| Show President Rules the During the Season of State Dinners How White WhiteHouse House Bouse Marketing Is Done In the seon of state dinners there are re two autocrats of the White House One is the president the other his steward The one proposes the other disposes Though the president chooses his guests the steward may cut down the list Indeed it may also be said that at this season the president stir sur j i renders his hl place as head of the first j household of the land Before the great Dewey dinner dimmer days were spent pruning the list of guests to the limit pre i scribed by the autocrat of the kitchen Manya Many ji man of rank owes his rejection titus tion oh on that occasion not to the i ident but to the steward who de do dei i dared that juggling with the board for foran foran an eternity would not make space for forone forone one man beyond the pro provided provided vided for The White House now has two kitchens a a private dining room e estate state dining room recta and the great car cor corridor for emergencies In this new I kitchen all the preparations are made for the great state dinners The old I kitchen still answers the demands made upon It by the modest entertain entertainments meats ments of the presidents family The tempts which have been successively made to Increase the seating capacity of the state dining room The original table was a rectangular affair seating guests When this became Inadequate a shell was constructed similar in outline to the figure eight which placed atop the table increased the seating capacity to fifty The number of guests then theu controls the choice of a dining room During the afternoon the table is prepared and Its setting arranged For this purpose the steward chooses one of the many sets of china belonging to the White WhiteHouse WhiteHouse House Each mistress of the White WhiteHouse House has exercised her inclination in hi intha hithe the tha choice of a service and handed it down to succeeding administrations as asa asa a valuable souvenir of the makers art during that period The result has been the accumulation of half a score of china services each J fully ally adequate even for one of the great dinners given at this day One of the services hi in use today was designed and ordered by Mrs Lincoln another by Mrs Grant another by Mrs Mrs Gleve Cleve Cleveland land contributed two beau a i ig S g w uL HOUSE EOUSE DINNER INVITATION new kitchen though complete and con convenient convenient Is not elaborate The room Is about feet square and well lighted Along one side runs the great range fully fifteen feet long with us Its warming racks covered by an enor enormous inous iron hood Along the walls are the sinks shelves and tables Run Running Running ning down the center of the room Is a along along long table for the convenience of the cooks In place plaue of the walls walla are tiled an arrangement by which the kitchen can be kept spotless with least expenditure of time and la hi labor hiher her bor As in hi all the basement rooms of the White House the arches which support the ceiling and the structure overhead may ny mar the effect for ft some Near the kitchen are the China closets and supply stores the Executive Family Pamily Contrary to all traditions th the sup supplies supplies plies for the White House dinners are obtained in open market Such is the excellence of the Washington markets that it would scarcely be necessary to arrange for these supplies before or ordering during dering the dinner In former forsner days the White House fowls meats and fish Itoh were obtained direct from farm or shore This is no in longer lonier th practice The White House Hous steward n ad eat advises vises vines his tradesmen before hand of the coming late data of the dinner and its probable probable able menu and the choicest products obtainable are gathered for his inspection tion The market opens open at 6 C in the morning and hod shortly alter after that hour is overrun with the buyers for the Wash Washington Washington ington hotels and the providers for forthe forthe the scores of private families who en entertain entertain lavishly during the social sea season season son It therefore behooves the White WhiteHouse WhiteHouse House steward to In make an early visit He is Invariably l among the first He chooses for his dinner the finest meats services and another will mark Mrs regime The size of these services may be bet better better ter understood when It Is known that one of Mrs services con consists consists of thirty dozen dishes One of Mrs services Is invariably used at the dinners today It Is con considered considered the most beautiful at the White H use Around the flange of tie the plates Is abroad broad band of rich rot red The other pieces are similarly decorated with plain centers All the White House services are decorated in the best of taste The coat of arms of the United States is included in the The sliver silver and Flass service ervice is extreme extremely ly modest There is to none of the w fh of silver and cut glass so frequently displayed on the tables of many of our multimillionaires The glasses are cut simply with the presidents coat of arms The spoons and knives halves and forks are marked democratically Presidents House The decorations of a state dining table is always marked by modesty There is no attempt at b orate display Numerous bouquets at ot choice roses or orchids are scattered along the center and a d boutonnieres of similar flowers placed Dy by the plates of the ladles ladies and gentle gentlemen gentlemen men All Is so arranged that though the table presents a a vision of unusual beauty there Is no sense of the over overpowering overpowering powering in decoration Numerous candelabra add to the scene with their soft lights Waiters A score of waiters are employed to serve the dinners These are rea Hy secured in Washington where the waiter at his hi best The waiters are I usually colored nen in though under the Harrison administration Steward Mc Q g CI 11 C 4 I i ici ci 04 I OP TABLE GUES TS PLACES be of th the score or moro more watchers he chooses the finest fish and shell fish from doom the fish stalls and the choicest vegetables from the farmei Ha He has hae hia own wagon and driver and andas aa as ram as his shopping list is exhaust exhausted ed the purchases are driven direct to the White House By 8 that morning the of the dinner has lma begun In the Kitchen The usual Kitchen force of the White WhiteHouse WhiteHouse House consists of one cook and a a couple of helpers For the preparation of the state dinners three French chefs are employed They require two helpers each and the kitchen Is a scene of sizzling activity for the day There are meats to be boiled and baked and roasted vegetables to be prepared soups brewed and fancy dishes ar arranged arranged ranged The bread used Is also baked at the White House The steward takes little part in this preparation however though he superintends all His task the compilation of the menu the choosing of the china and the set setting tins ting and decoration of the table But Butas Butas as he lie te Is responsible for all aiT he super superintends superintends intends each in detail Setting the Table If the number of guests greats exceed the tabla tabi is in the central cor corridor rIder If Iw les the state dining room Is nitriC It is mier to note the at Kim chose chore white waiters In On preference This unique departure has not been fol followed 01 rowed lowed by is successor The walters waiters are arc not chosen lightly There are numerous In their way both from the apparel and jewels of the guests and the liquor which an are Intemperate men man could read readily ily find occasion to lie consume Only man whose honesty and sobriety is be oM ak Question are employed They are celled called upon for from time to time and find the pleasant and remunerative They are required to report at the White House tate late on the afternoon of the dinner and andare andare are divided Into squads and thoroughly drilled in lu the part each is to play in inthe Inthe the entertainment The dumb waiter of the White House has hasmet not met the capacity necessary to carry the front from the to o the din dining tag ing room floor So six nix or eight of the waiters are detailed to carry earry the ditties front from the kitchen up the tSie flight of stairs directly to th lbs butlers pantry to nO return ratum empty dishes to the lower and hand the portions from torn the carvers to the waiting line of servers Each waiter Is to serve four or 01 five guests He receives the dishes from the carvers so su adroitly carved that though the form or Of the roes rouSt or tow is preserved the greet grest can read readily ily By a portion He w to the needs of the guests 0 The prudent and his wife ate are served by personal servant White House dinners are served ideally llly ft It is said for foi the waiters are not it mere machines but men meat of Judg Judgment ment and ss action For their two or Os three hours work They are paid W Wor 4 or l and this in connection with the j prestige of a wetter who serves at the White House brings to the steward the bent beat assistance the city af affords affords fords Expensive Housekeeping It is Impossible to furnish in detail any estimate of the materials and foods used to the preparation of a state din dinner nee ner When a It u considered the that only ti the choicest are served th the sup plans pints purchased for ci a dinner of seventy i must be something extraordinary A j roast of lamb iamb or fillet of beef for in instance instance stance is served but to four or five per pea persons sons and the choicest morsels only are eten Of a n howl the breast alone Is carved corvel The some mine fastidiousness Ls is ob observed served throughout every course i There are never more then than twelve courses toa to a House dinner As Asa a usual thing the courses range rang to in number front from eight to twelve They are served without haste baste but stilt m in such succession that the dinner may not seem scorn to drag An entire dinner hi In this manner is served two hours and acid some of the most noted din dinnell nero nell of the last two rears ears have been served to On even lest time As the din dinners nero ners always begin at art 8 S the White House guests are not given to tolate tolate late hours Official nit ait a state dinner aner is isone one of the most delicate questions which Its managers hove have to deal There is no one more sensitive than the aver average age At a diplomatic dinner procedure ia i determined by the official rank of o a guest and his seniority in point of service In So well weli are these gradations established that an error would be inexcusable All con confusion confusion fusion however te o avoided by a cus custom torn tom which conveys unmistakably to each guest the exact position he is ex en expected to occupy at the table Before entering the dining room each guest guestis is given an envelope enclosing a cord card cardon cordon on which is printed a complete diagram of the tithe tabe wOth the various seats numbered The name of the lady tedy he is expected to take Irate into dinner is in also written on the card A cross is also ateo drawn through the number of the seat the guest IB In to occupy The of mistake is 13 further obviated by placing lug ing at st each plate another card with the guests name written across Us Its face The of honor are at the ends of the table The president sits alts in the tue ouster center of one of the long sides The seat stout next in honor is directly op opposite Alt Ait the diplomatic dinners it has heretofore been the custom for this seek sech to be occupied by the nile who is taken In to tn dinner by the Britten ambassador the n next in rank to the fhe president among the diplomatic corps During this ad however the invalidism of Mrs McKinley has hae occasioned a The Tha president keeps her al at always ways by his hia side and Mrs McKinley between the president and the Brit Brits Britten ten lola The seat opposite to 15 now occupied by Hay There ore are no toasts or speeches When the dinner to is finished the pres president ident and his wife risu aa as a signal that the service is at an end The hu in indies dies pass pana to the reception rooms and the men to the Uhe smoking room where coffee and cigars ara ar Served Th The gentlemen gentleman pens pass some time in infer Informal mel mal conversation and then join the K 3 in lit the reception rooms Here tea iS Custom prescribes that none of the other gues shell leave until those erf of the highest rank have taken leave of the evenings host and hostess Out of consideration to the other guests these officiate leave immediately after test tea has been served The other guests follow so that the entire com company m pany hits has left the White House by ll PRA PRANK JK CAULDWELL |
