Page:Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management.djvu/1884

1690 Following is a specimen menu:

SPECIMEN MENU FOR A DINNER.

TO LAY THE CLOTH FOR DINNER

The cloth itself must first be put on straight and evenly, and if at all creased should be pressed with a clean iron over a damp cloth; next follow the decorations, and when these are complete, comes the work of putting on spoons, knives, etc.

Everything necessary for laying the cloth, including the serviettes ready folded, should first be brought into the room, and it is a good plan to put the latter round the table first, so that the same amount of space can be allowed to each person.

These occupy the space between the knives and forks, and in each should be put either a dinner roll or a piece of bread cut rather thick.

Next place the menu cards, if these are used, either one to each person, or one between three and four, if only a few are provided.

The water carafes, cruets and salt cellars may next be laid. Of the former there should be at any rate one at each corner of the table, while there should be a salt cellar between every two persons. We now come to the knives and forks, and of these it is usual to lay two large ones, of each, flanked to the right by a fish knife and a soup spoon, and on the left by the fish fork; other knives and forks are supplied with the plates for the different courses.