TO INTEREST HOUSEWIVES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 227, 24 August 1938, Page 12

TO INTEREST HOUSEWIVES.

SOUP TUREENS RETURN. * (Copyright.) * The soup tureen has been relegated % for so many years to the highest shelf j of the china cupboard, where it was ] not even so much as seen, that its re- j turn, not alone for its practical use, t but as a decorative feature for a din- ( ing-roorn, is something of a surprise, s But such is the fact. This turn of af- i fairs, however, is quite in accord with . the reappearance of any style that has been out. It conies back in some now * guise, with some different twist, and 1 i so has its novel element as one reason for its renaissance. The soup tureen, to-day, finds itself in demand for many another dish than soup. What these are will he discussed in another article. To-day it is enough *o consider the ornamental possibilities of the tureen whatever its substance, silver, china, semi-porcelain, etc. Soup tureens have always been prominent dishes, large in size, and often beautiful in shape and style. Much artistic ingenuity has been expended in fashioning them to be distinctive, sfe that they grace a table to perfection. One of the handsomest styles is the octagonal pedestal tureen with its separate standard having an indented place for the base of the spreading stem of the tureen to fit. These standards are not insignificant, but large as chop i dishes or medium sized platters, as befits the holder of so conspicuous a thing as a tureen. Oval tureens are next in ornamental value in the regulation shapes. There are fantastic shapes in tureen ensembles wrought in silver which are choice and costly. But whatever the style, a soup tureen is a piece of stemware as it has a pedestal supporting the capacious container, which stem is in one with the tureen itself. It is the standard tray-like portion which is separate frequently, making the ensemble in three parts, standard, tureen, and cover, instead or ■ the more usual two-piece tureen ot dish and cover. A soup tureen, now, 'may be a centrepiece for a dining table during a meal or between meals, and have no function other than that of oranment. Such a tureen must be decorative ot itself. It may be of choice ware without ornamentation save for its beauty of form and tone, or it may be rimmed with a border contrasting in colour or having a design on it also. Or, again, the tureen may be embellished over its entire surface. . . When used for a centrepiece during a meal, the tureen may be flanked by two lighted candles, or have four about it. Or vases of flowers may be used instead of the candles, not that either candles or vases are necessary. uhey are merely attractive* adjuncts. When the tureen is minus a separate standard it mav be on a mirror d oyley which would reflect the shimmering light ot candles or the gay beauty of flowers, if used with the tureen. Tureens are also used as fruit dishes, in which case, tlic cover is, of course, omitted. A bowl may he put in the tureen so that less fruit is needed since only that on top is visible. Occasionally tureens a.re used for flower holders, which may he a delightful purpose if flowers are in profusion in it.