BREAKFAST HOSPITALITY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3994, 30 September 1930, Page 60

BREAKFAST HOSPITALITY.

The very nicest party I ever attended, I think, was a barn breakfast in Vermont (says Caroline B. King, in the Ladies’ Home Journal). The barn, or stable as I believe they called it, belonged to a century-old farmhouse; indeed it was practically a part of the house itself, as it was the last of a long series of woodsheds and summer kitchens and what not that had attached themselves to the main building in that altogether charming New England manner. The house, in turn, belonged to a young couple noted for their originality and cleverness, and when they invited me to one of their popular barn breakfasts, I knew that I might expect something unique. And I was not disappointed. The old barn had been cleaned and scoured and freshly whitewashed, hay filled the mows and loft, bright calico curtained the windows, a few potted plants stood on the sills, and the table was set with homespun napery, some old pewter my hosts had picked up here and there, and china that was close to 100 years old. There, in the sweet hay-scented morning, before the big business of the day—golf, fishing, hiking, and tennis—began, we were served a breakfast that I shall long remember. Great platters of crisply broiled bacon, fish cakes fit for a banquet, omelets, one for each guest, with watercress fresh from the stream to garnish them, broiled tomatoes, hot breads in variety, -waffles with pure, honest Vermont maple syrup, and clear hot coffee and jugs of yellow cream passed unstintingly all through the meal. And then, to crown all, deep saucers of freshly picked blueberries to be eaten with rich milk.

It was all so tempting, so delightfully novel, the food was so good, the fun so spontaneous, the day so delicious—really a sparkling occasion in every way.

Breakfast parties, whether they be served in the barn or in the house, on the veranda or in the garden, may be so jolly. There is no more pleasant way of starting a holiday or a day at golf or some other sport than to invite a few of one’s most congenial friends for a cup of morning coffee. Entertainments of this kind border just closely enough on to gay Bohemia to make them especially appealing to the artistic set, and the colour linens and the quaint peasant china, sparkling many-hued glassware, gleaming waffle irons, toasters that uot only brown the bread to perfection but add to the morning’s enter tainment by their performance, coffee pots that amuse as well as cheer, are all so fashionable and popular just now and all beckon and lure one to use them at just such jolly gipsy feastings. Everything about. a breakfast party may be as informal as one desires. The hour may be 7 o’clock in the morning, it may be noon, or it may be at any time between; the menu may be a simple Sunday morning breakfast or it may include half-a-dozen'extra nice, out-of-the ordinary dishes; the guests may remain for the day or they may depart as soon as the meal is finished. A breakfast, you see, is so delightfully unconventional a function that there are no rules pertaining to it but those of good fellowship and hospitality. If your garden boast a grill, as so many do these days, it is good fun to cook the breakfast in the open, a real Bohemian affair, With the guests helping, and the . meal consisting of broiled bacon, eggs,.perhaps fish'thats’.ery morning taken from a near-by-stream, or the table or tables may be set on the porch and hot dishes prepared at a side table on the electric grill. If it is decided to serve the breakfast in the dining room with all the usual paraphernalia, take care that it is all done simply and informally. Candles are not appropriate even as decorations, and the flo-wers should be just the common garden varieties, arranged in a rustic basket or a bowl of crude glass or peasant ware.

And now what to serve? Fruit, of course, is in order, and in summer the ruits are so many and so alluring. Then there will be a substantial course con sisting of fish, chops, sweetbreads, with crisply cooked appetising bacon as an accompaniment, eggs, delicate dishes of creamed chicken, two kinds of hot bread —and toast as well—unsalted butter, marmalade or honey, and clear, hot, fragrant coffee with jugs of hot milk and cream.

No potatoes? No vegetables? Well, that is a matter for discussion; potatoes are not necessary, but many persons like them at late breakfast. Balloon pota toes, Lyonnaise potatoes, French-fried or Saratoga potatoes are not only permissible, but very palatable; as to vegetables, they make charming garnishes if used with discretion; broiled tomatoes alternating with slices of bacon about a dish of chops, thinly sliced cucumbers or tomatoes marinated in French dressing about a platter of fried fillets of fish, fresh asparagus in butter sauce with individual steaks, crisp little crimson radishes garnishing an omelet—these are all delightful additions to a breakfast menu.

While the guests are arriving it is a very pleasant novelty to serve coffee cocktails. These are merely tiny cups of clear, very hot coffee, which is stimulating and refreshing, especially if the drive has been long or the hour is early. / The table, whether it is laid in the dining room or on the porch, should be simply arrayed; d’oyleys or one of the very smart coloured breakfast cloths witn napkins to match take the place of the more elaborate damask or lace cloth, honeysuckle with its pungent perfume wild roses or sweet peas simply arranged, gaily informal china, steel cutlery with bright-hued handles, rainbow-tinted glassware and a general air of good cheer will help materially to make the affair a success.

The fruit will be in place when the guests take their seats, to be followed by a cereal if you so desire, and the substantials that you have selected. It is well to feature some dish for which you or the host is famous, or perhaps one that may make you famous.

As to the fruits, one has great latitude. Chilled orange juice is always delightful, or iced and slightly sweetened grapefruit juice to which a few choice strawberries cut in quarters have been added may be? preferred. Then there are large handsome oranges halved, slightly hollowed, and filled with perfect raspberries; sour pie cherries pitted and generously sugared, then chilled for twelve hours aud arranged in glasses with a garnish of cherrie leaves; or ripe currants and red rasplierries served English fashion with powdered sugar. Georgia peaches halved crosswise, pitted and placed on grape 1 leaves, to be eaten with a spoon, fruit cup of pineapple, oranges and strawberries; halved very cold casaba melon or honeydew filled with chilled strawberries, huge crimson strawberries unhulled and grouped about mounds of

powdered sugar—these are only a few of the many tempting beginnings available for a summer breakfast.

, Watermelon melange makes an attractive first course. Cut balls of or dice pink watermelon, green honeydew and salmon-tinted cantaloupe, and chill well, arrange in sherbet glasses so that all the delicate colours are displayed, sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar and pour over a few spoonfuls of orange juice, border the glasses with fresh mint leaves and place a bright cherry or berry in the centre of each.

Cereal is not often served at a company breakfast, though there is no reason why it should not be included if one wishes. The crisp ready-to-eat varieties are delicious accompanied by ripe berries and rich milk or cream. If one knows the tastes of one’s guest, a temptingly cooked hot cereal with cream and sugar may follow the fruit, but as a usual thing the substantial course with its accessories in the way of alluring hot breads, piquant garnishes and coffee is served next, and here again the hostess has a wonderful list of good things, to choose from. Broiled chicken or squab, or chicken breasts on ham slices are delightful for very special occasions. Frogs’ legs saute, sweetbreads, chicken livers with mushrooms and bacon, fried scallops, smelts, trout, lambs’ kidneys en brochette, chicken hash in green pepper cups, finnan haddie Delmonico, and omelets of every sort and description are all very appetising and very appropriate. Sometimes two main dishes are provided, one of which may be a delicate egg concoction, and always there will be bacon, broiled, fried, curled, diced, used as a garnish or added to the muffin or waffle batter.

Toast is quite as important as the bacon; frequently it is made on the table fresh and hot, but if it is used as a base for some creamed dish it is made in the kitchen.