Arranging the Luncheon Table
A modern luncheon is a very convenient meal, permitting of an irregular number, and a great variety of displays. It can be made expensive or not, as occasion demands. Many luncheons, like many dinners, are apt to be over-sumptuous. The ideal luncheon is quite a simple affair.
Roasts and joints are never served but entrees and cold dishes instead. Table cloths are still frequently used, but the newer idea is the use of highly polished tables. These, when decorated with doilies and flowers, give a peculiarly antique effect, far surpassing in charm even the richest damask. At the embroidery shops many centerpieces and doilies for these occasions are being shown. A pretty set, intended for "the salad" course, consists of a round mat for the bowl, with smaller ones for the plates. The patterns are mostly wreaths of brier roses and vines.
A pleasant innovation in summer, and one especially adapted to spacious homes, is to serve the luncheon on the piazzas or in shaded spots around the yard. This agreeable change brings about a sociability that delights the reserved and pleases even the most fastidious.
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