IN these days of theatre and opera parties the matter of late suppers assumes more importance than it possessed in the time when these amusements were less universally popular. Upon the occasions when a young man escorted his "best girl" to the play or the concert, he took her afterwards, as a natural sequence, to a restaurant, where they partook of some such light refreshment as ice-cream, cake, and coffee, this style of supper being varied sometimes by the introduction of oysters in one form or another. But when a company of young people go to the theatre nowadays, and return afterwards to the house of their chaperon or of some other member of the party, they are usually hungry with the healthy appetite that it is no longer the foolish fashion to conceal.

The members of whist clubs, of literary or dramatic circles, of small dancing classes, of amateur orchestras, and of a variety of other similar social organizations, feel a like desire for food after an evening's busy occupation, while even in the family the sensible custom is gaining ground of eating something not long before retiring—a something which, if not equal in extent and weight to the late supper of our English cousins, is yet more substantial than the caramels and chocolate creams with which school-girls, and often their seniors, solace the hunger that is apt to attack them about bedtime.

When one gives only an occasional reception or evening party it is taken for granted that the refreshments will be rather elaborate in their nature. But when the meetings of a club of any sort are of weekly, fortnightly, or even monthly recurrence, the expense becomes an object. There may be some members of the body to whom the disbursement of a few dollars more or less is a matter of trivial moment, but there is very rarely any club of this sort where there are not some who would feel seriously the cost of entertaining in a showy fashion. For the sake of these weak brothers or sisters, a certain amount of consideration should be shown, and no display made by the wealthy ones which would throw into the shade the simpler entertainment which is all many can afford to offer. A supper need not be poor because it is not costly, but it must make up in daintiness and unusualness for what it lacks in price.

A chief object to be sought in planning these suppers is to select something which can be made ready beforehand, so that the hostess can enjoy her evening without being handicapped in her pleasure-seeking by the thought of possible complications arising in the preparation of the supper which may require her absence from the room. Unless she has a practised cook, she should not attempt dishes of oysters, or of anything of the kind which demands careful supervision at the last moment. Instead of this, she should content herself with chocolate or coffee and bouillon for the hot items of her menu, and for the rest take her choice from among the many salads and other cold dishes which are generally popular. Cold chicken or duck, jellied tongue or fowl, or a really fine galantine, or a dish of salad, and rolls or sandwiches at discretion, may be chosen. For sweets, ices are always excellent if they can be procured; or if not, there are jellies, which, with whipped cream and light cakes, coffee, or chocolate, are quite enough—indeed, more than enough in many cases. Often sandwiches, cake, and coffee are sufficient; but let the sandwiches be of something besides ham and tongue, the cake be light and delicious, and the coffee strong and clear, and served with whipped cream.

If hot dishes are indispensable, something should be selected like chicken or sweetbread pÂtÉs, or lobster in some form, which will not be injured by warming over. Croquettes too, if properly prepared, are delicious, but they must be soft and creamy inside, not hard like sausage balls.

For the home supper the preparations are much simpler. This late repast may consist merely of a plate of crackers, or of light biscuit, or of bread-and-butter, with perhaps a tin of potted meat, or a few sardines, or a piece of cheese, or a box of guava jelly, or a little fruit. Iced water, or milk and Apollinaris, or Seltzer are the best beverages to serve, or, for those who like it, a bottle of ale or beer.

In the hope of aiding housekeepers who desire to prepare something a little different from the stereotyped suppers so common at evening entertainments, and which usually consist of oysters, chicken or lobster salad, sandwiches, ice-cream, and coffee, there are appended a few recipes for dishes perhaps less commonly known than those just mentioned.

Lobster Salmi.—Two cups boiled lobster (cut, not chopped, into small pieces), three eggs (the yolks only), two tablespoonfuls butter, half a pint of cream, one wine-glassful sherry, one tablespoonful brandy, Cayenne pepper and salt to taste, one teaspoonful lemon juice. Put the lobster over the fire in a double boiler with the butter, wine, brandy, pepper, and salt; let it become smoking hot. It will not injure it to stand covered at the back of the stove for some time. Just before it is to be served bring the water in the outer vessel to the boiling-point, and stir into the scalding hot lobster the beaten yolks of the eggs and the cream. Let this stand one minute longer on the fire, remove, add the lemon juice, and serve at once in small silver or china shells or in nappies.

French Fish Salad.—Select some firm white-fish (halibut is excellent for this purpose), and boil. When perfectly cold cut it into neat slices; on each slice lay a sardine, and arrange the fish upon and among crisp lettuce leaves. Prepare a mayonnaise dressing, and into a half-pint of it stir three sardines rubbed smooth with the back of a fork. Pass the sauce in a pitcher containing a spoon or small ladle, that each guest may help himself.

Lobster Mayonnaise Sandwiches.—Into half a cupful of finely minced lobster stir two tablespoonfuls of mayonnaise dressing. Season to taste with Cayenne pepper and salt, with a little lemon juice if it seems to be needed. Select bread a day old for this purpose, butter it light on the loaf, and cut very thin. Spread a slice with the mixture, and lay another buttered slice upon it, face downward. Cut into small neat squares or triangles. The crust is sometimes trimmed off.

Chicken mayonnaise sandwiches may be made in the same way, rejecting all bits of skin or gristle, and omitting the lemon juice. Ham, tongue, and shrimp mayonnaise sandwiches are also good prepared in similar fashion.

Veal Galantine.—Select a breast of veal about eighteen inches long by twelve wide, and remove from it all bits of bone or gristle. Spread the inside of it with a layer of sausage meat, or of salt or corned pork finely chopped, and highly seasoned with minced onion, parsley, and sweet-herbs. Upon this lay a few thin slices of cold boiled ham and tongue and several strips of raw veal. Spread these with more of the force-meat, taking care not to bring it too near the edges, as it would then squeeze out when the galantine is rolled. Sprinkle chopped herbs and onion over the inside, and roll up the piece of veal, the force-meat inside. Bind and skewer into shape, sew it up in a stout cloth, and place it in a pot containing a hock of pork or a knuckle of veal well cracked, a bouquet of herbs, a sliced onion, a sliced carrot, and two or three stalks of celery. Cover all with cold water, and let the pot, after coming gradually to a boil, simmer at the back of the stove for at least four hours. Remove the pot from the fire, and let the galantine become cold in the liquor; then take it out, tighten the bandage about it, and place under a heavy weight for several hours; uncover, and surround with aspic jelly. To make this, clear the liquor in which the galantine was cooked by bringing it to a boil with the white and crushed shell of a freshly broken egg, straining it, as soon as the scum rises to the top, through a piece of thick cotton cloth. Season a quart of the clear liquid thus left with a wineglass of sherry, two tablespoonfuls of vinegar, pepper and salt to taste. While boiling hot dissolve in it an ounce of gelatine which has been previously soaked in cold water for an hour. Pour a little of the jelly into a brick-shaped mould large enough to hold the galantine, first wetting the mould with cold water, and when the jelly forms lay the galantine on this. Pour the remaining jelly over it, and let it stand in a cold place until firm. Turn all out of the mould, and serve garnished with lettuce leaves.