Hello! I think we need to have a conversation about the “Rules of Etiquette”. Lately I’ve been seeing a lot of videos and demonstrations that say things like, “Women in the Victorian Era never showed their ankles.” Or, “Until the 1920’s only prostitutes or actresses wore make-up.” And even, “Middle Class people in the Victorian…
Read MoreMerry Christmas, Here’s Some Cake
My Grandmother used to make this Christmas Cake on Christmas Eve. In the morning, you slice it and toast it, spreading it with butter before eating it. It is moist and delicious and hey, it’s got nuts and fruit, so it’s breakfast, right? This is a very old recipe that I’ve made only a few…
Read MoreNapkin Etiquette at the Dinner Table
Now that we discussed the napkin to a torturous degree. Let’s look at the current American rules for using your napkin at dinner: Firstly, the general rule is to place your napkin in your lap as soon as you sit down. There are two exceptions to this rule. When attending a formal dinner, you will wait for…
Read MoreAll The Stuff: The Napkin
Hello, I’m Cheri and I am a linen addict. I’ve been trying to get better, but it’s so hard. I Marie Kondo’d my linens and gave away a bunch of stuff, but there still seem to be lace, damask and cotton pouring out of the cupboards and closets. If you read my post on doilies,…
Read MorePunch: Non-Alcoholic Punch (that you can make sassy)
Soooo… I was trying to find a family recipe for punch that didn’t contain alcohol and there weren’t any. I think this may be because by the time my brother and I were children, there were no other kids in the family. So there never was a need for non-alcoholic punch. I’ve yet to go…
Read MoreOld Timey Cookin’: The Chafing Dish Part Two, In which we learn how to use a chafing dish and it’s useful(ish) etiquette
Chafing dishes are wonderfully simple bits of kit. Given that it’s one of the oldest forms of cookery, it’s not a surprise that they’re basic. It’s a container to hold a hot flame, a water bath to keep the food from burning and a dish for cooking and/or keeping food hot. If you’re using a…
Read MoreOld Timey Cookin’: The Chafing Dish, Part One. In which we discover the joys of table top cookery.
“Chafing dish cookery was one of the earliest known branches of the culinary art, having been held in high repute from almost prehistoric times, although it has recently enjoyed a revival at the hands of our enterprising American cousins, who find that in a country where cooks, or needed servants of any sort, are at…
Read MoreAll The Stuff: Chow Chow Spoons
Talk about something you rarely see today. I came across this oddly shaped spoon when I was looking for additional pieces to my silverware set and found a listing for a chow chow spoon. If you’ve never heard of chow chow, you aren’t alone. Chow chow is an American cabbage relish. Used as a condiment…
Read MoreThe Naming Of Things: Compotes, Comports, Tazzas and Bon-Bon Dishes
Those who could afford it at the turn of the century loved having a dish for every purpose. They also loved having a variety of nibbles at the table, (apparently ten courses weren’t enough). They loved love them so much they developed multiple similar dishes to contain the array of wonderful nosh-ables and sometimes decorative…
Read MoreBreakfasts: Part 5 The Setting and Etiquette of The Breakfast
“This really is the same as the formal Luncheon except the men are invited with the ladies, and coffee is served throughout the meal. The table may be covered or bare. If bare, use doilies for plates and glasses. The arrangement of the cover is the same as for the formal dinner. Lighter dishes are…
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