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Title: Breakfasts and Teas
       Novel Suggestions for Social Occasions

Author: Paul Pierce

Release Date: January 5, 2010 [EBook #30861]

Language: English


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Breakfasts and Teas NOVEL SUGGESTIONS FOR SOCIAL OCCASIONS Compiled by PAUL PIERCE

Editor and Publisher of What to Eat, the National Food Magazine.

Superintendent of Food Exhibits at the St. Louis Worlds's Fair.

Honorary Commissioner of Foods at the Jamestown Exposition.

CHICAGO BREWER, BARSE & CO. Copyrighted 1907 by PAUL PIERCE To Women Editors.

In appreciation of the many favorable press notices and high editorial comment given to my previous efforts in the compilation of books on suggestions for entertaining and in the publication of my magazine, What To Eat, this book on "Breakfasts and Teas," is inscribed. Full well I realize the difficulties under which most Women Editors labor in their duty of suggesting new ideas for entertaining, and I hold a sincere appreciation for the good they perform in elevating the women of our country to a higher plain of civilization. When the woman is done with the school room and finds herself in the social whirl it is then she begins to see that she has another and very important course of learning to acquire and forthwith she submits herself to the tutorage of the editor of the woman's page. No school teacher of the world has such a large class to instruct as this woman editor. Her pupils are numbered by the thousands and tens of thousands and hundreds of thousands. The knowledge she must impart is not of the kind that has been set down by past generations and which once learned suffices as a supply for all future dispensations. It is a knowledge of the day, which is constantly changing and which must be gleaned each day for the lessons of the morrow. This little book embraces the latest information on the title it bears, and all herein contained, that may be of help to the woman editor, she is welcome to use if she will comply with the publisher's rule of giving the proper credit to the volume.

Publisher's Announcement.

"Breakfast and Teas" is a companion book to that most interesting and helpful series of social works compiled by Paul Pierce, publisher of What To Eat, the National Food Magazine, and the world's authority on all problems pertaining to the drawing room and the table. The other books are "Dinners and Luncheons," "Parties and Entertainments," "Suppers," and "Weddings and Wedding Celebrations." The contents of each olume are selected with especial regard for the extent of their helpfulness for the perplexed hostess. The instructions that are given will afford suggestions for all the different kinds of social functions the host or hostess ever will have occasion to give or to attend, and therefore all the volumes combined will furnish a veritable library for the person who entertains or who attends entertainments, and no person with a regard for correct social forms should fail to be supplied with all five of the books. In the directions special attention is given to the suggestions afforded for other kinds of entertainments, so that in each entertainment described the reader will find ideas for a dozen or more entertainments of a similar nature.

CONTENTS

Chapter I. Breakfasts at High Noon—Typical Breakfast Menu—Breakfast Decorations—Two Bride-Elect Breakfasts—Silver Wedding Day Breakfast—A Family Breakfast—Light Informal Breakfast.

Chapter II.. Two Bon Voyage Breakfasts—Who Takes the Cake?—Breakfast and Tea for Christmas or Thanksgiving.

Chapter III. A Cuban Breakfast.

Chapter IV. Spring and Autumn Breakfasts—April Breakfast—A Maypole Breakfast—May Breakfast—An Autumn Breakfast—A Musical Romance—A Red Rose Breakfast—Chrysanthemum Breakfast—Pond Lily Breakfast—A Tulip Breakfast—A Grape Breakfast—Woman's Club Breakfast—Breakfast al Fresco.

Chapter V. The Modern 'Five O'Clock' Tea—An Afternoon Tea—Telling Fortunes by Teagrounds.

Chapter VI. Scotch Teas—A Gypsy Tea Out of Doors.

Chapter VII. Japanese Teas.

Chapter VIII. Two Valentine Teas.

Chapter IX. A Grandmother's Tea Party—An April Fool Tea—A Colonial Tea—Pretty Rose Tea—Omber Shades of Rose—A Bouquet Tea—Spring Planting—A High Tea—Book-Title Teas—Patriotic Tea—Debut Tea—Yellow Tea—A Candle-Light Tea—A Flower Tea—An Exchange Tea—A Watermelon Tea.

Chapter X. Unique Ideas for Teas—A Chocolatiere—A Kaffee Klatch—A "Rushing" Tea for Sorority—Sandwiches for Teas—Novelties in Tea Serving—Summer Porch Tea Parties.

CHAPTER I. Breakfasts at High Noon. A VERY SWELL REPAST FOR A SWAGGER SET.

By the operation of one of those laws of occult force, the power of which we feel while we are totally ignorant of its rules, we fix upon the noonday as the time for some of our chief social functions.

As a matter of fact we are at our best at this time of the day, both physically and mentally; and we naturally choose it for our special entertainments and enjoyments.

One of the chief of these is the noonday breakfast, which meets several social demands. It is the proper service for the return of nearly every obligation in the form of hospitality which may have been received by the giver during the closing season.

This noonday breakfast very much resembles the morning breakfast of the French country-house in the variety of foods. This repast always is most attractive to an American because of its informality, and the viands are enticing. This morning breakfast of the Parisian is really like a little dinner, and that is what we wish to serve to meet all the varied obligations that are to be wiped out by an artistic and choice return entertainment, whether it be called luncheon or noonday breakfast.

When a luncheon or noonday breakfast by formal invitation is given, the service is identical with that of dinner a la Russe, and the bill of fare similar, although less extended; but the pleasantest repasts are those where perfect service is secured without formality.

First, the table: Lay it as carefully as for dinner and in much the same way, save that an embroidered or delicately colored cloth may replace the white dinner linen; under this cloth lay the usual thick one of felt or Canton flannel. The small dessert and fruit, flowers and relishes, may form a part of the table decoration. Now that castors are seldom used, unless of fine old silver and ornamental form, place conveniently about the table salt, pepper, the oil and vinegar stand, and the table sauces in their original bottles set in silver holders. Olives, salted almonds, cheese-straws and sandwiches may be put upon the table in pretty china, silver and glass ornamental dishes; in short, all save the hot dishes may form part of the ornamentation. Hot plates are required for all the food except the raw shell-fish, salad and dessert, and should be ready for immediate use, together with a reserve of silver, or means for washing it. The coffee service may be laid before the hostess or upon the side table, at convenience; chocolate is similarly served, and is a favorite breakfast beverage, especially when it is made with eggs, after the Mexican method.

Tea is not on the regulation breakfast list, but of course it may be served if it is desired. Cider, malt liquors, the lighter wines, and in summer the various "cups" or fruit punches are in order; the breakfast wines are sherry, hock or Rhine wine, sauterne and champagne; and when a variety is served the preference of each guest is ascertained by the attendant before filling the glasses.

Breakfast Menu.

The following is an excellent bill of fare for a noonday breakfast:

Little Neck Clams

Cold Wine Soup

Angels on Horseback

Chicken Patties

Newberg Lobster

Green Peas with New Turnips

Grape Fruit Sherbet

Broiled Birds with Orange Salad

White Custards

Cannelons with Jelly

Strawberries in Cream

Black Coffee

For a simple repast for a few persons, two relishes may be omitted, only one entree being served; then the sherbet, the birds, and one desert, with coffee; this combination would make a most acceptable small breakfast.

Blue Point Oysters, as all small oysters are called, may be used in their season, in place of the clams. Both are of much dietetic value, the clams being the most stimulating and nutritious, and the oysters the most tonic and digestible.

The cold wine soup is a valuable tonic nutrient; and each dish possesses some special value of its own.

Cold Wine Soup.

Wash quarter of a pound of fine sago in cold water, put it over the fire in two quarts of cold water, and boil it gently until the grains are transparent; then dissolve with it half a pound of fine sugar, add a very little grated nutmeg, a dust of cayenne, and an even teaspoonful of salt; when the sugar is melted add a bottle of claret, and as much cold water as is required to make the soup of an agreeable creamy consistency; cool it before serving.

Angels on Horseback.

This is one of the gastronomic inspirations of Urbain Dubois, the chef of the great Emperor of Germany. Remove all bits of shell from fine oysters and lay them upon a clean towel; cut as many slices of thin bacon, about the size of the oysters; run them alternately upon bright metal skewers, dust them with cayenne, lay the skewers between the bars of a double-wire grid-iron, and broil the "angels" over a quick fire until the bacon begins to crisp; then transfer the skewers to a hot dish garnished with lemon and parsley, or with cresses, and send at once to table. In serving, a skewerful of "angels" is laid upon a hot plate, and the eater removes them with a fork. The success of this dish depends upon the rapidity with which it is cooked and served.

Chicken Patties.

The housewife is advised to procure the cooked patty cases at the baker's shops, ready to be heated and filled with the following ragout. For a dozen patties remove the bones and skin from a pint bowlful of the white meat of cold boiled or roasted chicken, and cut it into one-half inch pieces. Open a can of mushrooms, save the liquor, and cut the mushrooms about the size of the chicken; put over the fire in a saucepan a tablespoonful each of butter and flour, stir them until they are smoothly blended; then gradually stir in the mushroom liquor and enough milk to make a sauce which should be as thick as cream after it has boiled; add the chicken and mushrooms, a palatable seasoning of salt and pepper; place the saucepan in a pan containing boiling salted water and keep hot until it is time to fill the hot patty cases and serve them.

Green Peas with New Turnips.

Peal about a dozen new turnips of medium size, boil them until tender in salted boiling water; meanwhile smoothly mix in a saucepan a tablespoonful each of butter and flour, and gradually stir in a pint of milk. Open a can of French peas, drain them, run cold water through them, draining again, and heat them in the sauce, seasoning them palatably with salt and white pepper. When the turnips are tender scoop a hollow in the center of each, fill it with peas, and arrange them upon the rest of the peas on a hot shallow dish.

Typical Breakfast Menu.

Here is a