A Dutch Supper.
Some cold night try an American version of a Dutch supper. Have the place cards in the form of Hans Brinker with the silver skates, or sketches of Henriette Ronner's famous cats. A windmill for a centerpiece and copies of the wooden shoes for bonbons and nuts.
Use Delft china and of course the coffee must be from Mandheling or Padang—the best Java. From a German bake shop get the bread, either "Kummel," (which is rye with caraway seeds), or Pumpernickel. Be sure and have herring and anchovies in some form—anchovy toast is nice. The simplest way to prepare this is to toast white bread cut in strips, then spread each with butter and essence of anchovy. Fry some fine oysters. Prepare plenty of cabbage salad or cold slaw, with boiled dressing. From a delicatessen store procure dill pickles and a nice Edam cheese.
After these, serve rich compotes of fruit—cherry and plum, with anise seed cookies and little nutmeg and cinnamon cakes, so that if, perchance, dreams follow, they will be of the tropic seas and the fragrant breezes of the Dutch spice islands.