MENU - Gala-Day Luncheons: A Little Book of Suggestions - 19

The fish is prepared by putting a pound and a half of boiled halibut through a sieve, adding a teacup of whipped cream, seasoning, and the whites of five eggs well beaten; the whole is put in a buttered mould and steamed for half an hour, turned out on a round platter with the lobster sauce around it, and passed. The sauce for the chicken is made by pressing stewed celery through a sieve, adding seasoning and thickening. Stewed celery may be served with the chicken in place of this sauce.

The sweetbreads are cleaned, blanched by throwing in cold water when taken from that in which they have been boiled, and cut in bits; they are then seasoned and put in small moulds and aspic, or melted beef extract, and dissolved gelatine is poured over them. When they are served they are put on lettuce leaves and a white mayonnaise is put by the side of each.

The cream may be in the form of cradles, as has been suggested, or a white cream may be served in spun sugar cases, or, if neither of these is to be had, a plain cream may be served in slices with whipped cream around each. The cake should be passed in a large iced loaf, and the coffee should have a spoonful of whipped cream on top.

With the last course a large silver tray may be carried around the table with a mass of white roses and asparagus fern on it, which proves to separate readily into individual roses, each one holding a tiny card bearing the name of the newly named baby, which the guests will doubtless like to preserve as souvenirs of the day.

To alter this menu a trifle for those who do not fancy a sherbet and a cream in the same luncheon, have for dessert small moulds of whipped cream set with gelatine, filled with chopped almonds and flavoured with sherry; serve a spoonful of whipped cream with each. This is a good dish and one that is easily prepared, and may be substituted in any luncheon for the suggested cream when that is not just what is wanted.