiece. Use a heart-shaped pasteboard box foundation for this pie. Cover with pink crepe paper and pink paper roses; or with white crepe paper decorated with red heart pasters. From a hole in the center have ribbons extend to each plate. Have the rib- bons in the pie attached to little candy motto hearts ; these may be pulled out at the close of the luncheon. At each plate may be a heart- shaped frame holding the picture of a pretty girPs head or of a Cupid. Letter the names at the bottom of these, and they will serve as place-cards. If you wish something simpler try this : Place in the center of the table a red lace paper mat in heart shape. In the center of this place a pink-covered pasteboard box, somewhat smaller than the mat. Paste a white heart in the center of the cover an inch or two smaller than the cover of the box, and in the center of this paste a small red heart. Have smaller heart-shaped boxes to match at each plate to hold the heart-shaped bon- bons. FOB SPECIAL DAYS 65 St. Valentine^s Day Luncheons Heart Menus Menu No. i Cream Soup with Pimiento Hearts Cheese and Nut Hearts Salmon Croquettes Ham Canapes Tomato Heart Salad Sweethearts Ice-C?eam Hearts Cupid Cakes Heart-shaped Bonbons Menu No. 2 Tomato Bisque Pimiento and Cheese Sandwiches Beet Heart Salad Heart Tarts Heart's Delight Macaroon Hearts Lobster Hearts Angel Hearts In preparing the heart-shaped dishes for the heart menus you will need heart-shaped cut- ters in various sizes. If you cannot find the sizes desired at the tin store, a tinsmith can make them in any size you may wish. You will also need heart-shaped molds and heart- shaped patty-pans. ^6 HOSPITALITY Cheese and Nut Hearts 2 cupfuls flour 1 cupful pecan nut-meats 1 teaspoonful baking- J^ cupful cream cheese powder 1 egg and a little ice-water J^ teaspoonful salt Sift the flour, baking-powder and salt thor- oughly together, add the pecan nut-meats chopped fine, and just enough ice-water to make a dough that will roll out nicely. EoU out about an eighth of an inch thick on a floured board, and spread with the cream cheese. Fold over three or four times, roll in thin sheets and cut out with a heart-shaped cutter. Brush over each heart with the white of an egg, and bake a delicate brown in the oven. These are nice served with the cream soup or bouillon with little beet hearts or pimiento hearts floating in it. Cheese Sandwiches in Heart-shape 1 cupful cream cheese 1 teaspoonful salt 1 teaspoonful paprika ^ cupful butter Pimientoes Bread Cut the bread in thin slices. Mix into a FOE SPECIAL DAYS 67 paste the cream cheese, butter, salt and pa- prika, and spread on one-half of the bread hearts. With a smaller heart-cutter cut out openings in the other half of the bread hearts. Place on top of the other pieces and fill the heart openings with chopped pimientoes. The effect of a red heart within a white one is very pretty. Lobster Hearts 1 teaspoonful lemon-juice 1 can lobster 2 tablespoonfuls butter 3 tablespoonfuls flour 1 egg Pie pastry 1 pint milk Bake a rich baking-powder pie pastry and roll a fourth of an inch thick. Cut about a third of the dough into thick narrow strips. Cut the rest out with a heart-shaped cutter, and place the strips around the edge of each to form a deep cup-like edge. Drain the liquor from the lobster into a bowl and free from bones. Pour over the lobster a white sauce made by blending together in a double boiler 68 HOSPITALITY the butter and flour. Heat the milk and stir in, and also the liquor from about the lobster. Stir constantly until smooth, and season. Fill the pastry shells with this mixture and bake in a moderate oven about twenty minutes. Brush the inside of the shells with the white of an egg before placing in the lobster mixture. Heart Tarts Pie pastry Strawberry preserves Line heart-shaped patty pans with good pie pastry and bake a delicate brown in the oven. When cool, fill Avith strawberry preserves. Angel Hearts Angel cake Candied cherries Pink fondant Take an angel cake that is a day or so old and cut into slices about half an inch thick; then cut out with a small heart-shaped cutter. Dip each little heart into pink fondant and FOR SPECIAL DAYS 69 decorate witli tiny hearts cut out of candied cherries. Heart's Delight Yz cupful water 1 cupful sugar 1 cupful cream 2 oz. gelatin or jelly powder 1 pint cherry-juice Candied cherries Soak two ounces of gelatin or required amount of jelly powder until soft ; dissolve by adding one-half cupful of boiling water. Add to this the red cherry juice and the sugar. If the juice has already been sweetened use only a half cupful of sugar. Stir until it begins to grow thick ; then fold in the cream, beat until stiff. Line heart molds with little candied cherry hearts and pour in the mixture. Let stand until firm and turn out. Table Decorations for St. Pateick^s Day The color scheme should be white and green. Have as many foliage plants and vines about the dining-room as possible. With these may be used white jonquils, snowdrops, narcissi and crocuses, also white tulips. 10 HOSPITALITY For a centerpiece a basket or pot of oxalis would be pretty and appropriate, as it comes nearer to the shamrock than anything else ; if you do not have the oxalis, then a pretty effect may be obtained with ferns and white spring blossoms. Arrange a mat in the center of the table of the delicate asparagus plumosa or maiden-hair ferns. In the center of this place a pretty rustic or fancy basket filled with ferns and white blossoms. If preferred, a green or white bowl may be used instead of the basket. A cluster of green and white carnations in a crystal vase on a green mat is also effective. Green candlesticks with white shades will add to the general effect. Place-cards should be decorated with shamrocks done in water colors or appliqued on. Small green silk flags with a golden harp outlined on them can be crossed and fastened to the white cloth at intervals. Small green baskets filled with white mints may be placed at each plate. White china decorated with green would add to the appear- ance of the table, or pure white china may be used. FOE SPECIAL DAYS Yl St. Patrick's Day Luncheons Menu No. i Cream of Spinach Soup Pistachio Nut Wafers Baked Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce Jellied Chicken Salad Celery Rolls Mint Ice Erin Loaf Cake St. Patrick's Candies Menu No. 2 Cream of Pea Soup Dublin Salad Lettuce Sandwiches Fish with Spinach Sauce Pickles Olives Pistachio Ice-Cream Blarney Stones Emerald Sea Foam Cream of Spinach Soup 2 cupfuls boiled spinach 1 quart milk 2 tablespoonfuls flour Slice of onion 2 tablespoonfuls butter Salt and pepper Place the milk in a double boiler and add tbe onion, and bring to a boil, then remove the onion. Blend the flour and butter together, then gradually stir in the scalded milk. Add Y2 HOSPITALITY tlie cooked spinacli, wliicli should be passed through a sieve. Stir until thoroughly mixed, then season with salt and pepper. Serve in bouillon cups with a dot of whipped cream in the center. Pistachio Nut Tarts oe Wafers Pie pastry 3 tablespoonfuls powdered 2 eggs sugar y-2. cupful pistachio nuts Make a short pie pastry. Mix a tablespoon- ful of the powdered sugar with the flour on the board, and roll out very thin. Dip fancy cut- ters in flour, and cut out ; then pierce half of the cakes with a small circular cutter. Some of the cakes can be made with one hole, some with two or three. Place these on greased pans and bake in the oven a pale brown. Make a paste with the stifly beaten whites of the eggs, the powdered sugar and the nut-meats chopped very fine. Spread this on the cakes left whole, and then place the cakes with the holes on top. If there is any of the paste left FOR SPECIAL DAYS 73 fill into the holes. If you are making many- cakes, double the amount of nuts and egg- whites, so you will have enough for all. Baked Asparagus 1 pint asparagus tips 2 tablespoonfuls butter Salt and pepper Bread-crumbs Use only the tender tips, and place in a bak- ing-dish. Dot over with the butter, and sea- son with salt and pepper. Cover with buttered crumbs, seasoned with a little lemon-juice, or sauce. Bake in the oven until the crumbs are brown. Serve with a Hollandaise cream sauce or a plain cream sauce, as liked. Sauce Hollandaise. — Place in a double boiler one-half cupful of butter that has been beaten to a cream, stir in the well-beaten yolks of four eggs. Beat up until thick and creamy, then add one-half teaspoonful of salt and the juice of half a lemon. Place over the fire and add gradually one cupful of hot water. Stir until thick and smooth. If this sauce is used with the asparagus do not add lemon to the crumbs. 74 HOSPITALITY Celery Rolls Use small rolls, and one for each, person to be served. Carefully remove some of the inside from each roll. Place in each cavity a tea- spoonful of melted butter, distributing it over the sides. Chop some inside tender stalks of celery fine, season well with salt and pepper. Add a little chopped chicken or ham, and fill into the rolls. The meat can be omitted if liked. Erin Loaf Cake 1 cupful butter 6 eggs 2 cupfuls of sugar 1 cupful of milk 3>2cupfuls of flour 1 teaspoonful almond 2 teaspoonfuls of baking- extract powder Angelica Cream together the butter and sugar, then add the milk and flour into which the baking- powder can be sifted, then fold in the stiffty beaten whites of the six eggs. Eemove one- third of the batter and color with a few drops of green vegetable coloring. Pour some of the FOR SPECIAL DAYS 75 batter into a deep cake pan, then place over it a few spoonfuls of the green batter, then more of the white, and so on until all the batter is used. This will give a green and white effect. Ice the cake with white icing flavored with almond extract, and decorate with angelica in form of green leaves of the shamrock. Blarney Stones 1 cupful of sugar 2 eggs 5^ cupful of butter 1 teaspoonful cinnamon l^cupfuls of flour ^teaspoonful cloves 1 cupful chopped walnut- ^ teaspoonful nutmeg meats 1 teaspoonful soda 1 cupful chopped raisins 1 teaspoonful vanilla ^2 cupful sour milk Mix together the dry ingredients. Cream together the sugar and butter, add the eggs, milk and vanilla, stir into the dry ingredients and beat thoroughly. This should make a stiff drop batter; if not, add a little more flour. Drop by spoonfuls onto a greased pan, and bake a nice brown. 76 HOSPITALITY Cream of Pea Soup 1 pint cooked peas 1 cupful cooked lettuce ^ cupful almonds 3 cupfuls milk 1 cupful cream 2 tablespoonfuls flour S tablespoonfuls butter 1 teaspoonful salt >4 teaspoonful pepper 1 teaspoonful sugar Blend together in a double boiler the butter and the flour, and add one cupful of milk, stir- ring constantly until smooth and thick ; season with the salt, sugar and pepper; then stir in the remainder of the milk. Pass the peas and the lettuce through a sieve and add this puree to the milk. Bring to the boil, then stir in the cupful of cream and finely chopped almonds. Spinach Sauce for Baked Fish 2 tablespoonfuls butter Salt 2 tablespoonfuls flour 1 cupful milk ^ cupful spinach-juice 1 tablespoonful lemon-juice Place the butter and flour together in a dou- ble boiler and blend thoroughly, then gradu- ally add the milk, and stir until smooth and thick. Stir in the thick spinach- juice, and FOB SPECIAL DAYS 77 season to taste with salt and pepper ; then add the lemon- juice. If this does not make the sauce a nice green, add a little vegetable color- ing in addition to the spinach juice. Mint Ice 3 oranges 1 quart cold water 3 lemons Mint leaves Essence of peppermint 2 cupfuls sugar 1 tablespoon ful gelatin 2 egg-whites Simmer together the water, the rind of two lemons and a handful of mint leaves and the sugar. When it begins to thicken into a sirup remove the leaves and rind and add the gelatin that has been dissolved in one-half cupful cold water; add the juice of the oranges and the lemons, and the essence of peppermint, using a few drops. Color a deep green with green vegetable coloring. Pour into ice-cream freezer and freeze until mushy; then add the stifly beaten whites of the eggs. Pack down in salt and ice, and let stand two or three hours. 78 HOSPITALITY Pistachio Ice-cream 1 cupful pistachio nuts 2 quarts cream ^ cupful almonds 1 pound sugar 1 teaspoonful pistachio ^ teaspoonful almond extract extract Add the sugar to a pint of tlie cream and bring to the boil. Set aside to cool, then add the remainder of the cream, the extracts, and one-fourth teaspoonful salt. Pour into a freezer, and when partly frozen add the chopped nut-meats. Complete the freezing; then let stand an hour or so to ripen up. If liked this may be colored a pale green with vegetable coloring. TABLE DECOEATIONS FOE EASTERTIDE Floral Decorations for the Easter Table Flowers have always held an important place in the celebration of the Easter festival, and the spring blossoms, such as violets, nar- cissi, jonquils, hyacinths, tulips, daffodils, primroses, valley lilies, pansies, and sweet peas forced for the occasion, all make delight- ful table decorations. FOE SPECIAL DAYS Y9 At no season is there a better opportunity to show one's artistic sldll and taste tlian at this season, when there is such a wealtli of material to choose from. The regular Easter lilies are often objected to for table decoration on ac- count of the strong perfume ; in this case calla lilies will nicely take their place. Some de- lightful color schemes may be carried out with the spring blossoms in the Easter colors, which are yellow, the color of sunlight; pale green, the color of spring; white, the symbol of pu- rity, and " there are some purple for Passion- tide " also. If the table decorations are to be calla lilies, then use for a centerpiece a large bouquet of these pure white blossoms, and fill their waxen cups with tiny bunches of the dainty blue for- get-me-nots, bluets, or violets. Have a single lily at each plate, and also have the cups of these filled with the small blue blossoms. The place-cards should be cut out of white or cream celluloid in shape of calla lilies painted in the center with forget-me-nots. A pretty scheme may be entirely carried out 80 HOSPITALITY in white calla lilies. Fill a crystal vase witli the lilies and use as a centerpiece, and at each, plate have a single calla lily with a bit of silver gauze tied to the stem. If candlesticks are used, have the candlesticks of silver or crystal, with silvered paper shades. If the decorations for the table are to be Easter lilies, the following scheme may be car- ried out : Fill a tall crystal vase with a dozen or more of the lilies, and place on a circular mirror. Wreathe the edge with vines, and any small spring blossoms. The place- cards may be lilies cut out of water-color paper or celluloid of ivory tint ; have a single blossom and one or two leaves. Outline the flower to bring out the petals ; then shade them with cream and pale green water-color paints. The stamens should be painted brown, tipped with yellow, and the stems and leaves dark gi'een. Letter or write the guests' names on the leaves with gold ink. Place one of these lilies at each plate. For bonbon boxes use small round or hexagon-shaped boxes; if not readily procured they may be easily made. FOR SPECIAL DAYS 81 Cover tlie box with pale green paper, also line the box with crepe paper, using white paper. Cut a lily out of ivory-tinted water-color paper. Outline the petals with gold and shade a dull green, paint the stamens and pistils brown tipped with yellow. Fasten the lily to the cover of the box so that the ends of the petals will extend over the edge of the box. Fill the boxes made after this manner with bonbons and place one at each plate. Easter Egg-shell Decorations Egg-shells alone, prosaic though they may sound, can be depended upon to furnish ex- ceedingly pretty decorative effects; and egg- shells, after the Easter cake-baking and des- sert-making are accomplished, are apt to be a drug in the home market. Care needs to be taken, of course, in emptying the shells of their contents, to keep the shell intact. For a cen- terpiece get a tiny evergreen tree, or — ^better still — a little shrub or branches of the blossom- ing forsythia or flowering currant. Decorate 82 HOSPITALITY this with shining gilt stars and crosses, and from the branches hang egg-shells — hen or duck — that have been decorated in oil or water colors. Some may have painted on them little landscapes, suggestive of the springtime, oth- ers flowers appropriate to the season, or flights of butterflies. These shells can be left in their natural colors for a background or be solidly colored before applying the decorations. If no one in the family is clever with the brush, some of the shells may be gilded and others colored blue, with gilt stars, butterflies, and birds cut from cards or paper and pasted on, the edges being touched up with gilt. Run baby ribbon in delicate shades through the holes at either end of each shell from which the contents were blown out, tie the ends of the ribbons together in perky little bows and suspend. These may be distributed afterwards as souvenirs. To make name cards, mount egg-shells, with faces and hair painted on them, on the ends of plain cards, writing the name at the other end. Strips of cardboard or stiff paper in a circle FOR SPECIAL DAYS 83 can be used for the necks, and they should be glued to the small end of the shell. The head at each place should suggest, in some way, the characteristics of the guest. For instance, the acknowledged belle of the crowd should have an exceedingly pretty face, with a pink or blue crepe paper frill about the neck and a picture hat of crepe paper on the head. For a quiet person, a Quaker or Quakeress with Quaker hat or bonnet ; for the student, a college cap, or mortar-board. Children's Easter Tables Unique and delightful table decorations for the children's Easter tables are easily carried out. A novel and pleasing centerpiece for the table may be made by taking a tray, filling it with sand and concealing the edge with smilax or ferns. A little fence made of water-color paper or pasteboard painted to resemble wood may be placed around the edge of the tray; this makes a good chicken yard. Make a good coop also of pasteboard or cardboard, and place in the center of the yard. Buy a toy 84 HOSPITALITY hen with, a brood of tiny, downy chicks and also a rooster. Place the rooster on top of the coop, the hen inside the coop, and the chicks in the yard. Take a little toy dish and fill with cornmeal, and a little toy tin-pan of water, and place near the coop. At each plate may be little nests of candy eggs. A bunny centerpiece is also appropriate. A coach may be fashioned out of a grapefruit rind, with wheels made of the slices of lemon. To this can be harnessed six little bunnies, us- ing narrow ribbon for harness. At each plate may be little toy bunnies bearing tiny baskets of eggs on their backs. A cake iced with maple or chocolate icing, and decorated with marsh- mallow bunnies also makes a nice centerpiece. Easter Menus for Chh^dren Orange Pulp in Orange Shell Baskets Rice Croquettes in Egg-shape Egg Sandwiches Cream Cheese Eggs in Nests of Cress Ice-Cream (in form of chicks) Egg-shaped Sponge Cakes Egg Candies FOR SPECIAL DAYS 85 Cream of Corn Soup Creamed Whitefish in Egg-shaped Ramekins Peanut Sandwiches Boiled and Colored Eggs Mashed Potatoes (molded in egg-shape in parsley baskets) Ice-Cream (egg-shape) Eittle Cakes Egg-shaped Bonbons Bunny Sandwiches Carrot Eggs in Cream Sauce Cream Cheese (molded in form of rabbits with clove eyes) Easter Omelet Ice-Cream Bunnies Bunny Cakes Marshmallow Bunnies Fruit Mixture in Lemon Shells Chicken Sandwiches Potato Chick Croquettes Creamed Asparagus Custards or Easter Egg Dessert Sunshine Cake Easter Candies Potato Chicks Cold mashed potatoes Cream Butter Egg-white Celery leaves Almonds Beat the masliecl potatoes up until light, adding a little cream and butter. Mold 86 HOSPITALITY quickly into the shape of chicks. Glaze over the outside with the white of eggy and place in the oven a few moments. Halved, blanched almonds may be stuck in for the beaks, cloves for the eyes, and celery leaves for the wings and the tails, and you have yellow chicks which will look nice standing in a nest of cress or parsley. Easter Egg Dessert 1 quart good milk 1 cupful sugar 4 tablespoonfuls corn- 1 cupful water starch ^ teaspoonful salt 2 tablespoonfuls vanilla 1 ounce chocolate 1 egg Red coloring Lemon jelly Whipped cream Heat the milk in a double boiler with the sugar and then stir in the corn-starch dissolved in the water (milk may be used). Stir until smooth and thick, season with salt and vanilla. Divide the mixture into four portions. Leave one portion whites, stir into another the beaten yolk of egg^ in another the chocolate, melted, and in the other a little red fruit color- FOR SPECIAL DAYS 87 ing. Have ready as many egg-shells as you have guests. Rinse out and stand on end in pan of salt or sawdust. Fill with the blanc- mange, and place in a cool place until cold. Easter Dinner Menus Consomme Wafers Salmon I^oaf with Tomato Sauce Roast Chicken or Veal Spiced Pears Celery Escalloped Eggs and Celery Creamed CauUflower Grapefruit Salad Rolls Pineapple-Orange Sherbet Sunshine Cake Salted Almonds Pimiento Canapes Mushroom Soup Crackers Baked Whitefish with Lemon Sauce Mixed Pickles Crown of Lamb Cherry Mint Sauce Mint Glazed Carrots Potato Rissolees Easter Salad Rolls Ginger Ice Cream Orange Cake Nut Macaroons Crackers Cheese Mints 88 HOSPITALITY Grapefruit Salad 3 grapefruits 3 oranges Pineapple lycmon sirup dressing Cut the grapefruits in halves and remove the pulp carefully so as to leave the cups per- fect. Kemove the seeds from the pulp and shred. Peel and shred the oranges, and cut up the pineapple into bits. Mix thoroughly together, and fill into the grapefruit cups. Make a lemon sirup dressing with one cupful sugar, one cupful lemon- juice, adding a little of the rind. Boil to a thick sirup. Pour over the fruit mixture and chill before serving. Pineapple-Orange Sherbet 1 can grated pineapple 2 cupfuls sugar 1 cupful orange juice 2 lemons 1 quart water 1 tablespoonful gelatin 1 teaspoonful lemon 2 egg-whites extract Boil the sugar and water together until a thin sirup, add the gelatin dissolved in a little cold water ; when cold, add the lemon and or- ange juice and the flavoring. Strain through a coarse cheese-cloth. Pour into freezer and FOR SPECIAL DAYS 89 partly freeze ; then stir in the grated pineapple and the beaten egg-whites and finish freezing. Chocolate Custard 1 pint rich milk 4 eggs Yi cupful sugar 1 tablespoonful gelatin 1 teaspoonful vanilla 2 ounces baker's chocolate Pinch of salt Beat up the yolks of the eggs, add the sugar ; then pour over them the scalded milk, stirring constantly. Cook until it thickens; then add the gelatin that has been dissolved in a little cold water. Let this partly cool, then stir in the vanilla and the melted chocolate. Fold in the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs. Beat up until light and foamy. Pour into a mold or molds. When firm and cold turn out and serve with whipped cream. Potato Croquettes 6 medium-sized potatoes 1 tablespoonful butter 3 eggs Salt and pepper Bread-crumbs Spinach Peel, wash and boil the potatoes until tender, adding a half teaspoonful of salt to the water. 90 HOSPITALITY Drain, and pass through a potato ricer. Mix the melted butter and two well-beaten eggs into the potato, season with salt and pepper to taste. Form the potato mixture into egg- shape, then roll in bread-crumbs and fry a deli- cate brown in deep, hot fat. By adding one- fourth cupful of spinach to the potatoes you will have pale green croquettes. EscALLOPED Eggs and Celery 2 heads of celery , 6 eggs 2 tablespoonfuls flour 2 cupfuls milk 2 tablespoonfuls butter Salt and pepper Bread-crumbs Boil the eggs in their shells until hard. Clean and cut the celery into inch lengths and boil in slightly salted water until tender. Make a cream sauce with the butter, flour and milk, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place the chopped eggs, celery and cream sauce in alternate layers in a bake-dish, having the last layer of the sauce. Cover with but- tered bread-crumbs and bake in a moderate oven until brown on top. FOR SPECIAL DAYS 91 Salmon Loaf with Tomato Sauce 1 can salmon 3 tablespoonfuls of butter 3 eggs 1 cupful of bread-crumbs Salt and pepper Tomato sauce Remove the oil, skin and bones from one can of salmon and pick into bits. Cream the bntter and beat the egg well and add to the bread-crumbs; then add the butter and the salmon and season with salt and pepper. Beat all together and steam one hour in a buttered mold, or it can be baked in the oven in a cov- ered pan. Make a tomato sauce with one table- spoonful each of flour, butter, and add one cup- ful tomato juice and season. Place the loaf on hot plate and pour the sauce over it. Mint-glazed Carrots Carrots Sugar Butter Mint leaves Wash and scrape as many medium -sized car- rots as there are persons to be served and cut into thin slices. Boil them in slightly salted water fifteen minutes, then drain well. Place the slices in a saucepan and add to each half- 92 HOSPITALITY dozen carrots used two-thirds cupful eacli of sugar and butter and one tablespoonful of mint-leaves, minced. Cooli until the carrots are well glazed and nice and tender. These are nice served with a border of green peas. Potato Eissoli&es New potatoes Cream sauce Deep fat Salt and pepper Wash the potatoes, peel, and cut into egg- shape, using a sharp knife. Place in cold water for twenty minutes, then remove and drain. Place in the oven and bake until partly- cooked; then fry a delicate brown in deep hot fat. Serve with a cream sauce and garnish with parsley. Sponge-cake Eggs Bake a sponge-cake, using any good sponge- cake batter. When cold, cut in egg-shape and ice with yellow icing; or the sponge-cake bat- ter may be poured into egg-shells from which the contents have been removed from one end. FOR SPECIAL DAYS 93 Clean thoroughly and oil with a little melted butter. Place in a pan of salt so they will be held upright; then fill about two-thirds full, and bake in a quick oven. Easter Cake Make a good loaf cake by following a loaf- cake recipe given, or any reliable recipe. When baked, cover thickly with white icing. On the top of the cake arrange little nests formed from strips of citron or orange peel. Fill the nests with small candy eggs, or deco- rate the cake with candied violets, or candy chicks, as liked. TABLE DECORATIONS FOR MAY DAY May luncheons are particularly popular since the month of May offers such a wealth of materials and possibilities for table decora- tions. Flowers and ferns supply never-ending resources; they are so suggestive of spring- time loveliness that it is a delight to arrange 94 HOSPITALITY them for table decorations. A deliglitful table can be had by placing in the center of the table a May-pole two or three feet high ; this can be made of a broomstick cut the desired length, with standards nailed on one end for supports. Wind this around with green ribbon, then dec- orate freely with daisies, and heap daisies at the foot or base of the pole until the standards are concealed. Have a ring fastened in the pole at the top, and from this have daisy chains extending to each plate, ending in tiny May-baskets filled with daisies and ferns. Paste a row of daisies flat across the top of the place-cards or thrust a single daisy through a slit in one corner. White, yellow and green should be the colors used in all appointments and courses served with this table scheme. White china with gold bands would be nice or white china decorated with a delicate green. Another pretty idea for a May-pole luncheon is to wind the pole with green ribbon, heap moss and ferns at the base, and have a light basket of ferns and flowers on the top of the FOR SPECIAL DAYS 95 pole. Vines should be trained around tlie pole as if growing. Have a chain of smilax reach- ing to each plate or to each corner of the table. These can end in little May-poles entwined with ribbon and smilax, with a tiny May-bas- ket on top of each filled with flowers. It would be nice to have strands of different kinds of flowers, ending in a basket of the same kind as the chain ; as for one a strand of violets ending in a basket of violets, one pan- sies, one valley lilies and so on. Artificial flowers can be used in making the strands but real flowers should be used in the baskets. The favors may be little flower-shaped book- lets, containing quotations on each guest's particular flower ; for instance, the daisy book- let contains daisy quotations, the pansy book pansy quotations, and so on. Decorations for a May-basket Luncheon The table will present a charming picture if decorated in the following manner : Procure a number of small cheap baskets — they may be 96 HOSPITALITY procured from a five-and-ten-cent store. En- amel them in white, and the delicate shades of pink, blue, green, lavender, and yellow, also gild and silver a few of them. The baskets should be filled with small spring blossoms, the different flowers harmonizing with the bas- kets in which they are arranged. For instance, the white blossoms should be in the blue bas- kets, or in the pinlv or lavender baskets ; while the blue blossoms will prove very effective arranged in the cream, yellow or gilt baskets, or the silvered ones. The pink and red blossoms will look well in the pale green, gray, white and silvered bas- kets. These baskets should be placed at the plates. Over the center of the table suspend a large hoop, which should be first covered with green cloth, then with vines and ferns, with a blossom worked in at intervals. Sus- pend this hoop from the ceiling or lights by means of four vine-covered ropes. All around the hoop hang tiny May-baskets filled with small spring blossoms. From this hoop may be stretched streamers of ribbon or flowers to FOB SPECIAL DAYS 9? the baskets at the plates. Tie to the handles of the baskets. Menus for May Day Luncheons Yellow, White and Green Menu Marguerites Marguerite Salad Asparagus with Yellow Sauce Olives Cream Cheese-Parsley Balls Ice-Cream with Green Mint Cherries Yellow and White Bonbons I^emon Cake Pink and White Menu Cream of Shrimp Soup Pimiento Sandwiches Sweetbreads in Pink Cream Sauce Pink Beet Salad Pink and White Radishes Pink and White Ice-Cream May-pole Cakes Marguerites 1 dozen round wafers ^ cupful powdered sugar 1 tablespoonful cream 1 teaspoonful vanilla }i cupful chopped nut- 1 egg-white meats 1 tablespoonful orange-peel Blanched almonds Beat the egg-white stiff, and stir in the pow- dered sugar, cream, candied orange-peel chopped very fine, and the finely chopped nut- 98 HOSPITALITY meats. Spread over the wafers. Decorate tlie top with marguerites formed of halves of lightly blanched almonds to represent the petals, with a bit of candied orange-peel for the centers. Marguerite Salad Tomato jelly Hard-boiled eggs Mayonnaise dressing Salt and pepper Make some tomato jelly, and mold in shal- low molds. Chill, and when cold, turn out on lettuce leaves arranged on individual plates. Cut the hard-boiled eggs in halves, then in lengthwise strips, and arrange the whites on the jelly for petals of the flower. Work into the egg-yolks the seasoning and a little mayon- naise. Place this in the center of the flower. Cream Cheese Parsley Balls To make these, take some good cream cheese, and mix into it a tablespoonful of cream and one tablespoonful of finely chopped parsley. Form into balls, and serve in nest of parsley. FOE SPECIAL DAYS 99 PiMiENTo Sandwiches 1 small can pimientoes 1 dozen olives 1 cupful cream cheese Mayonnaise dressing Salt and pepper Bread and butter Chop the pimientoes and work into the cheese, also the olives chopped fine. Season with salt, pepper and mayonnaise or boiled dressing. Use as a filling between thin slices of buttered bread. Sweetbreads with Pink Sauce 1 pair sweetbreads Cream sauce Red vegetable coloring Toast or pastry shells Cut the sweetbreads into small pieces after they have been parboiled and cooled. Make a cream sauce with one tablespoonful each of flour and butter, and one cupful scalded milk ; stir until smooth, and season with salt and paprika, and color with a little red vegetable coloring to a nice pink. Place the sweetbread in this, and heat thoroughly. Serve on rounds of delicately toasted bread or in pastry shells. 100 HOSPITALITY TABLE DECORATIOl^S FOR HALLOWE'EN The table decoration for a nut lunclieon should be carried out, partly at least, with nuts. A simple, effective centerpiece is made by filling a basket with mixed nuts, and placing it on a mat of red autumn leaves. Twine the handles and edge of the basket with native vines, such as the bittersweet bearing bright berries. A nut cake would also make an unusual centerpiece. Follow any good hickory nut recipe, ice in white and decorate with halves of English walnut shells. Set the cake on a mat of bright sumach, or other bright autumn leaves, or wreathe it with chrysanthemums. To deco- rate the walnut shells remove the inside, wash the shells, and when dry outline brownie faces on them. Place them around the sides of the cake in a row and above their brownie heads make melted chocolate caps. Paint the choco- late on with a brush or with the fingers. This will not spoil the cake, as the shells will slip off easily when you wish to cut it. FOE SPECIAL DAYS 101 For place-cards put fortune verses in tlie halves of English walnut shells, outlining brownie faces on the outside. Glue these shells to the top of correspondence cards. Cut out brownie bodies from brown paper and paste below, or a body may be outlined on the card. A half-cone of brown paper can be pasted on top of the brownie head for a cap. Below this nut brownie letter these words, " I've an idea in my head for you." The name of the guest should be lettered on the top or the bottom of the card. Have at each plate a small fancy basket or box in dull red filled with nut and chocolate candies. If you wish something more elaborate you can string cranberries and peanuts alternately and entwine around the principal dishes, or bring them down from the chandelier to each plate and fasten to the handles of the little baskets holding the bon- bons. Apple Luncheon If apple dishes have a prominent place on the menu apples should also form the center- 102 HOSPITALITY piece. Polish red apples until tkey shine and heap up in a fancy dish or basket with them. If you like you may arrange a row of green or purple grapes around the edge. For a comic decoration paste on the side of each apple, eyes, nose and mouth cut out of white, gold or any light-colored paper, if the apples are red. If the apples are green or white then use black or some dark colored pa- per ; or if preferred, little Jack-o'-lantern faces can be bought and one pasted on the four sides of each apple. Apple cases in which salads, frappe and sherbets are served can also be decorated in this manner. Menus for Hallowe'en Luncheons Nut Menu Cream of Chestnut Soup Oyster Patties Nut Sandwiches Apple-nut Salad Grape Sherbet Nut Cake Nut Bonbons Candied Chestnuts Salted Almonds FOR SPECIAL DAYS 103 Apple Menu Creani of Carrot Soup Brown and White Bread and Butter Sandwiches Stuffed Baked Apples Creamed Chicken Waldorf Salad Apple Frappe in Apple Cases Apple Sauce Cake Cream of Chestnut Soup 1 quart chestnuts 3 cupfuls water 1 pint white stock 1 pint thin cream sauce 1 tablespoonful butter 1 tablespoonful flour 1 teaspoonful parsley 1 teaspoonful salt ]4 teaspoonful pepper ]4 teaspoonful sugar Select nice large chestnuts and boil in water that has been slightly salted for about thirty minutes; then remove the brown skins and place in the three cupfuls of water and boil for at least another half hour. Make a thin cream sauce with the flour, butter and one cupful of milk and one cupful of cream. Season. Pass the chestnuts through a sieve, add to this the stock and the cream sauce. Simmer slowly for ten or fifteen minutes and add more seasoning if 104 HOSPITALITY necessary. Serve in bouillon cups with a tea- spoonful of whipped cream on top of each cup. Oyster Patties Puff pastry 1 pint good milk 2 tablespoonfuls butter 2 tablespoonfuls flour 1 pint oysters Salt, pepper 1 tablespoonful lemon- A few drops of onion- juice juice Prepare a good puff pastry and bake in patty-pans or shallow gem pans. Make a thick white sauce with the flour, butter and milk. Instead of using all milk you can use one cup- ful cream and one cupful stock, season to taste. Drain the oysters of all juice before measuring, add to the sauce and boil two or three minutes. Serve in the patty shells. Stuffed Baked Apples Tart apples 1 cupful raisins 1 cupful nut-meats 5^ cupful brown sugar 1 teaspoonful cinnamon ^ teaspoonful salt Chop the nut-meats quite fine, also chop the raisins and mix together, add the brown sugar FOE SPECIAL DAYS 105 and the cinnamon, stirring until thoroughly blended. Cut a slice off the stem end of tart apples, and remove the cores, and part of the apple. Fill the cavities with the raisin and nut mixture, and bake in the oven until tender. Waldorf Salad 2 cupfuls chopped apple 1 cupful nut-meats 1 cupful mayonnaise Apple cups dressing- Peel and core tart apples, and cut up into bits, add the chopped nut-meats and dress with the mayonnaise, then fill into apple cups made by carefully removing all the apple excejDt a bit around the skin, just enough to keep the cups in shape. Sprinkle the inside with lemon juice to keep from getting a dark color. Hallowe'en Supper Menus Menu No. i Oyster Sandwiches Tomato Celery Salad Individual Pumpkin Pies Stuffed Pears Sponge Cakes Boiled Chestnuts 106 Mixed Sandwiches Quince Loaf HOSPITALITY Menu No. 2 Scalloped Potatoes Pickles Coffee Menu No. 3 Chicken Salad Nut Cakes Shaved Ham Nut Sandwiches Molded Vegetable Salad Peanut Ice-Cream Fortune Wheels Popcorn Fudge Menu No. 4 Brownie Sandwiches Goblin Salad Fairies' Delight Night-owl Cakes Jack-o'-lanterns Hallowe'en Favorite Ill COMPANY LUNCHEONS IN VARI- ETY FOR ALL SEASONS CHAPTEE III COMPANY LUNCHEONS IN VARIETY FOR ALL SEASONS There is no more deliglitful way in which to entertain one's friends than by giving a luncheon or series of luncheons. These may be formal or informal affairs. The decorations and menu for an informal luncheon may be very simple, and need not require much work, and is an inexpensive way to entertain. If the luncheon is to be a formal one the decorations of the table and the menu may be as elaborate as one may wish to have them. Whether informal or formal, luncheons may be made most delightful affairs. Charming and effective color schemes may be carried out both in the table decorations and in the menu. The spring and summertime of the year is an ideal time to give a luncheon or series of 109 110 HOSPITALITY luncheons, since flowers always give a dainty yet festive appearance to the table, and one may carry out many pretty schemes with them with little expense. We give in this book a number of color schemes that are easily car- ried out. Yellow and White Grapefruit Cup Topped with White Grapes Daisy Canapes Potato Croquettes with Cream Sauce Lily Salad Orange Rollovers Spring Delight Sunshine and Angel Cakes Yellow and White Bonbons Daffodils, narcissi, jonquils, tulips and prim- roses all lend themselves nicely to decorations for a yellow and white table in the spring- time of the year. A pretty white bowl filled with yellow narcissi or tulips makes a pretty centerpiece as also do daffodils. A pretty ef- fect is also obtained by using a pretty white basket and filling it with yellow blossoms, or a yellow basket may be filled with white spring blossoms. If candles are used they may be LUNCHEONS FOR ALL SEASONS 111 white with yellow holders and white shades. Plain gilt-edged cards with the stem of a yel- low blossom passed through a slit in one corner make nice place-cards. The guests' names may be written on in gilt ink. Have at each plate tiny white baskets filled with yellow bon- bons, or yellow baskets filled with white bon- bons. If preferred white boxes decorated with flights of yellow butterflies or with yellow blos- soms may be used. If possible use gilt-edged china or china with a very narrow line of gilt on it. In making the cream sauce for the potato croquettes if not yellow enough add a little yellow vegetable coloring. Grapefruit Cup Grapefruit White grapes 4 tablespoonfuls pineapple juice Cut nice grapefruits in halves crossways, re- move the seeds and with a sharp knife separate the pulp from the skin. Remove, separate carefully into sections and free from the mem- 112 HOSPITALITY brane. Keep the fruit in good-sized pieces. Take an equal quantity of wMte grapes, skin and remove seeds, and add to the grapefruit, then add the pineapple juice. The amount of grape juice given ought to be enough for six grapefruits. Fill this mixture into grapefruit cups and top with white grapes. Daisy Canapes 6 eggs Mayonnaise Bread 1 dozen sardines 1 teaspoonful lemon-juice Salt and cayenne Cut thin slices of bread into daisy shape with a sharp knife or a daisy cutter. If a knife is used outline the daisy on a cardboard pattern. Fry a delicate brown on both sides in hot butter. Cut the hard-boiled eggs into halves, and chop the whites very fine, and run the yolks through a sieve. Remove the bones and skins from the sardines and run into a paste with a little mayonnaise, season with the lemon-juice, salt and a pinch of cayenne. Spread the bread with this, then place the whites of the eggs on the petals, and the yolks LUNCHEONS FOU ALL SEASONS 113 in tlie center. This is an appetizer as well as pretty. Orange Rollovers Rich pie pastry Candied orange peel English walnuts Sugar 1 teaspoonful orange-juice 1 teaspoonful pineapple-juice To a half cupful of candied orange peel add a few chopped walnut meats, about a fourth of a cupful, then add the fruit juices and a lit- tle powdered sugar. Both the orange and nuts should be chopped very fine. Roll out some rich pie pastry and cut into squares. Spread some of the orange and nut mixture over each square, and roll up like a jelly roll. Bake in a moderate oven until a delicate brown. Nice to serve with a salad course. Spring Delight 1 tablespoonful gelatin 6 eggs 2 cupfuls of boiling water 2/3 cupful of sugar 1 teaspoonful vanilla 1 teaspoonful lemon extract extract Yellow coloring 5^ cupful of nut-meats Soak the gelatin in a little cold water ; when dissolved add the boiling water and the sugar. 114 HOSPITALITY Place over the fire and bring to the boil, then fold in the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs. Beat up until it begins to stiffen, then divide into two portions; color one portion yellow with yellow vegetable coloring and flavor with lemon ; leave the other portion white and flavor with vanilla. Pour in alternate layers into a square mold, sprinkling a few chopped nuts between each layer. A little candied orange or lemon peel will also add to it. Set on ice until firm, then turn out of mold, cut into form of bricks. Place on plates and heap around them whipped cream. Pink and White Tomato Bouillon Wafers Creamed Fish with Pink Sauce Pimiento Sandwiches Strawberry Sandwiches Cottage Cheese Salad Strawberry Gelatin Pudding Peach Blossom Cakes Pink and White Bonbons Nothing can make more delightful table decorations for a pink and white color scheme than sweet peas. Just a big bunch of pink and white blossoms arranged loosely in a wide- LUNCHEONS FOR ALL SEASONS 115 mouthed bowl, or a dainty basket filled with the dainty, fragrant blossoms will make a charming centeriiiece. If you wish something more elaborate suspend over the table a wreath of sweet peas, and from this have sweet pea ropes to extend from the wreath to each plate where they may be attached to little baskets filled with sweet peas in water colors, or a blossom or two passed through a slit in one corner. If one does not care to use flowers alto- gether, a very pretty scheme may be carried out with pink ribbon and paper. A large pink rose Jack Horner pie may be used for the cen- terpiece, with narrow pink and white ribbons leading to each plate, where they can be tied to the handles of little baskets in delicate shades of pink, holding white bonbons. Cottage Cheese Salad Cottage cheese Pimientoes Celery White boiled dressing Pass the pimientoes through a food chopper, and mix into the cottage cheese until it is a 116 HOSPITALITY pale pink in color, add a little good boiled dressing and chopped celery. Place on white lettuce leaves. Strawberry Gelatin Pudding 1 cupful mashed straw- 1 cupful sugar berries 1 cupful cream 1 lemon % cupful water 1 tablespoonful gelatin Soak the gelatin in the cold water. Place in a double boiler one cupful water, the sugar and the juice, and bring to boil, then stir in the gelatin, strain and add to the strawberry pulp. Chill and when it begins to stiffen up fold in the whipped cream. Pour into mold and turn out, and surround with whipped cream. Strawberry Sandwiches These are made by spreading thin slices of buttered bread with strawberry preserves mixed with a few chopped almond meats, al- though these may be omitted if liked. LUNCHEONS FOR ALL SEASONS 117 Red and Green lyCttuce and Pimiento Sandwiches Creamed Beets Lobster in Pate vShells Tomato Salad Currant Wafers Olives Radishes Strawberries Cake Confectionery For a red and green color scheme red tulips, red roses, geraniums or any red flowers will be appropriate. The flowers will look pretty- arranged in a deep bowl or basket. Use the tulips in colors ranging from the bright scarlet to the very dark red. Use pale green candles in red holders. Serve the strawberries in dark green baskets or pails. Touch the edges of the place-cards with red or green, and if liked, the names may be written on them with red ink. Tomato Salad Medium-sized tomatoes Lettuce Green peppers Cucumbers Celery Green mayonnaise Choose nice ripe, but firm tomatoes. Dip quickly into boiling water and remove the 118 HOSPITALITY skins. Scoop out the insides and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Chop together an equal quantity of cucumbers, celery and green pep- pers from which the seeds have been removed. Mix into this enough green mayonnaise to make of the right consistency and fill in the cavities in the tomatoes. Chill and serve on lettuce leaves on individual plates. White Menu to be Used with a Blue and White Scheme Clam Bouillon in Blue Cups Small Biscuits Pineapple Preserves White Chicken Salad Creamed Potatoes in Blue Ramekins White Ice-Cream Angel Food Cake Sea Foam Candy in Blue Boxes Since the tulip comes from Holland it is a good idea to use a vase or bowl of white tulips and introduce a " Dutch '' scheme with them. Use blue and white china and have at each plate a little blue and white windmill. Serve the ices in tulip cases and use white bonbon LUNCHEONS FOE ALL SEASONS 119 boxes decorated witli tiny Dutch, figures in blue. The name cards may be decorated with little Dutch scenes, or Holland post-cards may be used with the guests' names written on them. The centerpiece may be a little wooden shoe filled with tulips instead of the blue bowl or vase, if preferred. If candles are used, have both candles and shades in white, but have the shades decorated with little, quaint Dutch figures or blue windmills cut out of dark blue paper. A Japanese Luncheon Menu Iced Cantaloup Jambalaya of Fowls and Rice Sardine Sandwiches Okonomara Salad O'cha Ice-Cream Sembei Crystallized Fruits Tea One can obtain so many pretty and artistic things with which to decorate a table for a Japanese luncheon that one scarcely knows 120 HOSPITALITY wMcli to choose. If you wisli to use flowers on the table, use cherry blossoms, wisteria, chrysanthemums, irises, Japanese lilies, or any of the favorite blossoms of Japan. From the chandelier may be suspended Japanese fern balls. For this luncheon use Japanese ware if pos- sible, with its quaint, queer designs of flowers, dragons and figures. One can pick up at Japanese stores many unique little vases, cups and such like that would add to the table decorations. The place-cards should be decorated with the quaint Japanese figures, and the favors may be tiny Japanese fans and may serve as place-cards as well as favors if liked. Since cherry blossoms are so closely asso- ciated with the Japanese, being to them what roses are to the Westerner, it is nice to have cherry-blossom decorations in connection with a Japanese luncheon. Select as perfect a shaped branch of cherry blossoms as you can obtain and plant in pretty pot. Place in the center of the table, decorating it with Japa- LUNCHEONS FOR ALL SEASONS 121 nese figures. Under this miniature cherry-tree place a number of Japanese dolls dressed in their native costumes. Have at each plate a tiny Japanese vase holding a spray of blos- soms. Tiny fans decorated with cherry blos- soms may be used for place-cards or favors. The chrysanthemum and things Japanese go very appropriately together in table decora- tions. A very pretty and novel decoration is obtained by placing in the center of the table a pretty and odd-shaped lantern, partly filling it with sand or something to keep it firm, then place in it chrysanthemums in colors that har- monize with the color of the lantern and the other decorations. At each plate have an odd- shaped Japanese vase filled with one or two perfect chrysanthemums, or tiny Japanese parasols may be inverted and filled with blos- soms. On one corner of the place-cards paste little Japanese figures and in the other corner slip through the stem of a chrysanthemum. If candles are used have the candle shades deco- rated with chrysanthemums or Japanese figures. 122 HOSPITALITY O'CHA Ice-Cream 1 quart cream 1 pint Oolong tea % cupful ginger sirup 6 eggs Scald the cream in a double boiler, add to it the tea which should be quite strong, then stir in the ginger sirup and the six eggs, well- beaten ; cook in the double boiler until the cus- tard coats a spoon. Sweeten to taste, and cool ; pour into ice-cream freezer and freeze as you would any other ice-cream. Serve in glasses with bits of preserved ginger on top. Sembei 1 pint rice flour 4 eggs 1 pint milk Ya cupful sugar ^ teaspoonful nutmeg If you cannot obtain the rice flour, run rice through a coffee grinder or meat chopper. Beat the eggs up well, and add the sugar, nutmeg and the milk; add the flour which should make a dough that will roll out quite thin. Cut in fancy shapes and bake a delicate brown. LUNCHEONS FOR ALL SEASONS 123 Jambalaya of Fowl and Rice y2 cupful rice 1 pint cooked chicken 2 tablespoonfuls butter 1 tablespoonful minced y2 cupful English walnut- onion meats Salt and pepper Wash the rice thoroughly and place in a sufficient amount of boiling water to preserve the shape of the kernels when melted. Salt well and drain, pour the melted butter over the rice. Season with pepper and the onion. Mix the chicken and nut-meats broken into bits. Put the rice in a deep dish, then cover with the meat mixture. Cover and place in the oven for about twenty minutes. Okonomara Salad Madarin oranges Litchi nuts Preserved ginger Cucumbers Lemon sirup Remove the skin from the oranges and slice. Remove seeds and membrane. Cook the nut- meats in lemon sirup for ten minutes. If you cannot obtain the litchi nuts use other nut- meats. Cut the cucumbers into cubes, and add 124: HOSPITALITY to the orange and nut-meats, using an equal quantity of each. Add half the quantity of preserved ginger; that is, if you use a cupful each of the other ingredients use only one-half cupful of preserved ginger. A Snowball Luncheon Snowball Hoppy Snowball Croquettes Snowball Biscuit Snowball Salad Snowball Ice-Cream Snowball Cake Popcorn Balls There is nothing more suggestive of coolness than a snowball luncheon. If this luncheon is to be given on the porch decorate it profusely with snowballs made out of frosted crepe pa- per or with cotton batting sprinkled with isin- glass to represent frost or snow. With the snowballs use cool green, which may be found in the ferns and vines. Use paper snowballs for the center of the table unless the luncheon is given in snowball season, then use the real flowers. Green ferns tucked in and out among the blossoms will LUNCHEONS FOB ALL SEASONS 125 add to the cool effect. Have at each plate a popcorn ball rolled in sugar ; these should be placed on a mat of green. The menu carried out in snowballs will add to decorations of the table. Snowball Hoppy 1 pint pineapple- juice 1 cupful lemon- juice 1 pint orange-juice 1 cupful sugar Shaved ice Fresh fruits Place the sugar in a kettle with one-half cup- ful water and boil to a thick sirup ; then add the other juices, and cool. Form snowballs of finely shaved ice, and place one in tall glasses, and then fill two-thirds full of the juice. Add bits of fresh fruit or whole strawberries or cherries. Serve at the beginning of the luncheon as you would a fruit soup. Snowball Croquettes 1 pint mashed potatoes 1 cupful white sauce Powdered sugar Egg-whites Season the mashed potatoes and mix the white sauce into them. Form in shape of 126 HOSPITALITY snowballs, roll in bread-crumbs and egg-whites. Fry in deep fat, and while hot roll in powdered sugar until completely covered. Eice may be used instead of potatoes. Snowball Salad Cottage cheese White mayonnaise Lettuce leaves Salt and white pepper Season the cottage cheese with salt and pep- per and add white mayonnaise or boiled dress- ing. Form into shape of balls. Serve on let- tuce leaves. Use the " ball " scoop which caterers use to form the ice-cream snowballs. The snowball cakes may be cut from white angel food cake, iced in white, and rolled in cocoanut. A Fern Luncheon Chicken Bouillon with Bits of Parsley on Top Creamed Peas Fried Chicken Cucumber Salad Ice-Cream White Cake Green Mints Around the edge of the porch suspend fern LUNCHEOJSrS FOR ALL SEASOJSTS 127 balls and hanging baskets filled with ferns and trailing vines. In one corner of the porch have a fern-covered rockery and spring, which can be made by building up a mound of stones and sticking the crevices full of ferns. In one side of the mound a hole can be left in which is placed a wide-mouthed crock cleverly con- cealed with ferns. This crock is filled with lemonade, kept cool in a bed of ice. By the side of this artificial spring hangs a gourd dipper, from which the guests can help them- selves. In the center of the table have a box made of birch-bark and filled -with maiden-hair ferns; sprays of maiden-hair and asparagus ferns can be scattered here and there over the white cloth and at each end of the table stand a vase or receptacle made of birch-bark filled with ferns. PAPER, PORCH AND LAWIST PARTIES There are great possibilities in the way of paper parties for the summer months since 128 HOSPITALITY such, light, airy effects can be so readily pro- cured with paper decorations, as well as quite artistic table effects, and there is an inex- pensiveness about them that has nothing of cheapness in it. They are quite the thing for those who are compelled to do their entertain- ing in a cottage by lake or sea where china and silver are not very plentiful with the hostess, and also quite convenient for the hostess that keeps no servants, since there are very few dishes to wash up after the affair, as nearly everything can be served in pretty pa- per cases. The invitations to such a party can be sent out in tiny Japanese paper lanterns. Decorate the porch and lawn with paper flags and pen- nants, paper bells and Japanese paper lan- terns, and a profusion of paper flowers can be used. A pretty bower can be made by cover- ing it with crepe paper and then garlanding it with paper flowers. Butterflies made out of crepe paper and touched up with water colors to make them more brilliant and life-like can be suspended from the ceiling of the porch by LUNCHEONS FOR ALL SEASONS 129 means of strong, black thread and will look quite charming as they flutter in the breeze. Japanese paper screens are also appropriate and add to the charm of the affair. Present each guest as he or she arrives with a paper fan; partners can be matched if liked by quo- tations of a ^^ Summery '^ nature written on these. Floral tables are appropriate for almost any entertainment, and they give an opportunity for a choice of the usually accepted color schemes. If several small tables are used, a different flower or color scheme can be used on each table. Plain white crepe paper will make the nicest table cover or background. A table covered with pure white paper, with a paper decorated with the flowers to be used on the table draped around it will make a pretty effect, or the decorated paper ribbon that one can get in crepe paper now can be crossed in the center of the table. A water-lily scheme is especially appropriate for a summer gath- ering. Decorate the center of the table with a bouquet of water lilies, and serve the ices in 130 HOSPITALITY cases made to represent water lilies, tlie yel- low ice-cream forming their golden hearts. Pink and white lilies can both be used. Koses are charming for flower cases, and cherry sherbet served in American beauty cases will be lovely, or lemon sherbet served in yellow roses. Plain cases wreathed with sweet peas, forget-me-nots, pansies or small rosebuds are especially pleasing. Effective Table Decorations for Autumn Tables The decorations of the autumn tables should suggest largely the overflowing bounty as we find it symbolized in nature at this season of the year, and the color schemes as found in the yellow and golds of the ripening grains, golden-rod, pumpkins and the autumn leaves ; in the purple and white of the grapes ; in the red of the apples and the bright autumn ber- ries, and such like. This is one of the seasons of the year when the hostess can have pretty table effects with very little outlay of money and very little trouble. LUNCHEOJS^S FOE ALL SEASON^S 131 The chrysanthemmii is certainly the queen of fall flowers, with its little buttons, its larger blooms, its great balls of yellow and red, of the mingled colors, of pale straw, of royal pur- ple and its plumes of snow. It certainly de- serves a place of honor on the autumn tables. A great bowl of these flowers, ranging in color from cream through all the rich dull shades of yellow to a reddish copper color will make a fine centerpiece for the autumn tables. The regular chrysanthemum ice cups are very nice indeed, and are easy to make. The entrees, salads and ices may be served in these, using different colors. Candle shades may be made in the form of the '^ ragged ^' variety. Red and Brown Table Scheme Apple Appetizer Brown Bread Sandwiches with Pimiento FilHng Baked Beans Garnished with Beet Pickles Ham Souffle Tomato Salad Date Fluff Chocolate Nut Cake Red Peppermints in Brown Receptacles Brown and red makes a charming color for 132 HOSPITALITY an autumn table, and is not so common as the others. Arrange in the center of the table a mat of red maple or sumach leaves, and on this place an odd-shaped rafila basket filled with shining red apples. Have at one end of the table a red bowl or basket edged with bittersweet vines and berries, filled with choco- late candies. At the other end of the table have a similar bowl or basket filled with nuts. String cranberries and peanuts alternately and entwine around principal dishes or bring down from the chandelier to each plate and at- tach to pine cones. Use long pine cones for candlesticks, mounting them on red cardboard maple leaves for standards. Use red candles, and place the candles on mats of brown autumn leaves. Brown or red autumn leaves may be used for place-cards, lettering the names on with black or white ink. If pre- ferred the scheme may be carried out with red chrysanthemums instead of fruit. Place the chrysanthemums in a receptacle made of birch- bark or raffia, or any brown bowl or basket LUNCHEONS FOR ALL SEASONS 133 will be suitable. Have at each plate a little vase made out of a cocoanut shell, filled with a few of the red chrysanthemums, or red pep- permints. Unique candle holders may be made out of chestnut burrs, soaked in water until they become pliable, then insert the candle and press together until it is held firmly in place. Tie together until it is dry. If they refuse to stand level, glue to pasteboard founda- tions. Red candles look pretty in these hold- ers. A brown and red scheme can be developed nicely with nuts. Arrange in the center of table a mat of red maple or sumach leaves, and on this place a pretty basket or bowl filled with mixed nuts. Have at each plate a small fancy basket in dull red filled with chocolate bonbons and nut candies. Little squares or oblong cards of birch-bark decorated with acorns glued on make nice place-cards. Pretty baskets may be made by glueing acorns over a pasteboard foundation. It will not be a bit difficult to plan up a nut menu for this luncheon. Nut sandwiches, nut 134 HOSPITALITY salads, nut croquettes, nut cakes and nut ice- cream may all be used if liked. Apple Appetizer Tart apple jelly Currant jelly Red apples Chopped almonds Take as many nice red apples as there are people to be served, cut a slice off the stem end and scoop out as much of the flesh as pos- sible. Mix together equal quantities of tart apple jelly, currant jelly or lemon jelly, and mix with half the quantity of chopped al- monds. Fill this into the apple shells. Place on a brown maple leaf and serve one to each person as a relish for the meal. Ham Souffle 1 tablespoonful butter 1 tablespoonful flour 1 cupful milk 1 cupful cooked ham 1 tablespoonful chopped ^4 cupful bread-crumbs parsley Salt and pepper 3 eggs Make a cream sauce with the butter, flour LUNCHEOJ^S FOR ALL SEASOIS^S 135 and milk, season with, the salt, pepper and parsley. Add the bread-crimibs and the ham, chopped fine. Add the yolks of two eggs, beaten, then the stiffly whipped whites. Pour into a greased bake-dish and bake in the oven for about twenty minutes. A tablespoonful of soup stock will add to the flavor of the soufle. Date Fluff 1 cupful stoned dates 1 cupful sugar 5 eggs 1 teaspoonful cream of tartar 1 teaspoonful vanilla Chopped nut-meats Stew the dates until tender, then pass through a sieve and add the sugar and cream of tartar (a tablespoonful of lemon-juice can be used instead of the cream of tartar). Stir in the yolks of two eggs, then the stiffly beaten whites, and whip up until light. Place in a ramekin or bake-dish and sprinkle the top over with chopped nuts, and bake in the oven fif- teen or twenty minutes. Serve with whipped cream or a sauce. 136 HOSPITALITY Brown Bread Canapes Boston brown bread Whipped cream Made mustard Grated ham Nut-meats Salt Take as many slices of Boston brown bread as will serve the guests invited. Whip up some rich cream until stiff, and mix with it enough made mustard to make a rich yellow. Spread this thick upon the brown bread and then sprinkle over with the grated ham. Place the half of a walnut meat in the center of each canape. Chestnut Croquettes 2 cupfuls boiled chestnut- 3 tablespoonfuls grated pulp cream cheese Pimientoes 2 eggs Thick cream sauce Salt After passing the boiled chestnuts through a sieve, add the cheese, the beaten yolks of the eggs and enough cream sauce to mold nicely. Season with salt. When molding place a bit LUNCHEONS FOE ALL SEASONS 137 of pimiento in tlie center of each, croquette. Roll in egg and then in bread-crmnbs and fry in deep fat a delicate brown. Serve with or without sauce. Yellow and Green Table Scheme Cream Consomme Creamed Peas in Carrot Cups Egg and Lettuce Sandwiches Creamed Chicken in Green Pepper Cases Yellow Tomato Preserves Sweet Pickled Carrots Olives Pumpkin Custard Lemon Pie Cake Decorated with Candy Carrots Yellow Bonbons It is wonderful the color schemes that may be carried out with vegetables. A pretty yel- low and green scheme may be carried out with pumpkins, carrots and little yellow tomatoes, with plenty of cress or parsley to give the necessary touch of green. Place a large pump- kin in the center of the table and around this arrange a mound of parsley or cress. Almost 138 HOSPITALITY concealed by the parsley or cress liave a vow of the small yellow tomatoes or carrots. At each plate have a small pumpkin vase filled with sprays of fern or parsley. The place- cards may be pale yellow with a spray of parsley inserted through a slit in one corner. Serve the yellow bonbons in little green bas- kets or boxes. Orange or grapefruit baskets lined with waxed paper make nice holders for the bonbons or for the ice. Grape Luncheon Grape Menu Sardine Sandwiches Stuffed Eggplant Spiced Fruits Grape Salad Biscuits with Grape Jelly Grape Sherbet Grape Jelly Roll Glace Grapes Very pretty purple and white table schemes can be carried out with purple and white grapes. Place in the center of the table a circu- lar mirror and conceal the edges with bunches LUNCHEONS FOE ALL SEASONS 139 of purple grapes or pur]3le and white grapes alternately, with grape leaves interspersed among them. Suspend a cluster of as perfect clusters of purple and white grapes as you can obtain from the chandelier, using purple and lavender ribbon for that purpose. This cluster should be right over the mirror and its reflec- tion in it should give a pretty effect. Have at each plate a bunch of crystallized grapes with a tiny bow of purple ribbon tied to the stems. It would be nice to have the purple and white grapes to alternate around the table. Have the place-cards to represent grape leaves. Use white and purple grapes in making the salad. A low green and white basket placed on a mat of autumn leaves or ferns and filled with red, purple and white makes a simple but de- lightful centerpiece. When this kind of a cen- terpiece is used a bunch of grapes can be placed on a large maple leaf at each plate or small green and white baskets may be filled with crystallized grapes. These should be placed on mats to correspond with the center- piece. 140 HOSPITALITY Maple Leaf Luncheon Orange Cups Browned Chops Rice Croquettes Baked Bean Salad Stuffed Tomatoes Rolls Chocolate Ice-Cream in Shape of Maple Leaves Sponge Cake Leaves Maple Bonbons Salted Almonds A charming effect may be produced with maple leaves in the following manner : select a branch from a maple tree that is as tree-like as possible and insert in a standard of wood or in a pot of sand ; cover this with green crepe paper and then with vines so that the standard or pot will be entirely concealed. Place this miniature tree in the center of the table and scatter brilliant maple leaves here and there over the cloth. Have under the tree two or three tiny gilded wheelbarrows filled with gay maple leaves; have little gilded forks leaning against these. At each corner of the table have toy wheelbarrows filled with fruits. The place-cards should be in form of maple leaves, colored in warm browns and brilliant scarlets. The candle shades should be deco- LUKCHEONS FOR ALL SEASONS 141 rated with maple leaves. Pretty little " bushel '' baskets may be filled with nuts and bonbons and placed at each plate. The place- cards may be decorated with majjle leaves, or be in form of maple leaves as desired. Popcorn Luncheon Menu Cream Bouillon with Popcorn Popcorn Canapes Popcorn Marguerites Salad with Buttered Popcorn Popcorn Ice-Cream Balls Popcorn Cake Popcorn Dainty A delightful and unique luncheon may be carried out entirely with popcorn both in deco- rations and menu. The popcorn intended for the decorations should be popped several days ahead of time and kept in a damp place so that the grains will be tough enough to string nicely without breaking. These strings of popcorn should be touched up with gilt and colored paints, and then festooned about the dining- room and also about the chandelier. From the chandelier bring a string down to each plate to. 142 HOSPITALITY the ends of which can be attached popcorn balls that contain the favors. Some of the popcorn can be strung alternately with red berries, and used with the other with good effect. The centerpiece for the table may be a mound of popcorn balls arranged on a mat of red maple leaves — ferns could be used instead, or a wreath of bittersweet vine and berries could be used with good effect around the base of the mound. Some of the popcorn balls can be rolled in rock candy while still sticky, and will then resemble balls of ice, others can be rolled in cocoanut, and a few in colored sugar to give a touch of red. At each plate have a little popcorn basket filled with red and white crystallized popcorn; these little baskets can be formed out of nougat, molded while still warm, and the white popcorn stuck on the outside before the nougat has hardened. Wire should be used for the handles, around which twine narrow red ribbon. Finish with a tiny bow at the top. These popcorn baskets will give quite a decorative effect to the table. The LUNCHEONS FOE ALL SEASONS 143 favors may be concealed inside of popcorn balls at each place. The favors should be first wrapped in paraffine paper, and the sugared popcorn pressed around them until the ball is formed ; these balls should then be rolled in red sugar while still sticky. Letter the names on the place-cards with the grains of red, un- popped corn glued on — the smallest grains ob- tainable being used for the purpose. The edges of the cards may be touched up with gilt paint. The cream bouillon should be served with perfect grains of freshly popped corn floating on the top. Freshly buttered popcorn should be served with the salad, which can be made of nuts. The ice-cream can be served in shape of balls and covered with freshly popped corn giving them an excellent resemblance to pop- corn balls. A little red sugar can be sprinkled over these balls to make them look like the others. Cake with a popcorn icing may be served, or popcorn and nuts mixed. Recipes are given for the other dishes mentioned in menu. 144 HOSPITALITY Popcorn Canapes 1 cupful good milk 1 teaspoonful salt 3 boned sardines 1 tablespoonful flour 1 tablespoonful tomato 1 tablespoonful butter catsup A pinch of red pepper Yz teaspoonful Worcester- 1 tablespoonful cheese shire sauce Fresh popcorn Make a cream sauce with the butter, flour and milk. Stir until smooth and thick, then season; to this add the boned sardines, and enough freshly popped corn to make a good paste to spread. Cut hot buttered toast into squares and circles and spread with this paste. Popcorn Marguerites 1 cupful of sugar 3/2 cupful water ^ teaspoonful cream of 1 ^z% tartar 1 teaspoonful vanilla 1 cupful popcorn Pinch of salt Yz cupful nut-meats Boil the sugar, water and cream of tartar to the firm ball stage. Pour over the beaten white of the ^gg\ then when it begins to stiffen up, add the popcorn and nut-meats which should be passed through a food-chopper, and the LUNCHEONS FOE ALL SEASONS 146 vanilla. Spread on saltines or any wafers or crackers. Popcorn Dainty 2 cupfuls maple sugar 1 cupful cream % teaspoonful cream of 2 cupfuls popcorn tartar Cook all but the popcorn to the hard ball stage. Remove from fire and beat up until it begins to turn creamy, then stir in the large crisp kernels of popcorn. Turn into a square or oblong pan, well-buttered; then press until flat on top, but not hard enough to crush the kernels. Cut into bars with sharp knife. Table Decorations for Corn Luncheons In giving a corn luncheon both the husks and corn itself can be used very effectively in decorations. The creamy inside husks can be woven in such a way as to make pretty mats, baskets, cases for salads and ices and lamp or candle shades. In making the baskets paste- board foundations should be used or what would be better still use light baskets for the foundation and you will have a true basket 146 HOSPITALITY shape. Cheap baskets can be used for the foundation. A woven husk basket filled with golden-rod or yellow chrysanthemums, wreathed around the edge and handle with smilax or any delicate vine, will make a fine centerpiece for the table. Tiny baskets made of the braided corn-husks should serve as re- ceptacles for the bonbons. At each cover can be a doily or mat of woven corn-husks; these can be decorated with water colors if desired — a bit of waving corn would be nice or a spray of golden-rod. Little cases for the salads and ices can be made by sewing the braided strands of corn-husks on plain paper cases which can be easily procured from any shop that makes a specialty of such things or can be easily made at home with a little cardboard. These can be decorated to suit the fancy; the edges are pretty touched up with irregular bands of orange, green or gold. The candle or lamp shades should be decorated to match or at least harmonize with the decorations on the doilies and cases. The name cards can be cut from the corn-husks with the names lettered LUISTCHEONS FOR ALL SEASONS 147 on in gold and green. Little booklets with corn-husk covers, tied with green ribbon, will make delightful favors. This booklet should contain as many blank pages as there are guests and should have a small pencil at- tached so that it can be passed around for the favorite corn recipe of each guest, the hostess having hers already written on the first page and signed with her name. Another very pleasing and novel red and yel- low color effect can be carried out with corn for a luncheon. Soak red corn for a week, or until soft enough to string on wire. The wire should be very fine. Form these strings of corn into a basket shape ; a foundation can be used to shape over if desired. Fill this basket with yellow apples, pears, bananas and or- anges, or the basket can be made of yellow corn and red fruits used or with red chrysan- themums. A string of red corn can be en- twined in and out among the central dishes; ears of red and yellow popcorn should be sus- pended from the chandelier over the table. Unique place-cards may be made by mounting us HOSPITALITY red popcorn on yellow cards to form tlie name, using mucilage to fasten the names on the cards. Menus for Corn Luncheons Menu No. i Cream of Corn Soup Corn Oysters Sliced Corned Beef Corn in Tomato Cups Corn Puffs Corn-starch Dainty Dessert Corn-starch Cake CrystalHzed Popcorn Menu No. 2 Corn and Tomato Soup Wafers Corn Fritters Baked Corn with Chicken Corn Salad Cornmeal Muffins Quince Honey Steamed Indian Corn Pudding Little Cakes Fruit Menu No. 3 Corn Popovers Grape Jelly Hominy Croquettes Nut and Celery Salad (in corn-husk cases) Buttered Popcorn Peach Ice-Cream (in corn-husk cases) Corn-starch Layer Cake Bonbons Salted Nuts LUNCHEONS FOR ALL SEASONS 149 Corn Oysters 1 cupful corn 1 teaspoonful salt 2 cupfuls flour 1 cupful milk 2 teaspoonfuls baking- 2 eggs powder ^ teaspoonful pepper Use either canned corn or fresh corn from the ear, add the milk, the well-beaten eggs; then stir in the dry ingredients well mixed to- gether. Drop by spoonfuls into deep fat and fry a golden brown. Drain on brown paper and serve hot. Corn in Tomato Cups 1 cupful of corn 1 cupful bread-crumbs 1 tablespoonful butter ^ teaspoonful salt H teaspoonful pepper 1 teaspoonful grated onion Take as many medium-sized tomatoes as there are people to be served and remove the seeds, after taking a thin slice off the stem-end. Mix the corn and other ingredients well to- gether. Fill into the tomato cups and bake in a moderate oven. 150 HOSPITALITY Corn-starch Dessert 4 tablespoonfuls corn- 1 pint boiling water starch 3 eggs 1 cupful sugar Pinch o£ salt 2 lemons Mix the corn-starch in cold water and when dissolved stir into the boiling water to which has been added the sugar and salt and the grated rind of one lemon and the juice. Boil a few minutes, stirring constantly; then pour over the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs. Mix thoroughly and pour into a mold. Serve with a sauce or whipped cream. If you wish it a cream color add the jolk of one of the eggs. Corn Fritters 2 cupfuls cooked corn 1 cupful milk 1 teaspoonful salt 3 eggs 2 teaspoonfuls baking- 2 cupfuls flour powder To the corn-pulp add the milk, yolks of the eggs, salt, and then stir in the flour in which the baking-powder has been sifted. Mix thoroughly, then fold in the egg-whites. Drop LUNCHEONS FOR ALL SEASONS 151 by spoonfuls into very hot fat and drain. Serve with maple sugar or sirup. Baked Corn with Chicken 3 tablespoonfuls flour Cheese 3 tablespoonfuls butter 1 cupful corn 1 cupful cooked white of 1^ cupfuls milk chicken Salt and pepper Bread-crumbs Make a sauce with the flour, butter and milk, stir until smooth and thick, season well with salt and pepper. Take two-thirds of this sauce and mix into the corn, add the chicken chopped fine. Put in a buttered bake-dish, cover with the remaining sauce and some grated cheese and cover with buttered bread- crumbs. Bake in the oven until a delicate brown. Corn Salad 2 cupfuls cooked corn Yz cupful of celery 5^2 teaspoonful salt 54 teaspoonful paprika 1 tablespoonful gelatin 1 cupful boiling water Mayonnaise dressing Tomato Dissolve the gelatin in two tablespoonfuls of cold water, stir into the boiling water, add the 152 HOSPITALITY corn and celery when it begins to stiffen up. Pour into individual molds. Chill and turn out each mold onto a slice of tomato marinated with French dressing. Place on lettuce leaves and heap mayonnaise around each mold. Birthday Flower Luncheons Menu for Pansy Luncheon Grapefruit Cup Chicken Croquettes with Brown Sauce Celery Baked Beans in Brown or Yellow Ramekins Brown Bread Nut Sandwiches Cream Cheese Balls Banana Salad with Peanut Mayonnaise Chocolate Ice-Cream Sunshine Cake Chocolate Bonl)ons Candied Orange and Lemon Peel Cocoa with V\^ipped Cream Nothing can be more appropriate than floral birthday tables and they are nice for both old and young. A very effective color scheme can be carried out in yellow and brown by using yellow pansies. Ice the birthday cake with chocolate icing and wreathe the cake with yel- low pansies — a few blossoms scattered over the LUNCHEONS FOR ALL SEASONS 163 cake will add to the effect. Yellow candles may be used on the cake. Use place-cards in brown, with the edges touched up in gilt, with the names lettered on in gold ink, and they also may be decorated with yellow pansies. Use the pretty glazed brown ware with the edges touched up Avith gilt for the entrees. Have at each plate a little brown bowl or basket filled with candied orange and lemon peel, preserved ginger and chocolate candies. Menu for Red Rambler Rose Luncheon Pimiento Canapes Lrobster in Shells Tomato Pineapple Salad Creamed Corn in Red Pepper Cases Beet Pickles Strawberry Sherbet Pound Cake Candied Cherries A very effective birthday table scheme may be carried out with rambler roses. Have the birthday cake iced in white and placed on a mat of ferns, then wreathe with red roses. Either red or white candles can be used on 154 HOSPITALITY the cake or they can be alternated. At each plate can be a dull red basket filled with can- died cherries. Use white place-cards with a single rose thrust through a slit in the corner. Serve the strawberry sherbet in red rose cases and decorate the birthday cake with candied cherries. If artificial light is used it would be rdce to have red candles with white shades. Trimmings for Birthday Cakes Trimmings add greatly to birthday cakes and many novel effects may be obtained with- out a great deal of trouble. Birthday candles that may be eaten, holders and all, will surprise and please the children. Make the candles of marzipan paste and use round marshmallows for the holders, sticking the candles in little holes in the center. Al- mond-meats may serve as the wicks of the candles. If the candles do not seem firm place a little icing around the hole. Follow any favorite cake recipe, and ice the cake in pink and white and decorate with as many of these LUNCHEONS FOR ALL SEASONS 155 little candles as tlie age of the boy or girl re- quires. These candles may be lighted if liked, for the oil in the almond nuts will usually cause them to burn for a short time, but vv^hether they are lighted or not they make a pretty decoration. Here is an idea for a girFs birthday cake. Bake a round cake and put on a thick icing. Place tiny china dolls, one doll for each guest, all around the edge of the cake, facing out- ward. These little dolls should be dressed in crepe paper costumes and little cones made of paraffine paper slipped in under the sldrts will aid as supports. If the dolls are small and the frosting thick they may not need any support. When a birthday cake is decorated on the top, the birthday candles may encircle the cake in- stead of being placed on top. Birthday flowers may be formed on birthday cakes with small candy mites, or the flat oval candies, which are obtainable in any confec- tionery store, in different colors. Angelica may be used for the leaves. Names and dates may also be lettered on with these candies. 166 HOSPITALITY One can obtain little silver and gold candies that are nice for this purpose. A cake decorated with round flat mints with little clown faces outlined on them in choco- late or fruit coloring will delight the children. Ice the cake before putting on the mints and press them in while it is soft. One may form all sorts of animals out of marshmallows with which to decorate the cake. Place the marshmallows on a pan and let stand in a slow oven until they soften up ; then form into bunnies, bears, rats, mice or chicks. One can use allspice for eyes and the ears and tails may be cut out of candied fruits. Roses may be formed out of marshmallows also, and can be dipped into colored fondants and used on the cake, making the leaves out of angelica, citron or candied mint-leaves. IV CATERING FOR WEDDINGS AND OTHER BRIDAL AFFAIRS CHAPTER IV CATERING FOR WEDDINGS AND OTHER BRIDAL AFFAIRS Decorations for Wedding Tables White and green is always a popular color scheme for bridal tables. This can be carried out nicely with white roses, valley lilies, white sweet peas, white carnations, white irises, as- ters, chrysanthemums, gladioli and other white flowers in their season. Pretty effects may also be obtained with elder blossoms, dog- wood blossoms and white clover. Use with the white blossoms vines and ferns for the neces- sary touch of green. For the gold and white effects can be used daisies, yellow roses, golden poppies, butter- cups, daffodils, yellow tulips, jonquils, chrys- anthemums, asters, golden-rod, marigolds and yellow irises; these can be used with white blossoms, or the white part of the scheme may be obtained with the linen, china and the food. 159 160 HOSPITALITY To obtain the gold and green effect use ferns and vines with the yellow blossoms, and for gold and red effects use in connection with the yellow blossoms red roses, geraniums, carna- tions, poinsettias, tulips, dahlias, gladioli, or any red blossoms in season. Pink and white color schemes are always very popular for wedding affairs. For carry- ing out this scheme can be used pink roses, pink sweet peas, apple, peach and cherry blos- soms, trailing arbutus, gladioli, pink lilies, carnations, azaleas, spirea and pink begonias. Purple and white effects may be produced with violets, lilacs, wisteria, purple irises, hya- cinths, asters, pansies, or any other purple blossoms. There are many effective ways in which the flowers may be arranged. A very pretty effect may be obtained by suspending a fancy basket from the light fixtures over the table. Hang it so it will be only a few inches above the table and have the vines to trail down upon the cloth. Any kind of blossoms desired may be used in the basket. The possibilities of this CATEKING FOR WEDDINGS i6l hanging decoration are numerous and charm- ing; for instance, in the autumn the basket could be filled with autumn flowers and have the vines in their bright autumn colors coming down over the cloth. Little baskets to match the center basket filled with bonbons may be at each plate, with a tiny bouquet or a single blossom tied to the handles. A rustic basket filled with daisies makes a delightful centerpiece, or a daisy-ball can be suspended from the light fixtures over the table, with daisy chains reaching from it to each plate, where there may be small baskets of daisies. One flower, such as an iris, is often effective in a basket or small vase. One of these could be placed at each plate and two or three in the center of the table or one each at the ends and one in the center. One can pro- cure odd-shaped and unique baskets that cer- tain flowers will be at their best in. Lilacs will look pretty in a green basket, as will also pink roses. Daffodils, jonquils, pansies, valley lilies, or any short-stemmed flowers look best in shallow baskets or vases and arranged as if 162 HOSPITALITY growing. A pretty effect may be obtained by filling a long narrow basket with some of these short-stemmed blossoms and using as a center- piece — a basket about one foot by two would do very nicely. A shower of valley lilies and pink rosebuds suspended over the table is very effective. Use pale green ribbons to tie the stems to; or a bunch of American beauty roses and valley lilies tied together into a loose bouquet with tulle ribbon and placed at intervals over the table makes a charming effect. Another pretty effect is to use a heart-shaped wreath for the centerpiece made of flowers and vines ; this may either be placed flat on the table or suspended from the light fixtures by tulle, as desired. For pink and white effects, pink roses and white hyacinth with asparagus ferns makes a pretty centerpiece, arranged in a fancy green basket or in a pretty bowl. If a basket with a handle is used tulle ribbon may be tied to the handle; spirea and asparagus ferns make an- other good combination. The trailing arbutus CATEKING FOR WEDDINGS 168 may be used with its own foliage. Pink and white sweet peas are nice combined, and a lit- tle of their own foliage may be used. On the ribbons of the table, on the tulle, baskets of flowers and candies may be tiny figures of cupids, or tiny hearts can be used. A very pretty effect is obtained by making a mat of smilax and ferns in the center of the table and sticking pansies here and there over it, or any small short-stemmed blossoms ; these will have the effect as if growing. If you have plenty of flowers you can arrange a broad plateau of flowers the entire length of the table. The wedding-cake may very appropriately be used as a centerpiece ; in this case it should be a decorated cake. The cake may rest on a wreath of ferns, or be encircled with a wreath of flowers. Candied violets, rose petals, can- died citron, lemon and orange rind and an- gelica are all well adapted for decorating the wedding-cake, also candied cherries and little candies. Icing can also be arranged in fanci- ful designs. 164 HOSPITALITY Menus for the Wedding Breakfasts or Luncheons Green and White Pineapple Relish Spinach Bouillon Wafers White Radishes Olives Lamb Chops Garnished with Parsley Rolls Peas in White Sauce Potato Souffle Pistachio Nut Salad Lemon-Ice Cakes Iced in White and Green Green and White Mints Cream of Pea Soup Cucumbers Olives Chicken Cutlets with Asparagus Sauce Rice Balls Lettuce Sandwiches Cabbage and Nut Salad Mint Sherbet Angel Food Cake Salted Pistachio Nuts Gold and White Grapefruit Cup Topped with White Grapes Whitcfish Cutlets with Olive Sauce Hot Rolls Chicken Breast in Yellow Aspic Potato Cheese Balls Banana and Pineapple or Peach Salad Wafers Ice-Cream Bride's Cake Yellow and White Bonbons CATEKI:N^G foe weddings 165 Gold and Green Orange Mint Relish Olives Celery Hearts Cream of Clam Soup with Whipped Cream Lamb Chops or Veal Cutlets Minced Buttered Carrots Sweet Potato Croquettes Egg and Lettuce Salad Pistachio Cream Orange Cakes Mint Macaroons Red and Gold Grapefruit with Halved Strawberries or Maraschino Cherries Cream Consomme Bread Sticks Red and Yellow Radishes Roast Lamb with Cherry Sauce Pimiento Sandwiches Creamed Beets Scalloped Potatoes Tomato Salad Strawberry Ice-Cream Sunshine Cake Red and White Red Raspberries Baked Whitefish with Tomato Sauce Chicken Croquettes Hot Biscuits Strawberry Preserves Corn in Tomato Cups Creamed Potatoes Bean and Beet Salad Cheese Wafers Cherry and Pineapple Dessert Assorted Cakes 166 HOSPITALITY Fink and White Cherry Appetizer Deviled Lobster in Shells Pimiento Sandwiches Pink and White Radishes Chicken Timbales Potato Balls (with pink sauce) Cottage Cheese Salad Strawberry or Red Raspberry Whip or Mousse Glace Currants (pink and white) Cocoanut Cake Pink and White Bonbons Rose Menu - Rose Bouillon (cream bouillon colored with lobster coral) Rose Sandwiches Lemon Jelly Molds (with rosebud in center) Lobster Cutlets Rose Potatoes Radish Roses Rose Sherbet Wild Rose Cakes Candied Rose Petals Marshmallow Roses Purple and White Grape Juice Cocktail in White Cups Fried Fillets of Fish Cauliflower Pickle Chicken in, Aspic Baked Eggplant Mushrooms in Pastry Shells Jellied Fruit Salad Grape Juice Charlotte Cake Decorated with Candied Violets Purple and White Bonbons Salted Pistachio Nuts CATEEmG FOR WEDDINGS 167 Wedding Reception Menus Menu No. i Chicken in Pastry Shells Assorted Sandwiches Surprise Croquettes Olives Sweet Pickles Pineapple-Ice White Fruit Wedding Cake Salted Almonds Menu No. 2 Chicken Croquettes Rolls Olives Spiced Fruit I^obster Salad Cream Puffs Angel Food Cake Bonbons Menu No. j Hot Crisp Rolls Fish in Ramekins Sweetbreads in Cucumber Jelly Cups Olives Radishes Strawberry or Raspberry Ice-Cream Lady Baltimore Cake Bonbons Salted Nuts Meyiu No. 4 Sliced Turkey Loaf Assorted Sandwiches Salmon in Aspic Pickled Beets Cucumbers Nut and Cheese Salad Orange Sticks Assorted Cakes Marshmallow Parfait Bonbons 168 HOSPITALITY Chicken Breast in Yellow Aspic 1 pint stock 1 teaspoonful onion-juice 1 bay leaf 2 or 3 cloves Yz teaspoonful Worcester- Salt and pepper shire 3 egg-yolks Yi. cupful mayonnaise ^ cupful chopped celery 5^ ounce gelatin Place the stock in a double boiler with the bay leaf, cloves, and let simmer a little while, then remove and stir in the onion- juice, salt and pepper and the gelatin which should have soaked in one-half cupful of water for an hour or so. Add the mayonnaise, the yolks of the hard-boiled eggs rubbed into a paste, and the chopped celery. Place bits of the white chicken breast in a mold and pour the aspic around it. Chill and turn out onto a pretty plate when ready to serve. Potato Cheese Balls 1 cupful mashed potatoes 1 cupful grated cream cheese 5^ teaspoonful mustard Dash of cayenne 3 eggs Cracker crumbs Mix the grated cheese into the mashed po- tatoes and season, adding salt to taste, and the other seasoning as given. Mold into balls CATEEING FOR WEDDINGS 169 about the size of walnuts after the stMy- beaten whites of the eggs have been folded in. Roll in cracker crumbs rolled very fine and fry in deep fat a golden brown. Orange-Mint Relish Yz dozen oranges 1 pineapple Yi cupful powdered sugar 2 tablespoonfuls mint 1 tablespoonful lemon- 1 tablespoonful pineapple- juice juice Crystallized mint Remove the skin and the bitter part from the oranges and cut up into bits. Peel the pineapple, slice and cut into cubes. Mix the two fruits together, then sprinkle with the sugar and add the mint chopped very fine and the fruit-juices. Let stand on ice for an hour or so before serving. Serve in sherbet glasses or lemonade glasses. Garnish with mint. Cherry Sauce 1 pint cherries 1 pint water Cloves and allspice Mint 1 lemon 2 tablespoonfuls butter Pinch of salt 2 tablespoonfuls flour Place the cherries and water together and 170 HOSPITALITY cook until tender; then pass througli a sieve. Blend the butter and flour together, add the salt and stir in the cherry puree. The spices should be simmered with the cherries, while the mint should not be added until the last thing. Cook until smooth and thick, stirring constantly. Serve with the lamb. Strawberry Whip or Mousse 1 pint strawberry-pulp 1 quart cream Sugar Take some nice ripe strawberries and masli into a pulp. Beat the cream up very stiff. Sweeten the pulp, then fold in the cream and pour into a mold and pack in ice and salt for several hours. Turn out when ready to serve, slice and garnish each slice with whole berries. KosB Potatoes Round potatoes Hot fat Peel the potatoes, and peel round and round as though peeling to the core. To do this use a very thin and narrow-bladed knife to keep from breaking the continuous peel. Place in CATEEING FOR WEDDINGS 171 ice-cold water, slightly salted, and let stand an hour, drain and fry in boiling hot fat as you would Saratoga chips. Form into roses, and serve on lettuce leaves. Rose Sherbet I cupful orange-juice 1 quart strawberry-juice 1 cupful pineapple-juice 1 pint water 2 cupfuls sugar 1 tablespoonful gelatin 3 eggs Strawberry extract or rose Mix the juice and sugar together and dis- solve the gelatin in a little cold water and stir into the pint of water heated to the boiling point; add this to the fruit-juices, and add the extract. Pour into a freezer and freeze until mushy, then stir in the stiffly beaten white of eggs. If not a rose color add enough red fruit coloring to make a rose shade. Grape- Juice Cocktail 1 pint grape-juice 1 cupful orange-pulp 1 cupful pineapple Sugar Mix the fruits together and sprinkle with sugar; then arrange in glasses and pour the grape-juice over them. The pineapple and 172 HOSPITALITY oranges should be cut up into rather large pieces. Grape-Juice Charlotte Grape-juice sherbet Sponge cup cakes Freeze some grape- juice as you would for other sherbets, adding a little pineapple or lemon- juice, if liked. Hollow the sponge cup- cakes out and fill with the grape sherbet. Gar- nish with nuts or candied violets. Surprise Croquettes Follow any recipe for rice croquettes, but when molding into balls or cones, tuck a bit of preserved fruit in the center of each, or a bit of nut. Roll in cracker or bread-crumbs and beaten egg and fry in deep fat like other croquettes. Salmon in Aspic 1 pint clear stock 1 can pink salmon 1 tablespoonful lemon- ^^ ounce gelatin juice Salt and paprika Bay leaf and a clove or two Make an aspic with the stock and gelatin. Simmer the spices in the stock several minutes CATEKmG FOR WEDDINGS 173 and then remove. Dissolve the gelatin in a lit- tle cold water and stir into the hot stock. Season. When the stock begins to jelly pour one-half into the mold, then add the salmon, and pour over the remainder of the stock. Chill and turn out when ready to serve. The pink fish showing through the clear aspic makes a very pretty dish. Marshmallow Parfait 1 quart water 2 cupfuls sugar 2 cupfuls orange-juice % cupful lemon-juice 1 dozen marshmallows Pinch of salt Orange extract Place the sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to the boiling point. Place the marsh- mallows on top of this and cover and let stand until soft; then beat up, add the fruit-juices and extract. Cool and freeze. Serve in tall glasses. Potato Souffle H dozen large potatoes 1 tablespoonful butter ]/2 cupful cream 3 eggs Salt and pepper Cook or bake the potatoes until tender, then 174 HOSPITALITY masli up or pass through a potato ricer; add the butter, milk and seasoning and beat up; then fold in the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs. Pour into bake-dish and bake until puffed up and a nice broAvn. Serve hot in the dish in which it has been baked. Olive Sauce for Fish 2 tablespoonfuls butter 3 tablespoonfuls flour 1 slice onion 1 cupful water Yi cupful soup stock Yi cupful chopped olives Salt and pepper 1 tablespoonful lemon-juice Place the butter in a double boiler and add the onion, chopped very fine and brown; then stir in the flour and when well-blended stir in the water and stock heated to the boiling point. Stir until smooth ; then add the chopped olives, the lemon- juice and the salt and pepper and a little paprika. A tablespoonful of chopped pimiento will add to this sauce for many. Wedding Cakes The trimming of a wedding-cake adds much to its appearance. In making the cake you can CATEEING FOR WEDDINGS 1Y5 follow any of the recipes given and then deco- rate. A very pretty decoration for a wedding- cake is to cut hearts out of slices of angel food cake, dip these in pink or red fondant. In the center of these angel food hearts place hearts cut out of candied cherries, if the hearts have been dipped in pink fondant. Ice the cake in white, and while the icing is still soft arrange these little hearts all around the sides of the cake and on top, or one larger than the rest may be used on the top. Wild roses may be cut out of these thin slices of angel food cake, dipped in rose- colored fondant. Place a drop of chocolate or yellow fondant in the center of each. Arrange these on top of the cake; the leaves may be made in the same manner, dipped in leaf -green fondant flavored with pistachio and veined with yellow fondant or chocolate. Arrange these using angelica for stems. Fondant may be piped onto cakes to form almost any design or flower wished. Little heart-shaped candies on which are lettered sentimental verses are nice to decorate wed- 1Y6 HOSPITALITY ding and bridal -cakes. Candied rose petals may be cut out and formed into rosebuds and flowers, and a wreatb of these with angelica or citron leaves can be easily arranged on the cake, with a little painstaking care. One can obtain all sorts of candy mites and flat mints with which a wedding-cake may be decorated. Table Ideas for Announcement Luncheons The cat-out-of-the-bag idea may be very cleverly carried out in the following manner : From the lights over the table suspend a pretty bag made out of Dresden or flowered ribbon; or if preferred the bag may be made out of crepe paper in some pretty flower design, or some delicate shade. The top of the bag may be kept open by means of an embroidery hoop. This bag should be filled with pretty blossoms that are in season, and from amidst the flowers should peep out a wise-looking pussy- cat, which may be of china, papier-mAch^ or stiff paper. CATERING FOE WEDDINGS 177 At each plate have a little paper bag with a cat's head protruding. At the close of the luncheon, when the guests pull out the cats they find attached to them little heart-shaped cards on which are written the names of the engaged couple. The Secret in the Trunk A unique method of announcing an engage- ment is by means of miniature trunks placed at each plate. The trunk at the bride-to-be's plate should contain a ring and a tiny red heart, while the others may contain tiny cupids bearing a card on which is written the name of the fortunate gentleman. The centerpiece for the table may be a heart- shaped wreath, fastened upright to a paste- board foundation, which should be cleverly concealed with flowers and ferns. The wreath may be made of fine wire, covered with green crepe paper, then with small blossoms. From the center of this wreath should swing a cupid. 178 HOSPITALITY If preferred the centerpiece may be a minia- ture bride and groom all dressed ready for a bridal journey; they may be standing beside a miniature railroad depot, suggesting a wed- ding trip. On the depot platform there might be a number of toy trunks. After the final course, a small trunk, filled with rose petals, is passed and each guest takes a handful and showers the bride-elect. The cake may be baked to represent a trunk, iced with a maple icing, and the straps marked on with chocolate. Use strips of candied orange peel for the handles and letter the name of the bride-elect on the top with tiny candies. Tie tiny hearts to the handles. A Bouquet Announcement Table A unique and charming method of announc- ing an engagement is to conceal the names of the engaged couple in the hearts of tiny bou- quets held by dolls dressed to represent bridesmaids. There should be one of these at CATEEING FOR WEDDINGS 1Y9 each plate. For a centerpiece have a minia- ture bride and groom standing on a heart made of ferns and delicate vines or moss. Decorate the place-cards with little bouquets of flowers, either done in water colors or appliqued on. A novel idea is to serve ice-cream cones in the center of bouquets; these should be placed in vases in which there is no water, of course; or if you prefer you can serve the bonbons in cones made of cardboard or pasteboard and in- serted in the center of bouquets. The names of the engaged couple may be simply written on slips of paper and inserted in the center of the bouquets or else tiny heart- shaped cards can be used for this purpose. Have a little end of ribbon sticking out to give the guests a hint of what the bouquet contains. Cherry and Strawberry Shower Luncheon Rolls Radishes Strawberry Preserves lyobster Patties Strawberry Salad Strawberry Sherbet Cocoanut Cakes Strawberry Bonbons 180 HOSPITALITY" Tomato Bouillon Rolls Cherry Preserves Lamb Chops with Cherry Sauce Cherry Salad Creamed Beets Cherry Gelatin Pudding Cherry Cakes Cherry Bonbons These lunclieons are nice to give to a bride- elect when showering her with strawberry or cherry preserves and jellies. The table for the cherry luncheon may be exquisitely decorated with twigs, with the leaves and clusters of the fruit upon them; there are not only the red cherries, but the yel- low and pink-tinted cherries, and also the ^' black hearts." These may be arranged on the white table-cloth, and a pretty vase hold- ing several twigs may serve as a centerpiece. At each plate have pretty glasses of delicious amber-hued cherry preserves; these are pre- sented to the bride-to-be after the luncheon. The bride-elect may also be given a booklet decorated with cherries done in water colors. Each leaf should contain a recipe for preserv- ing and serving the fruit and signed by the CATERING FOE WEDDINGS 181 contributor. The cherry bonbons may be served in cherry-decorated boxes, and the place-cards should be decorated with cherries. The strawberry idea may be carried out by placing in the center of the table a low fern receptacle filled with strawberry vines with their bright red berries and blossoms. Plants having large clusters of berries and a few blossoms should be chosen for this purpose. At each plate have a little raflia basket filled with large strawberries with the stems left on. Strawberry leaves may be carelessly scattered here and there over the table-cloth. At the bride-elect's plate there should be a dainty lit- tle cook-book, the covers decorated with cupids and hearts. This book should contain recipes for preserving strawberries and also for other ways of serving the fruit, contributed by the guests. Have tiny jars of strawberry preserves at each plate to be eaten with the rolls. The place-cards may be decorated with a few leaves of strawberries done in water colors. The favors may be little strawberry emerys. The 182 HOSPITALITY strawberry bonbons should be served in little baskets. If candles are used have white can- dles with pink shades. A Clover Shower Luncheon Chicken Patties Sandwiches Red and White Radishes Tomato Salad Cherry Tarts Whole Strawberries Ice-Cream Clover Cakes Green and Pink Mints This is really a linen shower, but the de- signs on the linen should be in clover-leaf de- sign and the embroidered pieces may all be done in clover designs. The decoration of the house and table should be in clover blossoms and leaves. Have for the centerpiece of the table a low rustic basket filled with clover- blossoms, and leaves as if growing. Delicate trails of clover-leaves and blossoms should ex- tend from each corner of the basket to the cor- ners of the table and here attached to small horseshoes of clover-blossoms. At each plate CATERING FOR WEDDINGS 183 have little enameled wheelbarrows filled with home-made bonbons and the top decorated with a mass of clover-blossoms. The place- cards may be decorated with pressed clover leaves ; the ones on the bride-elect's card being the lucky four-leaved clovers, while those on the others may be the common trefoils. If can- dles are used have them creamy white with pink shades. Decorate the ice-cream with four-leaved clovers cut out of crystallized mint. The strawberries should be served in little baskets enameled white— a creamy white. Serve the radishes on green glass plates. The pieces of linen should be placed in boxes decorated with four-leaved clovers. A Rose Shower Luncheon Any bride-to-be whose home is to be a subur- ban one will be delighted with a rose shower. Each girl is asked to bring a rose-bush. Of course, these are in pots all ready to be set out 184: HOSPITALITY when convenient. The dining-room can be beautifully decorated with roses. Full-blown roses can be tied rather loosely on a strong cord and the result will be a number of ropes of roses which are festooned about the frieze of the room. Eoses are also arranged about the rooms in bowls and baskets. The center- piece for the table should be a large bouquet of roses, and across the table have drifted rose- petals. At each plate have a single rosebud to which is attached a small cardboard heart, bearing an appropriate quotation. A few suit- able quotations are given below ; When we should live together in a cosy little cot. Hid in a nest of roses, with a fairy-garden spot, Where the vines were ever fruited and the weather ever fine And the birds were ever singing for that old sweetheart of mine. — R11.EY. What glory then for me, In such company? Roses plenty, roses plenty, And one nightingale for twenty. — Ei^izABETH Browning. CATERING FOR WEDDINGS 185 Jasmine is sweet and has many loves. And the broom's bethrothed to the bee; But I will plight with the dainty rose, for fairest of all is she. — Hood. *Tis said as Cupid danced among The gods, he down the nectar flung, Which on the white rose being shed Made it ever after red. — Herrick. For there the rose, o'er crag and vale, Silltana of the nightingale, The maid for whom his melody, His thousand songs are heard on high. Blooms blushing, to her lover's tale. — Byron. Flowers of all hues, and zvithout thorn, the rose. — Milton. The refresliments can consist of lobster-pat- ties, creamed peas served in pretty white paper cases, edged with pink ; tomatoes with mayon- naise, served on lettuce leaves ; pink ice-cream, which can be served in little earthen pots with a rose sticking in each, the top covered with grated chocolate to represent earth; cakes, 186 HOSPITALITY iced in pink, and chocolate, witli whipped cream tinted pink, on top. The menu given for a rose luncheon under wedding receptions may be very appropriately used. A Basket Shower The invitation cards can be decorated with little baskets of flowers cut out of post-cards and appliqued on, then the edges touched up with gilt. The rooms should be charmingly decorated with baskets of flowers. Grape and other fruit baskets can be enameled in pink and white. The pink baskets can be filled with white flowers while the white baskets should be filled with pink blossoms ; these baskets can be suspended here and there about the rooms by means of ribbon to harmonize or placed on stands, mantels and so on. The bride-elect is showered with baskets, large and small. First might come two of the guests with a large clothes-basket or ham- per filled with spring blossoms. On investiga- tion it is found to be nearly full of small CATERING FOR WEDDINGS 187 kitchen utensils bought at the five and ten- cent stores, pink paper, and on top of the pink paper the flowers are placed; then the next should be a market basket filled with all sorts of queer packages, a work basket, all fitted out ready for " the stitch in time,'' a waste-basket with flaring top, fllled with pink and white roses, a hanging-basket containing an aspara- gus fern or oxalis, and one or two fancy little baskets which contain handkerchiefs and towels or anything preferred. Last of all she should be showered with little crepe paper baskets filled with blossoms — each guest throwing one at her simultaneously. The centerpiece for the table can be a fancy basket made out of raffta or paper rope, or can be a boughten one, in delicate green and filled with pink and white rosebuds and delicate ferns. Pink and white sweet peas could be used instead of the rosebuds. At the guests' plates have smaller baskets filled with pink and white rosebuds or sweet peas, from the handles of which can be suspended tiny gilt hearts. White candles with pink shades, 188 HOSPITALITY edged with a row of gilt hearts, will add to the effect. Pink and white bonbons can be served in little baskets made out of paper rope in delicate green, the edges of which can be touched up with gilt paint. The refreshments can be almost entirely served from baskets. The sandwiches can be served from a low basket, the edge decorated with rosebuds and ferns. Creamed chicken can be served in little pastry-baskets, and the salad in little baskets made of lettuce leaves. The ices are served in little green baskets, the top decorated with candied flowers, and the angel food cake can be iced in white and deco- rated with pink candy hearts bearing little sentimental verses. A Springtime Luncheon for a Bride-elect Green, the color of spring, should be used as the color scheme, except for the touch of pink for the bride-elect, which is the novel feature of the luncheon. Foliage plants, ferns and trailing vines from the woods, with a few CATEKING FOE WEDDINGS 189 white hyacintlis and lilies-of-tlie-valley can be used in decorating the rooms. A mat of ferns is arranged in the center of the table and on this is placed a white basket filled with maiden-hair ferns, white hyacinths and lilies- of-the-valley. At the bride-elect's plate is a small bouquet of pink rosebuds tied together with narrow green ribbon. At the other places are small bouquets of the valley lilies. The honor guest's chair is marked by a wreath of pink flowers tied to the back with green ma- line. The heart-shaped place-cards are cut out of pale green cardboard, except the bride- elect's card, which is of pink cardboard deco- rated with a tiny cupid. The green-and-white idea, with the touch of pink for the bride-elect, is carried out in the refreshments served. The lettuce sandwiches are rolled, a few tied with pink ribbon, the rest with green ribbon. Sweetbreads, garnished with asparagus tips, are served in paper cases made by covering plain cases with white crepe paper and tinting the edges pale green, except the bride's which is pink. The salad is made 190 HOSPITALITY from tlie white meat of the chicken, celery and chopped olives, with a white mayonnaise dress- ing. The portion served to the honor guest is on pink rose petals. The green mints are served in white paper rose-cases. White vanilla ice-cream in heart-shape is served on white plates wreathed with smilax and the bride-to-be's with pink rosebuds and smilax. The angel food cake is cut into squares, iced in white, then decorated with green candy hearts; the bride-elect's with tiny pink heart- shaped candies. Green and white candles are used. The guest of honor is showered with packages done up in pink, white and green. Menus for Announcement Luncheons Grapefruit Cup Topped with Maraschino Cherries Chicken Cutlets Stuffed Red Peppers (served on heart-shaped pieces of bread) Heart-shaped Biscuit Strawberry Preserves Sweetbread Tomato Salad (served on Lettuce Leaves) Ice Cream in Heart-shaped Cases Pink Heart Cakes Heart-shaped Bonbons CATEHmG FOR WEDDINGS. .191 Tomato Bouillon Quail on Heart-shaped Pieces of Toast Potato Chips Hot Rolls Currant Jelly Cucumber Salad in Lettuce Cups Ice-Cream in Heart-shape with Strawberry Sauce Salted Almonds Little Cakes Mentis for Spring Luncheons Cream Bouillon with Bread-sticks Scalloped Scallops and Mushrooms in Heart-shaped Ramekins Veal Fillets Rice Croquettes String Bean Salad Vanilla Mousse with Strawberries Cocoanut Cake Cherry Cup Chicken Sandwiches Currant Sandwiches Baked Stufifed Cucumbers Lettuce and Asparagus Salad Wafers Strawberry Ice-Cream Assorted Cakes Bonbons Scalloped Scallops and Mushrooms 1 pint scallops 1 cupful mushrooms 1 cupful cracker crumbs 2 tablespoonfuls butter 1 cupful milk 1 tablespoonful flour Salt and pepper Make a cream sauce with the butter, flour and milk, season to taste, then stir in the mush- 192 HOSPITALITY rooms and cook a few minutes. Place in the bottom of a bake-dish a layer of crackers, pour in a little mushroom cream sauce, then add half of the scallops, then a layer of cream sauce, then the remainder of the scallops. Cover with cracker-crumbs and bake in the oven for about twenty minutes or until a nice brown on top and the scallops are cooked. Baked Stuffed Cucumbers Cucumbers (large) 1 cupful bread-crumbs 1 cupful chopped chicken 1 slice bacon 1 egg 1 teaspoonful parsley 1 tablespoonful butter Salt and pepper Take large cucumbers and peel and halve; scoop out all the seeds. Mix the bread-crumbs and the chopped cooked chicken, shred the fried bacon up into small bits, and add ; season and moisten with the beaten egg and the but- ter (melted). Fill the cavities with this. Place in a bake-pan with a little water and bake for forty or more minutes, or until the cucumbers are nice and tender. Place each CATEKIKG FOK WEDDINGS 193 half on a plate and garnish with watercress or parsley. TABLE DECORATIONS FOR WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES The wedding anniversaries which are most frequently celebrated are the paper wedding, cotton wedding, the wooden wedding, the tin wedding, crystal wedding, china wedding, sil- ver wedding and golden wedding. Occasion- ally the ruby, pearl and diamond weddings are celebrated. Wedding anniversaries are popular events, worthy of being celebrated in our very best manner. Under each wedding anniversary menus are given for luncheon, dinner or sup- per. The Paper Wedding It will be quite easy to plan for a paper wedding anniversary table in this day when one is able to get crepe paper in such amazing 194 HOSPITALITY variety, both, in richness and coloring, and in unique and interesting designs. The texture of this paper lends itself to every shape and fancy of decoration. If you wish something simple yet effective in way of table decorations use odd-shaped bas- kets woven with crepe paper rope, making these as you would raffta baslcets. They may be made or procured in any shade desired ; but the dark shades will prove most effective, al- though very pretty color effects may be ob- tained with the paler shades. A pale green basket is pretty filled with pale pink or with white flowers. A pale yellow basket filled with blue or white flowers also makes a pretty color scheme. A dark green basket filled with deep red roses makes a striking and charming cen- terpiece, or a brown basket with yellow blos- soms, or a dull blue basket with white or yel- low blossoms. Cute little bonbon holders to match the bas- ket in the center of the table may also be made of this paper rope. Fill these with kisses or caramels wrapped in waxed paper. Paper CATEKING FOE WEDDINGS 195 cases made in form of lettuce or cabbage heads are nice in which to serve salads and ices. Use waxed paper to line these cases. The new paper applique work is nice to use for the table decorations for this anniversary. Passe-partout paper in different colors is used for the applique work. Designs are cut out of this gummed paper and applied upon place-cards, bonbon boxes, ice cups, paper plates, lamp shades and such like. Color schemes may be nicely carried out in this way, using blue and white, pink and white, green and white and such like schemes. The designs may be conventional or may be applied to form scenes, people and so forth. Paper Wedding Menus Luncheon Menu Assorted Sandwiches Green Salad in Paper Lettuce Cases Creamed Peas in Paper Cabbage Cups Strawberry or Cherry Sherbet in Paper Rose Cases Little Cakes with Paper Frills Bonbons Wrapped in Delicate Shades of Crepe Paper 196 HOSPITALITY Dinner Menu Cream of Corn Soup Creamed Fish in Paper Cases Olives Pickled Cucumbers Lamb Chops with Paper Frills Creamed Potatoes in Paper Ramekins Hot Rolls Tomato Salad (served on a lettuce leaf on paper plates) Ice-Cream in Paper Cases Assorted Cakes Bonbons Supper Menu Sandwiches (wrapped in waxed paper) Marguerites Stuffed Olives Oyster or Chicken Salad (in paper cases) Ice-Cream in Paper Cases Lord Baltimore Cake Caramels Table Decorations for the Cotton Wedding The decorations for a cotton wedding should be in white except for a touch of green. Snow- balls make a pretty decoration if flowers are to be used, or any white blossoms may be used. Place the white bowl on a mat made of cotton and sprinkled heavily with diamond dust or mica. The most effective decorations for a cot- ton wedding are balls of cotton batting, sprin- kled with diamond dust, placed on a cotton CATEEING FOK WEDDINGS 197 mat or on a mat of ferns. A plate of popcorn balls rolled in rock candy, chopped up, also makes an appropriate centerpiece. If you have access to cotton-plants, have cotton balls at each plate, or these could be made. The place-cards may be made of cotton cloth with the names lettered on. Pretty baskets made of cretonne or pretty flowered goods of some kind could be filled with ferns and flowers, and smaller baskets or boxes could be used for the bonbons. Menus for the Cotton Wedding ' Luncheon Assorted Sandwiches White Chicken Salad Cottage Cheese Molded in form of Cotton Bales Potato Balls with White Sauce Pineapple Snowballs Angel Food Cake Cotton Candy Dinner Menu Clam Bouillon with Whipped Cream Creamed Whitefish in Pastry Shells Pickled Onions Roast Chicken or Veal Riced Potatoes Creamed Turnips Orange Salad Topped with White Grapes Cocoanut Snowballs Cotton Bales (Cakes) Cocoanut Cubes Popcorn Balls 198 HOSPITALITY Supper Menu Hot Fluffy Biscuits Pear Preserves White Fruit Salad Creamed Chicken in Rice Cups Pickled Cauliflower Cocoanut Macaroons Table Decorations for the Wooden Wedding It is best to leave the dining-room table without a cover, using only a few mats, since you will wish to show as much wood as pos- sible. The centerpiece may be a pretty rustic basket filled with wildwood beauties; or a woven willow-basket filled with red blossoms of some sort. A little birch-bark boat filled with water lilies would be charming. The place-cards may be birch-bark or thin cards of wood with the names burnt in with a needle. Wooden plates should be used and these may be decorated with pressed ferns and flowers gummed around the edge; or pretty designs cut from post-cards or magazines. Cover the plates with waxed paper. Delightful little CATEKI^G FOR WEDDINGS 199 wooden nut-bowls may be obtained to hold the nuts and bonbons. The wooden Dutch shoes or little pails are nice in w^hich to serve salads and such like. Line these with waxed paper before placing the food in them. Since wood alone gives a dull tone to a table it is well to introduce a touch of red into both the table decorations and menus. A wooden bowl filled with red blossoms would make a harmonious centerpiece, and at each end of the table might be wooden bowls of rosy red ap- ples or other red fruits. The candies may be red and will look nice in the little wooden re- ceptacles. Wooden Wedding Menus Luncheon Menu Baked Bean Sandwiches Chocolate Sandwiches Tomato Salad on Wooden Plates Spiced Pears Chocolate Pudding with Maple Sauce Cake Iced to Represent Wood (Iced with Maple Icing and Grained with Chocolate) Maple and Chocolate Bonbons Salted Nuts 200 HOSPITALITY Dinner Menu Tomato Bouillon Stuffed Baked Fish with Brown Sauce Stuffed Parker House Rolls Spiced Peaches Roast Beef with Brown Sauce Baked Beans in Wooden Bowls Salad in Wooden Pails Browned Potatoes Pickled Beets on Wooden Plates Strawberries in Pails lyittle Cakes Chocolate Macaroons Nuts Supper Menu Brown Bread Sandwiches Rice Croquettes with Cheese Sauce Salad in Wooden Receptacles Chocolate Ice-Cream in Wooden Cases Chocolate Almonds Maple Caramel Cake Candies Chocolate Pudding with Maple Sauce 4 eggs ^ cupful sugar 2 cupfuls scalded milk 2 ounces chocolate (melted) 1 cupful whipped cream ^ cupful figs 1 teaspoonful vanilla ]4 cupful dates H cupful water Maple sauce Beat tlie yolks of the eggs up well, then add the sugar; stir in gradually the scalded milk, then the unsweetened chocolate. Put in a dou- CATERING FOR WEDDINGS 201 ble boiler and stir until it thickens and coats the spoon. Let stand until cold, then stir in the whipped cream, pour into a freezer. Cut the figs and dates up fine, or pass through a food chopper and add one-fourth cupful sugar to the water and add the fruit and cook until tender, flavor with vanilla. When the cream is almost done, stir in the stiffily-beaten whites of the eggs and the fruit mixture which should be cold, and finish freezing. When done place in a mold and let stand for an hour or so packed in ice and salt. To make the maple sauce place in a double boiler one cupful of water, one-half cupful maple sirup or sugar and a pinch of salt ; when it comes to a boil stir in one tablespoonful of corn-starch that has been blended in one- fourth cupful cream. Stir until smooth and thick, add a small pinch of cinnamon. Let cool before pouring around the frozen pudding when served. The Tin Wedding Use only the bright new tin. Tinware may 202 HOSPITALITY be made quite decorative by enameling the out- side in white or in delicate shades and stencil- ing on them conventional designs, or passe- partout paper may be applied in decorative ef- fect on white or delicately tinted backgrounds. If liked this can be gone over with clear var- nish. Delightful effects may be obtained in this way, and one would scarcely be aware that the food was being served from tin utensils. The centerpiece for the table may be formed of two tin funnels by placing the two small ends together ; this makes a unique centerpiece that may be filled with flowers and ferns. A tin water-pot, or a tin seaside pail are also possibilities. Small toy horns filled with flowers or bonbons may be found at each plate. New pie-tins may serve as plates, and tin- cups may be used for the coffee. Creamed chicken, peas, corn or potatoes may be served in small tin toy tubs or pails ; these may also be used in which to serve salads if they are first lined with waxed paper. Heart-shaped jelly molds are nice for this purpose. The place- cards may be heart-shaped bits of tin, which CATEEING FOE WEDDINGS 203 the tinsmith will cut out for jou. Paint the names on these. Tin Wedding Menus Luncheon Menu Cream Consomme in Small Tin Cups Stuffed Rolls Cheese Souffle Baked in Tin Pudding Pan and Served in It Creamed Peas in Individual Tin Tubs Salad Served in Individual Tin Molds Meringue Mousse White Cakes Bonbons Nuts Dinner Menu Mushroom Soup in Tin Cups Panned Clams Stuffed Olives Sweet Pickles Roast Chicken or Turkey Scalloped Potatoes (served in tin-pan in which they are baked) Hot Muffins (served in tin-pans in which they are baked) Strawberry Preserves Salad (served in individual tin-tubs) Cheese Wafers Prune Souffle (served in tin pudding-pan) Cake Candies Slipper Menu Clam Bouillon in Tin-cups Wafers Creamed Chicken or Oysters in Tin Molds Sandwiches Molded Fruit Salad Assorted Cakes 204 HOSPITALITY Meringue Mousse 6 eggs 1 teaspoonful almond 3 cupfuls water extract 2 cupfuls of sugar 1 quart whipped cream Beat up the whites of the eggs very stiff. Make a thick sirup with the water and sugar, boiling it until it spins a thread. Place the egg-whites in a dish and pour the hot sirup over them and beat up until light and foamy, add the almond extract and carefully fold in the whipped cream, when the egg mixture is cool enough. Pour into a mold and pack in ice and salt and let stand for several hours. This is nice served with preserved or candied fruits and with fresh fruits also. Prune Souffle 1 pound best prunes 5^ cupful sugar 4 eggs Prune kernels Wash the prunes well and soak overnight, add the sugar and simmer very slowly until CATERIKG FOR WEDDINGS 205 the prunes are tender and plmnp. Slip out the stones and chop the prunes. Crack the stones, and chop up very fine, and add to the prunes. Beat the whites of the eggs up until stiff, then stir lightly into the prunes. Place in a bate- dish and bake about twenty minutes in a mod- erate oven. Serve with whipped cream or a sauce. Cheese Souffl]& 2 tablespoonfuls butter 2/3 cupful milk 2 tablespoonfuls flour 1 pinch of cayenne 2/3 cupful grated cheese Salt to taste 3 eggs Blend the butter and the flour together in a saucepan, then stir in the milk and season. Cook a few minutes, then stir in the egg-yolks and the cheese. When cool add the stiffly- beaten whites of the eggs. Pour into a but- tered bake-dish and bake for about thirty min- utes, or until like a custard when done. Serve right from the oven in the dish in which it has been baked. 206 HOSPITALITY Cream of Mushroom Soup 1 can mushrooms 1 quart chicken stock 1 cupful cream 2 tablespoonfuls butter Salt and pepper 2 tablespoonfuls flour Place the stock, water may be used, and the mushrooms in a saucepan and simmer slowly for about thirty minutes. Blend together in a double boiler the butter and the flour and then stir in the cream, stirring constantly un- til smooth and thick; stir this into the mush- rooms. Season to taste and serve with toasted croutons. For the Crystal Wedding The table decorations for the crystal wed- ding can be made one of the most attractive of all the wedding anniversaries ; especially is this so if the wedding-day comes during the sum- mer months, for what can give a more delight- fully cool effect than the sparkling crystal? The dining-table should be a picture in spar- kling glass. Use this to the exclusion of china as far as practicable. CATERING FOR WEDDIN^GS 20r A pretty centerpiece for a hot summer day would be a square or circular chunk of ice placed on a tray. Pick out a cavity in the cen- ter of this block of ice to form a holder for flowers and ferns. Fill the tray with flowers and ferns, also, so as to completely conceal it. If you do not care for the ice centerpiece then you might try the effect produced by placing a tall slender crystal vase on a mirror, conceal- ing the frame with a wreath of flowers. This is very effective. If artificial light is to be used on the table use white candles in crystal holders, with shades made of frosted crepe paper or paraf- fine paper. The place-cards may be little squares of isinglass or mica with the names let- tered on with green paint. It is nice to intro- duce a touch of color by using a little colored glass among the clear crystal, for instance the bonbon holders can be pale green filled with rock candy or crystallized fruits, and the relishes may be served on pale green glass plates. Sprays of autumn leaves crystallized with alum or other similar solutions make 208 HOSPITALITY charming decorations. Crystal icicles may be suspended from the light fixtures. Crystal Wedding Menus Luncheon Menu Cream of Salsify Soup Molded Chicken Celery Sandwiches Cucumber Salad Crystal Dainty White Cake (with crystallized flowers) Crystallized Fruits Dinner Menu Clear Consomme Whitefish with Cucumber Jelly Pickled Onions Roast Veal . Creamed Potatoes Hot Rolls Jellied Celery Salad Cheese Wafers JelHed Crystallized Fruit Dessert Rock Candy Glace Grapes Fancy Cakes Supper Menu Chicken Sandwiches Celery Rolls Grape and Nut Salad Pineapple Sherbet Angel Food Cake Crystallized Fruit Crystallized Popcorn CATEKING FOR WEDDINGS 209 Crystal Dainty 3 tablespoonfuls corn- 3 cupfuls water starch 1 3/2 cupfuls su|jar 2 lemons Crystallized pineapple 8 eggs Dissolve the corn-starcli in a little cold water and stir into the water when it has been brought to a boil. Remove from the fire and stir in one tablespoonful butter. Grate the rind and squeeze the juice and stir in the sugar. Add this to the corn-starch, whip in the whites of the stifly-beaten eggs. Line a mold with crystallized pineapple and turn in the clear corn-starch mixture. Set on ice, turn out and serve with a clear sauce or with whipped cream. Crystallized Fruit Dessert Lemon jelly Crystallized white grapes Crystallized pineapple Candied orange-pulp Make a clear lemon- jelly, following the recipes that come with gelatin. When this be- gins to set drop in bits of the crystallized 210 HOSPITALITY fruits. Line the mold also witli the fruit and pour in the jelly. Let stand until firm and turn out and serve with whipped cream. Cucumber Jelly for Fish 3 large cucumbers 1 stalk celery 1 slice onion 1 tablespoonful lemon-juice J/2 bay leaf 1 teaspoonful salt (level) 1 pint water 3 tablespoonfuls gelatin Salt and paprika Pare and slice the cucumber and place in a saucepan with the water; then add the stalk of celery, cut into bits, the onion and bay leaf. Simmer slowly until the vegetables are tender, then remove the celery, onion and bay leaf. Pass through a sieve. Dissolve the gelatin in a little cold water and stir into the hot pur^e. Color pale green with a little spinach-juice or green coloring. Pour into a ring mold. Turn out and heap the fish up in the center of this. If liked no coloring need be added and you will have more of a crystal color. The puree should be seasoned with salt and a dash of paprika and the lemon- juice added. CATEEIKG FOR WEDDmGS 211 Table Decorations for the China Wedding The cliina wedding may be celebrated in a more formal manner than the ones that have preceded it, and the decorations may be of greater simplicity. Choose the very prettiest china vase, bowl or jardiniere you can obtain to hold the flowers — these may be few or many as desired — but should be arranged to harmo- nize with the rest of the decorations and should be placed where they will give the best effect. The china wedding will give you the chance to display your very best china. If you have any rare old china now is the time to bring it forth. Use for the centerpiece of the table a pretty china bowl or vase to harmonize with the rest of the china used on the table and fill with blossoms and ferns. It is nice to carry out color schemes with the china, other table deco- rations and with the menu. If you wish something more novel in way of table decorations use for a centerpiece two dolls dressed to represent a bride and groom ; have the doll dressed in a gown the duplicate of the original wedding-gown. At each plate 212 HOSPITALITY have small dolls dressed to represent brides- maids; they may be holding tiny bouquets in their hands. The relishes and bonbons may be served in odd-shaped china dishes which may often be picked up at small expense. China Wedding Menus Luncheon Menu Fruit Soup Lobster Newburg Chicken Sandwiches Rice Croquettes Tomato and Cheese Salad Ice-Cream Wafers Pink and White Macaroons Cocoanut Cake Bonbons Dinner Menu Cream Consomme Salmon Loaf with Tomato Sauce Celery Spiced Pears Roast Turkey or Chicken Creamed Corn in Green Pepper Cases Creamed Spinach Cabbage and Nut Salad Cheese Crackers Pistachio Cream White Fruit Cake Ginger Creams Salted Nuts CATEKING FOR WEDDINGS 213 Supper Menu Rolls with Chicken Filling Nut Wafers Strips of Veal (breaded) Salmon and Lemon Jelly Salad Cream Cheese and Pimlento Balls Frozen Peaches Little Cakes Bonbons Lobster Newburg 1 pint lobster Salt, cayenne, and pinch of y2 cupful cream nutmeg 1 tablespoonful each of 2 tablespoonfuls butter lemon-juice and sherry 3 eggs Place the butter in a saucepan or chafing- dish, place in the picked lobster and seasoning and heat slowly. Add the lemon-juice and sherry and cook a few moments longer; then add the cream into which has been beaten the yolks of the eggs. Stir until thick. Salmon Loaf with Tomato Sauce 1 can salmon 1 cupful cooked rice Salt and paprika 2 tablespoonfuls butter Pick all skin and bones from the salmon and mix with the rice into which has been worked 214 HOSPITALITY the butter. Season to taste witli salt and pep- per and a dash of paprika or cayenne. Mold into shape of a loaf and bake in the oven a nice brown. Tomato Sauce 1 can tomatoes 2 stalks of celery 1 slice onion 3 sprigs of parsley 1 bay leaf 2 cloves 3 peppercorns Salt 1 tablespoonful butter 1 tablespoonful flour Simmer the tomatoes, celery, onion and parsley with spices for twenty minutes. Pass through a sieve. Blend together in a double boiler the flour and butter, then stir in a cupful of tomato puree. Season with salt to taste. Decorations for the Silver Anniversary Delightful table schemes can be carried out for the silver wedding, which is the one most often celebrated. If you wish something sim- ple, but quite effective, use a silvered basket CATEHmG FOR WEDDINGS 216 filled with lilies-of-the-valley or some delicate white blossoms and ferns, or with pink La France roses. This basket may be placed on a silver mat, and mats to match may be placed at each plate, on which place small silvered baskets filled with pink bonbons, or blossoms to match those used in the centerpiece. If you wish something a little more dignified use a silver bowl instead of the basket as the holder for the flowers and ferns. Use silver candlesticks and as much other silver on the table as good taste suggests. A shower of small silver wedding bells may be suspended from the overhead lights if liked, using silver tinsel to suspend by. The edges of the place-cards should be touched up with silver or be cut out of silvered paper. The ices may be served in little cases made of sil- vered paper; if liked these may be decorated with little silver bells around the edge. Have the menu in white in as far as pos- sible, with a touch of green and perhaps pink. Little cakes iced in white with the wedding and anniversary dates put on in tiny silver 216 HOSPITALITY candies would be nice to serve with pink or white ice-cream. Silver Wedding Menus Luncheon Menu Macedoine of White Fruits Sweetbread Patties Rose Sandwiches Chicken Breast with Asparagus Tips White Grape and Celery Salad Pineapple-Ice Marshmallow Cakes White and Pink Bonbons Dinner Menu Cream of Clam Soup with Whipped Cream Olives Mixed Pickles Creamed Salmon in Patty Shells Creamed Cauliflower Potato Balls Chicken a la Maryland, Rice Balls Apple and Sweet Pepper Salad Ice-Cream Fancy Cakes Cocoanut Macaroons Silver Bonbons Cheese Crackers Supper Menu Salad Sandwiches Sweet Sandwiches Veal Croquettes Potato Chips Endive Salad Cheese Wafers Lemon-Ice Silver Cake CATEKING FOR WEDDINGS 217 The Pearl and Ruby Wedding Anniversaries The pearl and ruby wedding anniversaries are not so often celebrated as the others; yet there are delightful ideas that can be carried out in the table decorations for such a celebra- tion. Almost perfect imitation of real pearl can be found in beads and fancy ornaments, and one may form unique baskets and holders with these; they should be filled with white roses, sweet peas or other white blossoms and delicate ferns, and should be suspended from the light fixtures over the table where their beauty can be fully seen. A wedding-cake iced in white and decorated with the small pearl- like looking candies that one can obtain would make a nice centerpiece if placed on a mat of pale green and wreathed with white blossoms and ferns, or surrounded with little pearl- colored candles in birthday candle-holders. The place-cards may also be decorated with tiny pearl beads around the edge. The decorations for the ruby wedding should be in ruby red. Deep red roses in a ruby-col- 218 HOSPITALITY ored glass vase can be used for tlie centerpiece. Use as mucli ruby-colored glassware on the table as good taste suggests. A deep red bas- ket filled with deep red blossoms could be used for the centerpiece instead of the vase. Small red baskets filled with candied cherries should be at each plate. Pearl Wedding Menus Luncheon Menu Cream of Celery Soup Reception Flakes Creamed Corn Chicken Salad Hot Biscuits Quince Honey White Radishes Pearl Cream Pearl Cakes White Grapes Dinner Menu Clam and Oyster Soup with Whipped Cream Creamed Scallops and Mushrooms White Radishes Celery Chicken Fillets with White Sauce Rice Balls Stuffed Onions Scalloped Potatoes White Grape Salad Wafers Grapefruit Sherbet Pearl Cake Bonbons Crystallized Pineapple CATERING FOE WEDDINGS 219 Supper Menu Grapefruit Cup Topped with White Grapes Assorted Sandwiches JeUied Chicken Salad Hominy Croquettes Pearl Ice-Cream Uttle Cakes Bonbons Sweetbread Patties Pair of sweetbreads 1 tablespoonful butter 1 cupful rich milk or 1 tablespoonful flour cream 2 tablespoonfuls mush- y2 dozen oysters rooms Salt and pepper Pastry Separate the sweetbreads and parboil in slightly salted water for a half hour, simmer- ing slowly. They should be soaked an hour before parboiling. Separate into small pieces. Blend together in a double boiler one table- spoonful of butter and the same amount of flour ; then stir in the rich milk or thin cream and stir until smooth and thick. Season well with salt and pepper; then add the sweet- breads, the oysters and the mushrooms and cook a few minutes longer. Line patty-pans with good puff pastry and bake a nice brown. Fill the creamed sweetbreads into these before serving. 220 HOSPITALITY Creamed Scallops with Mushrooms 2 cupfuls scallops Vi cupful cream Yt. cupful mushrooms 2 tablespoonfuls flour Salt and pepper 2 tablespoonfuls butter Reserve the liquor from about the scallops and add to the milk. Blend the butter and flour together in a double boiler and add the milk and liquor and stir until smooth and thick. Stir in the scallops and the mushrooms and cook for a few minutes ; then fill into pas- try-shells or serve on bits of toasted bread, cut into fancy shapes. A dash of cayenne may be added. The Golden Wedding Anniversary The color scheme for a golden wedding should be carried out in gold-and-white, or blue-and-gold. Yellow roses, tulips, poppies, or any yellow blossoms that are in season can be used. Golden-rod would make nice autumn decorations. Either white, blue or gilded bas- kets can be used as holders for these blossoms, and used as a centerpiece. As the golden wed- ding has a dignity of its own there should be CATEKING FOR WEDD^GS 221 a certain simplicity about the affair ; but flow- ers are always appropriate no matter the form of celebration. Use gold-banded china on the table as far as possible and have gilt-edged cards for place- cards; these would be charming if decorated with the silhouettes of the bride and groom in gold; gold paper could be used for these sil- houettes. Small gilded baskets or cornucopias of gilt paper can be at each plate ; these should be filled with yellow bonbons. One can obtain pretty gold-lined dishes in which to place the nuts and crystallized fruits. Sherbet or ice- cream can be served in glasses of Bohemian glass ; this glass is decorated in gold and adds to the general effect. Golden Wedding Menus Luncheon Menu Orange-Ice Golden Biscuits Yellow Peach Preserves Banana Salad Golden Fish Balls with Hollandaise Sauce I.emon Tarts Gold Ring Cakes Yellow Ice-Cream Bonbons Candied Ginger 222 HOSPITALITY Dinner Menu Golden Consomme Baked Fish with Hollandaise Sauce Yellow Peach Mangoes Celery Hearts Fillets of Chicken with Cream Sauce Glazed Sweet Potatoes Creamed Corn in Carrot Cups Egg and Cheese Salad Orange Sherbet Sponge Cake Yellow Bonbons Supper Menu Ginger and Orange Sandwiches Deviled Eggs Sweet Potato Puffs Yellow Fruit Salad Orange Bavarian Cream I^emon Drops Yellow Bonbons Deviled Eggs % dozen hard-boiled eggs 1 tablespoonful butter 1 teaspoonful anchovy Pinch cayenne paste 1 teaspoonful catsup Salt Kemove the yolks from the eggs and work up into a paste with the butter, catsup and anchovy. Tomato or mushroom catsup may be used. When thoroughly blended and seasoned fill into the egg cavities. Serve on lettuce leaves or rounds of toast. CATERING FOR WEDDINGS 223 Orange Bavarian Cream 2 cupfuls orange-pulp 1 teaspoonful orange and juice extract 1 cupful water 1 cupful whipped cream ^ box gelatin >4 cupful sugar Dissolve the gelatin in half the water. Place the other half with the sugar over the fire and when at the boiling point stir in the gelatin. When cool add the orange-juice and pulp and extract. When it begins to thicken up stir in the whipped cream. Beat up until stiff, pour into a mold, turn out when ready to serve and garnish with orange carpels. LIBRARY CONGRESS