The gentleman's table guide and table companion to the art of dining & drinking, with table habits and curious dishes of the various nations, &c., &c., with practical recipes for wine cups, American drinks, punches, cordials, récherché bills of fare, with service of wines, &c / by Edward Ricket.

  • Ricket, Edward.
Date:
1873
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The gentleman's table guide and table companion to the art of dining & drinking, with table habits and curious dishes of the various nations, &c., &c., with practical recipes for wine cups, American drinks, punches, cordials, récherché bills of fare, with service of wines, &c / by Edward Ricket. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    amongst rational beings, and in a civilised country, is extraordinary! See a small party with a dish of fish at each end of the table, and four silver covers unmeaningly starving at the sides, whilst everything pertaining to the fish comes, even with the best atten- dance, provokingly lagging, one thing after another, so that contentment is out of the question; and all this is done under pretence that it is the most conve- nient plan. This is an utter fallacy. The only con- venient plan is to have everything actually upon the table that is wanted at the same time, and nothing else ; as for example, for a party of eight, turbot and salmon, with doubles of each of the adjuncts, lobster- sauce, cucumber, young potatoes, cayenne, and Chili vinegar, and let the guests assist one another, which, with such an arrangement, they could do with perfect ease. This is undisturbed and visible comfort. I am speaking now only with reference to small parties. As to large ones, they have long been to me scenes of despair in the way of convivial enjoyment. A system of simple attendance would induce a system of simple dinners, which are the only dinners to be desired. The present system I consider strongly tainted with barbarism and vulgarity, and far removed from real and refined enjoyment. As tables are now arranged, one is never at peace from an arm continually taking off or setting on a side-dish, or reaching over to a wine- cooler in the centre. Then comes the more laborious changing of courses, with the leanings right and left, to admit a host of dishes, that are set on only to be taken D