A Waffle Supper.
Let us have a waffle party and introduce some of the men to more intimate acquaintance with the mysteries of the cuisine.
Flat dwellers (the word always reminds me of "Cliff dwellers") seem to consider that the propinquity of the kitchen makes entertaining a difficult matter, but if the truth were known, it makes possible many a winter evening's jollity.
The invitations are made of cream white satin, fashioned in the exact shape and size of a waffle section, padded with white cotton wadding and tacked to simulate the meeting place of the irons. They are then scorched to the right color with a hot iron and on them is printed in sepia tints
"Come and eat me;"
on the reverse side is printed
Date "——, at 8 P. M. —— Ave."
Use the abbreviated forms for this lettering on account of the difficulty encountered from limited space and the writing on satin.
Before the evening arrives prepare cards about four by six inches, in the center of which print a much praised recipe for waffles, reading as follows: Six cups flour; three teaspoonfuls baking powder; four cups milk; three tablespoonfuls butter; one and one-half teaspoonfuls salt; nine eggs beaten separately. Mix flour, baking powder and salt, yolks with milk, then melted butter, flour and last the beaten whites.
In the upper left hand corner of the card have a small pen and ink sketch of some cooking utensil and in the right hand corner a number. In the center a ribbon for fastening. The utensils are as follows: 1. Waffle irons. 2. Mixing bowl. 3. Milk bottle. 4. Salt box. 5. Eggs. 6. Egg beater. 7. Butter. 8. Flour sieve.
It is possible to introduce as many different cooking utensils as there are guests.
After half an hour's visit let the guests all repair to the kitchen where the numbered articles are to be found. No. 1, to whom is apportioned the two waffle irons, lights the gas under them, greases the irons when hot with a square of salt pork on the end of a fork and—later—cooks the first waffle, but that comes later on. Each secures his special utensil.
The Master of Ceremonies takes charge and calls off the various ingredients in proper order. Number 2 warms the mixing bowl slightly, Number 3 unstoppers the milk and measures it, Number 4 measures the salt, Number 5 breaks the eggs and beats the yolks, Number 6 beats the whites, Number 7 melts the butter, Number 8 measures the flour, Number 9 produces and measures the baking powder, etc.
Finally, when all is ready and the Master of Ceremonies has superintended the proper mixing, the rest adjourn to the dining room, leaving numbers one and two to bake the first waffles.
The Master of Ceremonies sits at the head and the numbers run consecutively from his right. The swinging doors through the butler's pantry are propped open so as not to isolate the cooks and the supper begins.
At one end of the table have a medium sized veal loaf, at the other a mould of tongue jellied with hard boiled eggs. Chocolate is poured at one side of the table, coffee at the other. Marmalade, pickles and graham bread cut thin and made into sandwiches are placed in small dishes. Two large bowls of whipped cream with small bowls of powdered sugar, two pitchers of maple syrup boiled down and beaten until thick as batter, are for service with the waffles.
By the time the meats are served, the first sets of waffles are ready and the cooks pass them around. The next couple then pass to the kitchen to bake the next sets and so on until all are served.