Bills of Fare
What to set before guests at the table, or, indeed, before one’s own family, is sometimes a perplexing matter for housekeepers to decide, and a few bills of fare are given on the following pages as an aid. The number of dishes can readily be increased or diminished. Any of the company dinners can be prepared at home almost as easily as an ordinary dinner, success depending not upon a great number of dishes, but upon a few well cooked and well served, and a hostess apparently free from care.
A great part of any company dinner can be prepared the day before. The vegetables can be prepared and put in cold water, the game or meat be larded, the meat or fish cooked for croquettes and salads, the salad dressing made ready, and jellies, creams and cold puddings be made. If a clear soup (and that is always best) is to be served, it also should be made. In the morning the bread and cake can be baked, and the fish and other dishes prepared. Early in the afternoon freeze the creams and sherbets.
Make a list of the principal dishes. With each dish have a list of the vegetables, sauces or other things to be served, and the time for serving. This will insure the dishes being ready at the proper moment. Have the plates and other dishes counted and ready to warm—and, by the way, arrange to have these and the silver washed where the noise cannot reach the guests.
Twelve seems to be a good number of people for a dinner party. But very little increase in the quantity of material will be required if the number should be as large as sixteen or eighteen. Fox six or eight the quantity of soup, oysters, creams, sherbets and coffee, can be diminished one-third, but that of meats and fish should not be much smaller. It is supposed that the coffee will be served in small cups. Although it is usually drunk clear, cream and sugar should be offered with it.
People differ as to the kinds of breakfast required. Many believe in the French custom of having only chocolate or coffee, rolls, and perhaps eggs in some form. Again, others believe in and require a substantial breakfast. There is no limit to the variety of dishes that can be prepared for breakfast and tea if the cook has taste and judgment in using the remains of meats, fish and vegetables left from dinner. Either oatmeal or hominy should always be served at breakfast. When it is possible, have fruit for the first course.
BREAKFAST.
Fruit.
Oatmeal and Cream.
Baked Potatoes.
Mutton Chops.
Rye Muffins.
Hominy Griddle-Cakes.
Coffee, Tea or Chocolate.
Fruit.
Oatmeal.
Broiled Ham. Omelet.
Graham Muffins. Toast.
Griddle-Cakes.
Coffee or Tea.
Fruit.
Escaloped Meat.
Dropped Eggs.
Raised Muffins.
Corn Cake.
Drinks.
DINNERS FOR TWELVE.
Clear Soup (five pints).
Fish (four or five pounds, baked, boiled, or escaloped).
Bread, and Potatoes if you like.
Chicken Croquettes, or any kind of Patties.
Fillet of Beef, Larded (two and a half to three pounds), with Mushroom Sauce.
Potato Puffs.
Sweetbreads (six).
Green Peas (two quarts, if fresh, or two cans of French peas).
Lettuce Salad (French dressing; two large heads of lettuce).
A Cold Pudding. Ice Cream (one gallon). Cake.
Crackers.
Cheese.
Coffee.
The cost of a dinner like this, when prepared at home, depends somewhat upon the market, but will rarely exceed twenty-five dollars.
Oysters on a Block of Ice (two quarts).
Consommé à la Royale (five pints).
Baked Fish (five pounds), Hollandaise Sauce (double the rule).
Cheese Soufflé (double the rule).
Roast Chicken (nine to twelve pounds).
Mashed Potatoes (twelve).
Green Peas (two quarts or two cans).
Celery. Cranberry Jelly.
Oyster Patties (fourteen).
Lettudfe Salad (two heads of lettuce with French dressing).
Water Crackers (a dozen and a half).
Neufchatel Cheese (two packages).
Orange Sherbet (three quarts).
Frozen Cabinet Pudding (the rule given), Apricot Sauce.
Glacé Meringué (the rule given). Sponge Cake. Fruit.
Coffee (the rule for filtered coffee).
Potage à la Reine (five pints).
Sardine Canapees (two dozen). Olives.
Roast Turkey (about eight pounds), Chestnut Stuffing and Sauce.
Macaroni, à l’Italienne (twice the rule).
Cranberry Jelly.
Plain Boiled Potatoes.
Lettuce Salad (two large heads).
Custard Soufflé (twice the rule), Creamy Sauce.
Frozen Pudding (the rule given).
Lemon Sherbet Cake.
Fruit.
Coffee (three pints of filtered).
Crackers and Cheese.
Oyster Soup (two quarts).
Smelts à la Tartare (three dozen).
Chicken Vol-au-Vent (a large one).
Rolled Rib Roast (about twelve pounds).
Polish Sauce. Grape Jelly.
Cauliflower, with Cream Sauce.
Potato Soufflé.
Rice Croquettes (two dozen).
Larded Grouse with Bread Sauce (three grouse).
Potatoes, a la Parisienne.
Dressed Celery (two heads).
Royal Diplomatic Pudding (the rule given).
Raspberry Sherbet (three quarts).
Vanilla Ice Cream (three quarts).
Cake.
Fruit.
Coffee (three pints of the filtered).
Crackers and Cheese.
GAME DINNER.
Meg Merrilies’ Soup.
Grouse Soup.
Stewed Terrapin.
Turtle Steak.
Larded Grouse, Bread Sauce and Crumbs.
Broiled Quail on Toast, Currant Jelly.
Potato Croquettes.
Escaloped Tomato.
Roast Loin of Venison, Game Sauce.
Potato Puffs.
Cauliflower, with Cream Sauce.
Roast Ducks, Olive Sauce.
Potatoes à la Parisienne.
French Peas.
Dressed Celery.
Lemon Sherbet.
Charlotte Russe.
Nesselrode Pudding.
Crackers and Cheese.
Coffee.
Fruit.
SUPPER FOR FIFTY.
Boned Turkey (one).
Tongue in Jelly (two).
Chicken Salad (six quarts).
Escaloped Oysters (six quarts).
Two quarts of olives.
One hundred small rolls, buttered.
Fifty Sardine Sandwiches.
Jelly (four moulds).
Orange Bavarian Cream (four moulds). Frozen Pudding (three gallons).
Chocolate Ice Cream (two gallons).
Vanilla (ten quarts).
Pistachio (ten quarts).
Mixed Cake (three baskets).
Coffee (twelve quarts).
CHILDREN’S PARTY (FIFTY).
Chicken Sandwiches.
Tongue Sandwiches.
Buttered Rolls.
Buttered Slices of Bread.
Richmond Maids of Honor.
Gáteau St. Honore.
Dominos and other Small Cakes.
Vanilla and Chocolate Ice Cream.
Candies and Fruit.
The meat for the sandwiches should be chopped fine. The rolls must be small, and the buttered bread should be cut in thin slices, two slices be put together, and then be cut into long strips or little squares. There should be one hundred sandwiches, seventy-five rolls, one hundred dices of bread, forty maids of honor, six dishes of gáteau St. Honore two gallons of each kind of ice cream, and a generous supply of small cakes, candies and fruit.
FAMILY DINNERS-SPRING.
Oyster Soup.
Spinach. Fricandeau of Veal. Mashed Potatoes.
Lettuce Salad.
Orange Sherbet.
Cake.
Potato Soup.
Boiled Haddock, Lobster Sauce.
Potato Souffle.
Chicken Croquettes, Cream Sauce.
Chocolate Blanc-Mange.
Scotch Broth.
Broiled Halibut, Mâitre d’Hôtel Butter.
French Fried Potatoes.
Stewed Tomatoes.
Braised Tongue.
Rice.
Ground Rice Pudding.
Lobster Soup.
Roast Beef.
Potatoes.
Yorkshire Pudding.
Squash.
Cabbage Salad.
Lemon Sponge.
Turbot à la Crème.
Cold Roast Beef with Purée of Potatoes.
Stewed Tomatoes.
Boiled Macaroni.
Ice Cream.
Cake.
Mock Bisque Soup.
Roast Chicken.
Currant Jelly.
Potato Puffs.
Asparagus.
Corn-Starch Pudding.
FAMILY DINNERS—SUMMER.
Asparagus Soup.
Boiled Blue Fish, Maître d’ Hôtel Butter.
Veal Cutlets, White Sauce.
Green Peas.
Dressed Cucumbers.
Mashed Potatoes.
Charlotte Russe.
Salmon, White Sauce.
Green Peas.
Potatoes.
Rice Croquettes.
Lettuce Salad.
Strawberry Bavarian Cream.
Green Pea Soup.
Braised Fillet of Beef.
Potatoes à la Parisienne.
String Beans.
Lobster Salad.
Frozen Pudding.
Cake.
Cream of Barley Soup.
Soft-Shell Crabs.
Fried Egg Plant.
Blanquette of Chicken In a Rice Border.
Shelled Beans.
Strawberry Ice Cream.
Cake.
Vegetable Soup.
Roast Lamb, Mint Sauce.
Potato Croquettes.
Green Peas.
Salmon Salad.
Frozen Apricots.
Cake.
Baked Fish, Tomato Sauce.
Potatoes.
Sweetbreads, Cream Sauce.
Green Peas.
Tapioca Pudding.
FAMILY DINNERS—FALL.
Macaroni Soup.
Boiled Fish, Egg Sauce.
Celery.
Roast Ducks, Game Sauce.
Stuffed Tomatoes.
French Fried Potatoes.
Eve’s Pudding, Wine Sauce.
Fried Smelts, Tartare Sauce.
Boiled Turkey, Oyster Sauce. Macaroni à l’italienne.
Boiled Potatoes.
Escaloped Cauliflower.
Lemon Pudding.
White Soup.
Baked Fish, Hollandaise Sauce.
Salmis of Turkey in a Potato Border.
Stewed Celery with Cream Sauce.
Potato Salad.
Apple and Rice Pudding.
FAMILY DINNERS-WINTER.
Fish Chowder.
Braised Beef.
Macaroni with Tomato Sauce.
Baked Sweet Potatoes.
Potato Puffs.
Oyster Salad. Cabinet Pudding, Creamy Sauce.
Beef Stew with Dumplings.
Mutton Cutlets, Tomato Sauce.
Thin Fried Potatoes.
Vegetable Salad.
Blanc-Mange with Cream.
Celery Soup.
Mashed Turnips.
Boiled Fowl, Bechamel Sauce.
Boiled Potatoes.
Beef Steak, Brown Oyster or Mushroom Sauce.
Potatoes à la Parisienne.
Orange Cream.
Cream of Rice Soup.
Baked Cod, Tomato Sauce.
Riced Potatoes.
Rice.
Beef Olives.
Squash.
Danish Pudding.
Clear Soup.
Cusk, à la Crème, Boiled Potatoes.
Roast Leg of Mutton, Currant Jelly.
Mashed Potato.
Mashed Turnip.
Ice Cream.
Cake.
Tomato Soup.
Escaloped Fish.
Stewed Celery.
Mutton with Purée of Potatoes.
Macaroni with Cheese.
Apple Tapioca Pudding.