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                        THE EXPERT WAITRESS

                         _A MANUAL FOR THE
                 PANTRY, KITCHEN, AND DINING-ROOM_

                                 BY
                      ANNE FRANCES SPRINGSTEED

                           [Illustration]

                              NEW YORK
                    HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS




               Copyright, 1894, by HARPER & BROTHERS.

                       _All rights reserved._




                                 TO

                         THE COLUMBIA CLUB

                                 OF

                           WORKING GIRLS

                          THIS LITTLE BOOK

                          Is Dedicated by

                             THE AUTHOR




                              PREFACE


The papers entitled “The Expert Waitress” are intended rather as a
working model than as a set of rules from which there is no appeal. It
is recognized that tastes and opinions vary as much as do the various
dining-rooms in which they are expressed. In writing these papers, one
idea has been kept in mind: No rule has been laid down that has not a
good reason for its existence.

Some things, desirable in themselves, have been omitted because they
are not possible to one pair of hands and feet, even when guided by a
well-regulated brain.




                              CONTENTS


                                                       PAGE

          BREAKFAST                                       1

          LUNCHEON                                       14

          DINNER                                         22

          SUPPER                                         32

          AFTERNOON TEA                                  39

          PIC-NIC AND TRAVELLING LUNCHEONS               42

          CARE OF DINING-ROOM                            44

          CARE OF PANTRY                                 49

          WASHING DISHES                                 53

          CARE OF SILVER, ETC.                           59

          LAMPS                                          61

          CARVING                                        65

          CARE OF CARVERS                                72

          GENERAL RULES                                  73

          MISCELLANEOUS INSTRUCTIONS                     77

          USEFUL SUGGESTIONS                             92

          IN THE INVALID’S ROOM                          99

          TRUTHFULNESS IN THE WAITRESS                  106

          ADAPTABILITY                                  113

          A SERVANT’S CONTRACT                          121




                             Breakfast                                       1


                             _Oranges._
                     _Pearled Oats with Cream._
               _Lamb Chops._      _Creamed Potatoes._
                    _Bread._      _Hot Muffins._
                             _Butter._
                       _Coffee._      _Milk._
                        _Cream or Hot Milk._

The breakfast given is a usual one in many households. Learn to serve
this properly, and it will be easy to make changes where ideas vary as
to comfort and convenience.

To serve the breakfast given there will be needed: Napkins, tumblers,
salt cups, pepper boxes, salt spoons, butter plate and knife,
bread-and-butter plates, bread plate, bread knife, bread board, muffin
dish, water pitcher, milk pitcher, trays.
                                                                             2
  +-----------+-------------------+---------------+------------------------+
  | FRUIT.    | Fruit dish.       | Fruit knives. |                        |
  |           | Finger bowl.      | Fruit plates. | Fruit spoons.          |
  |           | Doilies.          |               |                        |
  |-----------|-------------------|---------------|------------------------|
  | PEARLED   | Covered dish.     | Cereal dishes | Tablespoons.           |
  | OATS.     | Cream jugs.       | on plates.    | Dessertspoons.         |
  |           | Sugar bowl.       |               |                        |
  |-----------|-------------------|---------------|------------------------|
  | CHOPS AND | Platter.          |               | Small carver and fork. |
  | POTATOES. | Tray for platter. | Breakfast     | Two tablespoons.       |
  |           | Covered dish.     | plates.       | Breakfast knives.      |
  |           |                   |               | Breakfast forks.       |
  |-----------|-------------------|---------------|------------------------|
  | COFFEE.   | Hot-water kettle. |               |                        |
  |           | Coffee pot and    | Coffee cups   | Sugar tongs.           |
  |           | stand and small   | and saucers.  | Teaspoons.             |
  |           | strainer.         |               | Sugarspoons.           |
  |           | Hot-milk pitcher  |               |                        |
  |           | (covered) and     |               |                        |
  |           | stand.            |               |                        |
  |           | Cream jug.        |               |                        |
  |           | Sugar bowl.       |               |                        |
  |           | Slop bowl.        |               |                        |
  +-----------+-------------------+---------------+------------------------+

The dish of fruit is to stand in the centre of the table. Place a salt
cup, with its spoon, and a pepper box for the use of every two people.
Put for each person a fruit plate, on which is a fruit doily, and a
finger bowl one third full of water. On the plate at the right of the
bowl lay a silver fruit knife, on the left of the plate a fruit spoon.
At the right of each plate place a tumbler for water and another for
milk. At the left put a little plate for bread, butter, and hot
muffins. On the table, at the right of the plates, lay a breakfast           3
knife, with the sharp edge of the blade turned towards the plate, a
silver knife for butter, and a dessertspoon, with bowl turned up. At
the left lay a breakfast fork, with the tines turned up, and a napkin.

If the polished table, without a cloth, is preferred for breakfast, it
will be necessary to take thought about hot dishes, none of which must
come in direct contact with the table. Either they must be served from
a side-table, or the polished table must be in some way protected.
Table mats have been discarded by many ladies because they are so
often merely useful without being ornamental.

Among the handsomest things with which to replace table mats are
hand-painted trays, set in rims of split bamboo. The rim protects the
table, and prevents the platter from sliding. These should be handled
with great care, on account of their value. With one of these trays at
the foot of the table, the fruit in the centre, and the coffee service
at the head, all has a finished appearance when breakfast is served.         4

With the placing of the coffee service at the head of the table the
difficulty of heat again presents itself, and this time cannot be
obviated by the side-table. The hot-water kettle is taken care of by
its own lamp-stand; but the coffee-pot and hot-milk jug still remain.
These must be provided for according to their character. If of silver,
they should rest on silver stands; if of china, then on china stands;
the purpose being to make the stand appear like a part of that which
rests upon it, and so be as unnoticeable as possible.

The expert waitress will arrange her sideboard and side-table with as
much care as she does the table itself. These two accessories should
hold everything that may, can, or shall be needed. The sideboard may
be left uncovered if the table is uncovered. If the table is draped, a
suitable cloth must be laid on the sideboard. A side-table should
always be draped. Use this for hot dishes without stands. The                5
sideboard should hold in readiness extra plates, knives, forks,
spoons, tumblers and napkins, fine sugar for the pearled oats, a
pitcher of water, and a pitcher of milk.

On the side-table should be plenty of space for whatever hot dishes
are to be placed upon it, including the muffin dish, a silver tray for
placing and removing everything that is not soiled; another tray,
either of silver or carved wood, for removing that which is soiled, a
small napkin for taking up quickly anything that may be spilled, and a
large napkin or neat towel to be used in an emergency, such as the
accidental overturning of a glass of milk or a cup of coffee.

When she thinks that all is ready, the waitress should ask and answer
every one of these questions:

Does the table need anything more?

Is the sideboard perfectly arranged?

Is there plenty of room on the side-table?

Are the chairs properly placed?

Are the morning papers where they should be?                                 6

Are any doors unnecessarily open?

Is there a drawer that is not tightly closed?

Has any dust been overlooked in the dining-room?

Two minutes before the breakfast hour begin to fill the glasses with
water. This will be finished in time, and the water will be cool and
fresh.

As to the time of placing butter upon the table, a waitress must be
guided by her judgment. In winter, when butter is very hard, it may be
put on sooner than in summer, when it should be kept cool until
needed.

Bread must be always freshly cut.

When the family are seated at the table, place the fruit dish on a
tray and hand it to the lady of the house, standing at her left side.
Offer to each person, always at the left.

When the fruit has been served, see if any one has emptied his glass
of water. Never, under any circumstances, let any one ask for a glass        7
of water. Fill it before he can ask. If carafes are used, and each one
fills his own glass, after it has been once emptied, then keep watch
of ice, and offer when it is needed.

When the fruit course is finished, remove everything pertaining to it.
Take first the fruit dish, then, in each hand, a plate with its
finger-bowl, knife, and spoon, and place quietly and quickly in the
pantry until all are removed. If a knife, only, has been used, do not
leave the fruit spoon because it is clean, but take it away with the
other things. If any fruit juice has, by chance, found its way to the
polished table, take it up so deftly with a small napkin that no one
is aware of it.

When the fruit is removed, bring the dish of pearled oats and place on
the tray at the foot of the table. Lay a tablespoon at the right of
the dish. Place before each person a cereal dish on a plate. Remove
the cover of the pearled oats to the side-table. Place the dish on the
tray, put the spoon in the dish, and offer first to the lady of the
house, standing at her left. Offer to each person from the left. Then        8
pass the sugar and cream.

When the cereal course is finished, take the cereal dish, with its
tray, and place it on the side-table. Cover the dish. Take in each
hand a cereal dish and plate, until all are removed to the pantry.

For the meat course see that the plates are warm, but not hot enough
to mar the polish of the table. Where a cloth is used they may be
hotter. Place a tray for the hot platter at the foot of the table, and
stand the platter of chops on it. Lay a small carving-knife and
tablespoon at the right of the platter, and a small carving-fork at
its left. Place a pile of warmed plates in front of the platter.

When a chop has been served, take the plate in the right hand, place
it on the tray, and take it to the lady of the house. Serve, first,
all on one side of the table, then all on the other side. There is no
choice in this service, for the carver asks each one if he may serve
them. Go to the _right_ of the person served and place the plate, instead    9
of having it taken from the tray at the left.

Take the potato dish from the side-table, uncover and place on the
tray; put a tablespoon in the dish and pass. Serve each person from
the left.

Place a platter of plain bread on the table, and then pass the hot
muffins. If any one does not care for hot bread he may decline,
because he knows that the cold bread is at hand.

Pass the butter and the bread.

Watch the water tumblers and fill