The French deserve much praise for their taste in arranging fruits for the table. They almost invariably serve them with leaves, even resorting to artificial ones in winter. In the following arrangements, I have some of their dainty dishes in mind. Strawberries.The French serve large fine strawberries without being hulled. Pulverized sugar is passed, the strawberry is taken by the thumb and finger by the hull, dipped into the sugar, and eaten. The Wilson strawberry, however, which seems to be our principal market strawberry, certainly requires stemming, and deluging with sugar before serving. Mixed Fruits.[Image unavailable.] Always choose a raised dish for fruits. Arrange part of the clusters of grapes to fall gracefully over the edge of the dish. Mix any kind of pretty green leaves or vines, which may also fall, and wind around the stem of the dish. Although the colors of the fruits should blend harmoniously, and the general appearance should be fresh and nÉgligÉ, arrange them firmly, so that when the dish is moved there will be no danger of an avalanche. Water-melons.[Image unavailable.] A water-melon should be thoroughly chilled; it should be kept on the ice until about to be served. It may be simply cut in two, with a slice cut from the convex ends, to enable the halves to stand firmly on the platter. When thus cut, the pulp is scooped out in egg-shaped pieces with a table-spoon and served; or it may be cut as shown in figure, when slices with the rind attached may be served. Cantaloupe Melons.[Image unavailable.] Put it into the refrigerator until just before serving, to become thoroughly chilled; cut it as in figure here given, removing the seeds. Arrange four or five grape leaves on a platter, upon which place the melon. Currants.[Image unavailable.] Serve currants in rows of red and white, with a border of leaves around the outside, as shown in annexed cut. Currants or Other Fruits Iced.Beat the white of an egg barely enough to break it. Dip in selected bunches of fine currants, and while moist roll them in pulverized sugar. Place them on a sieve to dry. This makes a refreshing breakfast dish. Plums, cherries, grapes, or any other fruit may be iced in the same way. How they eat Oranges in Havana.A fork is pierced partly through the centre of an orange, entering it from the stem side; the fork serves for a handle, which is held in the left hand, while with a sharp knife the peel and thin skin are cut off in strips from the top of the orange to the fork handle; now, holding it in the right hand, the orange can be eaten, leaving all the fibrous pulp on the fork. Fresh Peaches.Choose large, fresh, ripe, and juicy peaches; pare, and cut them into two or three pieces. They should be large, luscious-looking pieces, not little chipped affairs. Sprinkle over granulated sugar, put them into the freezer, and half freeze them; this will require about an hour, as they are more difficult to freeze than cream. Do not take them from the freezer until the moment of serving, when sprinkle over a little more sugar. Serve in a glass dish. Canned peaches may be treated in the same manner. Pine-apples.When pine-apples are picked and eaten fresh in their own climate, they seem to dissolve in the mouth, and the fibrous [Image unavailable.] |