A Handy Book on Dinners. Dinners and Diners at Home and Abroad (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1860 Excerpt: ... the table cP/idte character than the isolated provision for each guest which distinguishes the eating-house proper. At the inferior kind, about one o'clock, an inundation takes place of impetuous individuals, with damp umbrellas under one arm, and limp rolls of writing paper, tied round with a piece of red tape, under the other. These are the minor gentry of the law, who look with contempt on the innovating "glass of ale and a sandwich for fourpence," and have no faith in those bilious monstrosities denominated sausage rolls. They generally engage in a desultory comment on the Times, which they hold in one hand, whilst they engross imaginary deeds, with the bread crumbs collected, in the other. During the first part of the week the extra luxury of pastry is superadded to the substantiality of meat; but, towards the latter end, the repast is confined to the most satisfactory and least expensive fare--a phenomenon which has been attributed, with some show of reason, to the fluctuating condition of the waistcoat-pocket exchequer. An ordinary, where, for a moderate sum, the diner lias the privilege of consuming as much as his digestive faculties will permit, is peculiarly favourable to the habits of gentlemen who have great appetites and small incomes. The consumption of the articles, and the question of economy as to the choice of dining thus, is materially affected by the changes of the atmosphere. On a close, muggy day, the balance is in favour of the landlord: on a fine, frosty morning, the diner has the advantage considerably on his own side. It is perfectly frightful to nervous people, who have always the fear of a famine before their eyes, to mark the devastation that here prevails. We have seen a joint of reasonable dimensions dwindle in a se...