ice of a good dinner as cheese is with plain
salad. When olives are on the table, they go well with _entrees_ of
game; French chestnuts boiled, are excellent with poultry; and almonds,
blanched and roasted with salt, are enjoyable with Madeira or Sherry
before the sweet _entrements_. Only a plain vegetable salad should
accompany the roast or game; and a bit of any old cheese may be passed
with the salad. Cheese straws or cheese crusts may be served with the
salad. Although the cheese belongs with the salad, it enters into some
delicate dishes, such as _fondus and souffles_, which may come to the
table either after the oysters or soup, as relishes, or before the large
sweets at dessert, previous to the service of the nuts and fruit. Then
comes the dessert. If the dinner is a small one it is perfectly
permissible for the hostess to make the coffee at the table, or it may
be served in the drawing-room later. Even with the best chosen _menu_,
the success of a dinner depends on the skill of the cook. A good cook
appreciates the value of sauces, and will give much care to their
preparation, and, above all, will endeavor to preserve the natural
flavors of the different dishes. All mingling of flavors is
objectionable, except in sauces and salads.

First Course Dishes.--Following are the names of the different courses
which make up the detail of the regular dinner, both the English and
French names being given. The complete detail of service is indicated,
so that the most inexperienced can succeed. THE SHELLFISH (_Huitres_),
includes small raw oysters, and little neck or hard-shell clams on the
half-shell at the same time, brown bread, cut very thin and buttered,
and cut lemons, salt, cayenne, and some sharp table-sauces are placed
upon the table in the original bottles. THE SOUP (_Potage_) is varied
according to the character of the dinner, either a perfectly clear soup,
or _consomme_, and the other a rich thick one, such as a _bisque_ or
cream. A thick cut of bread, or a roll with crisp crust, is placed upon
the napkin when the cover, or place, is laid; this is not eaten with the
soup usually, but is generally used after it with the shell-fish, hot
_entree_, or at any time during dinner. THE FISH (_Poisson_) may be of
any large kind, boiled or baked, and served with a good sauce and plain
boiled potatoes. If shell-fish is used at this point of the dinner, this
dish should be large and hot, like broiled lobster. THE RELISHES (_