Hand-Book of Practical Cookery, for Ladies and Professional Cooks: Containing the Whole Science and Art of Preparing Human Food

by mixing them, they are rendered tasteless, as the flavor of one neutralizes (if it does not destroy) the taste of another. To make models of bills of fare is not difficult, but to follow them is nearly impossible; hardly one in a hundred would suit any one. Bills of fare vary according to the season of the year, and therefore to the produce in the market. We will try to give another, and we think a better way of making them to suit everybody, every purse, and at any time. A dinner, no matter how grand, is composed of three courses, and seven kinds of dishes. The first course comprises dishes of four kinds, viz.: potages, _hors-d'oeuvres_, _relevés_, _and entrées_. The second course comprises dishes of two kinds, viz.: _rôts_ and _entremets_. The third course comprises dishes of one kind, the dessert. The number of dishes of each kind is generally according to the number of guests. It may also be according to the importance of the occasion for which the dinner is given; to the honor the giver or givers wish to show the personage or personages invited; to the amount of money they are willing to spend, etc. The following table shows how many dishes of each kind are to be served at dinner to a certain number of persons: -----+-+-+-+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+---+---------------------------------------- For..|2|4|6|10|16|20|30|40|50|60|80|100| Persons. Serve|1|1|1| 2| 2| 2| 4| 4| 4| 6| 8| 8| Potages. " |2|2|2| 4| 4| 6| 6|10|10|12|12| 16| Hors-d'oeuvres. " |1|1|1| 2| 2| 2| 4| 4| 4| 6| 8| 8| Relevés of fish. " |1|1|1| 2| 2| 2| 4| 4| 4| 6| 8| 8| " of meat. " |2|2|2| 4| 4| 4| 8| 8| 8|12|16| 16| Entrées. " |1|1|1| 2| 2| 2| 4| 4| 4| 6| 8| 8| Rôts. " |1|1|1| 2| 2| 2| 4| 4| 4| 6| 8| 8| Salads of greens. " |2|2|2| 4| 4| 4| 8| 8| 8|12|16| 16| Entremets. " | | | | | | 2| 2| 2| 4| 4| 6| 8| Large side pieces of Relevés & Entrées. " | | | | | | | | 2|