WHEN I was first married and commencing business, and our means were limited, the following was our system of living:

The Sunday’s dinner I used to vary, one time Beef, another Mutton, another Pork or Veal, and sometimes a Baked Sucking Pig; our living then, including a good Breakfast and Tea, cost us about 32s. per week.

In case we had a few friends, we used to make an addition by having one Fish, Leg of Mutton, Roast Fowls, Pickled Pork, and Peas Pudding, with a Mould Pudding and Fruit Tart, and a little dessert.

This was for the first two years; our means and business then increasing, and having the three young men to dine with us, we were of course obliged to increase our expenditure and to alter our mode of living, besides which I had accompanied Mr. B. to France, where my culinary ideas received a great improvement.

The following is the plan we then adopted:

Our parties then, when we had them, never consisted of more than ten.

We had: Julienne Soup—Fish—a quarter of Lamb—Vegetables, Cutlets—Vegetables, Bacon and Beans—Boiled Turkey—Pheasant—Jelly or Cream—Pastry—Lobster Salad—Omelette or SoufflÉ—Dessert, &c.

At present, though the number of our establishment is not greater, yet the style and manner of our living have changed. We dine alone, except when Mr. B. invites somebody to dine with him, which is most generally the case; our daily bill of fare consists of something like the following:—

One Soup or Fish, generally alternate—One Remove, either Joint or Poultry—One EntrÉe—Two Vegetables—Pudding or Tart—A little Dessert.

This may seem a great deal for two persons; but when you remember that we almost invariably have one or two to dine with us, and the remains are required for the breakfast, lunch, nursery and servants’ dinners, you will perceive that the dinner is the principal expense of the establishment, by which means you are enabled to display more liberality to your guests, and live in greater comfort without waste. Our parties at present, to many of which you have constantly been, and therefore know, vary according to the season; here are a few bills of fare of them; the following is one for two persons:—

One Soup, say PurÉe of Artichokes—One Fish, Cod Slices in Oyster Sauce—Remove with Smelts or White Bait.

SECOND COURSE.

The following is one for a birthday party, which generally consists of twenty persons:—

FIRST COURSE.

SECOND COURSE.

The bills of fare for our small evening parties, say thirty persons, are as follows; everything is cold, although I know that the fashion has been progressing towards having hot removes.

Our table on those occasions is, as you know, in the form of a horseshoe, which, in my opinion, is the most sociable after that of a round one, and upon the sociability of the supper depends in a great measure the success of the party. In the centre, and at the head of the table, I place a large Grouse-pie, the same as Nos. 249, 285, of which, by my recommendation, everybody partakes; I then on each of the wings have Fowls, Lobster Salads, Mayonnaises of Fowl, Ham, Tongue, cut in slices, and dished over parsley, ornamented with Aspic Jelly; and on the sideboard I have a fine piece of Sirloin of Beef, plain roasted, or an Aitch-Bone of Beef, or Fillet of Veal. Should there be no game, I have a Turkey or Fowls en Galantine, instead of the Grouse-pie, or if game is plentiful, I have less poultry, and add roast Pheasants—mind, not fowls with black legs larded, and a pheasant’s tail put to them, but real ones,—or Partridges or Grouse, or a fine Salad of Game.

With the Sweets I generally place about twelve—four on each table, that is 4 Jellies, 2 Creams, 2 Bavaroises, 4 Iced Cabinet Puddings, and 4 Raised Dishes of small Pastry, all of which are artistically disposed upon the table.

The fruits are likewise placed on the table: they consist of simple Compotes, 6 of various kinds and 6 of Dried Fruit, Biscuits, Wafers and Cossacks, which last are getting much out of fashion, but are very amusing.

The following is the Bill of Fare for Mr. B.’s Birthday Party, for which he allows me £15, with which I find everything in the shape of refreshments, with the exception of wine; it is—

One Raised Pie—Two Mayonnaises of Fowl—Two Lobster Salads—One Piece of Roast Beef—Four Dishes of Fowl—Two Dishes of Pheasant—Four Dishes of Tongue—Four Dishes of Ham—Four Jellies with Fruit—Two Creams with Noyeau—Two Flancs with Apple Meringue—Two Iced Cabinet Puddings—Two Puddings À la Eloise—Six Various Pastry—Eight Various Compotes—Four PiÈces MontÉes in China with Bonbons, Cossacks, &c.—Four of Fruit, as Pears, Grapes, &c.—Four of Dried Fruit, &c.—Four of Biscuits, &c.

This perhaps may appear extravagant, but we always have them, some country friends stopping a few days with us, so that I manage to make the best of everything, and make my week’s account look very well. We sometimes have as many as sixty on an evening.

Our Children’s Parties are as follows, there are generally about fifty present:

But I remember when in business, on those occasions we only used to have a large quantity of Sandwiches and Patties, and used to amuse the children by labelling the Dishes as Sandwiches of Peacock’s Tongues, Patties of Partridge’s Eyes, &c., and also a large quantity of plain Sweets; and at that period Mr. B.’s birthday party was not so extensive or recherchÉ as at present. It consisted of something like the following:

A Roast Turkey—2 Dishes of Fowls—1 Ham—2 Pigeon Pies—1 Piece of Boiled Beef—4 Lobsters—4 Salads—4 Jellies—4 Tarts—4 of Preserved Fruit, &c.—4 of Pastry; with about twelve of various kinds of Fruit, &c.

You will have seen by the previous Bills of Fare that I have not at all encroached upon the high-class cookery, they being selected from the receipts I have given you; in order that you may see the difference, I inclose the Bill of Fare, of a dinner given by—Bass, Esq., M. P., at the Reform Club, the other day, and a copy of yesterday’s Post, containing one given in the country. You will find that the dishes mentioned in these Bills of Fare are not to be found in our receipts.

Festivities at Grendon Hall.

A series of festivities are taking place at the seat of Sir George Chetwynd, Bart., Grendon Hall, Atherstone, Warwickshire, to celebrate the christening of Sir George’s infant grandson. The christening took place on Tuesday, at Grendon church, and in the evening a grand dinner was given in celebration of the event, under the able superintendence of M. Alexis Soyer. As the dinner, which was provided for twenty persons, was of a very recherchÉ description, we subjoin the bill of fare.

After dinner M. Soyer had the honor of presenting the youthful heir the proof copy of his new work on Cookery.

Morning Post, July 26, 1849.