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

2| 4| 4| 6| " cakes. " |4|4|4| 8| 8| 8|16|16|16|24|32| 36| Plates of Dessert. -----+-+-+-+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+---+---------------------------------------- The above table shows the number of dishes, but more than one dish of the same kind can be served; for instance, four kinds of potages, _relevés_, etc., are served for forty; but two or four dishes of each kind can be served. The size of the _relevés_ and _rôts_ should be according to the number of guests. It is just as easy to select dishes for a small family-dinner as for a grand one; two, three, four, or more dishes can be selected; for instance, you select a potage, an _entrée_ or _rôt_, or both, one vegetable or a sweet dish, or both; and one or as many plates of dessert as you please. Have a bouquet on the middle of the table, if possible, or at least a basket of fruit. Flowers during dinner have the same effect as music after it; they soften the manners, and gently and sweetly gratify the senses. To simplify and render the making of bills of fare easy, we have divided the different dishes into seven parts, each part being in the order the dishes of which must be served, and representing the seven kinds of dishes composing a dinner. By this means you select the dish or dishes which suit you, and which you can procure in any or all of the seven parts, and your bill of fare is made, and more to your liking than any steward on earth can do. _Order of dishes._--1. _Potages_. 2. _hors-d'oeuvres_. 3. _Relevés_: of fish, and then of meat. 4. _Entrées_: beef, mutton, lamb, veal, fish, poultry, and game last. 5. _Rôts_: of meat, and then of fish. 6. _Entremets_: salads of greens, vegetables, eggs, macaroni, sweet dishes, and cakes. 7. _Dessert_: cheese the first. _First part_, or _Potages_.--Any kind coming under the head of potages or soups. _Second part_, or _hors-d'oeuvres_.--These are small dishes placed on the table as soon as the soup-dish is removed or even before, and which are removed just before serving the