I had three people over for dinner last night. My Mother would have been pleased.
I had a table cloth on the table.
I had four individual salt and pepper shakers on the table.
There were two kinds of pickles, and olives. Cranberry relish.
Two vegetables and a green salad were served.
Two platters of meat, white and dark turkey with gravy.
White potatoes and yams. Rolls and butter.
Carrot cake and Pumpkin pie.
Her Mothers tooth pick holder was out with picks.
She would have been disappointed in the paper napkins.
She would not have liked the salad dressing bottles on the table.
The Coke cans were bad.
I had cloth napkins at Thanksgiving and turkey napkin rings.
My Mother set a proper table and taught me to. Kinda.
I left home as a teenager. I moved to LA. My ID was good, but it was not mine. I was not of legal age. I held lots of jobs in LA, lived in lots of apartments. My last job in California was with Miss Elliott of California, a dress house. That was a lot of fun. She designed Couture, one off clothing. I was able to buy what did not sell in the show room shows. My Mother and I always dressed well.
After I married, my husband and I agreed we would live on his salary and I would stay home and raise our children and make a good home for us. This I did. Some times in the hustle and bustle I would get a little sloppy about setting the table properly. But my children were always clean and neat, although I do have some school pictures of high water pants and tight dresses. I had a good time baking cookies, making curtains, and refinishing furniture.
When my Mother would come to visit the bread would come out of the wrapper and go on a plate. The milk would go in a pitcher. The silver ware would be on the sides of the plates. One time we were living in a log cabin in the mountains and I had my hair in braids, my Mother was not amused. She thought I looked like a hillbilly. I look at those pictures now and she might have been right. My children were healthy, they had lots of good mountain air, land to run around on, a dog to play with, spring water to drink and great schools. Not bad. Not long after that some of the dream ended and I went back to work when my youngest child was in elementary school and we moved in to town.
So I still can set a fine table, if I care to. I have the china, cloths, napkins, rings, all the stuff needed. If I get lost trying to remember it all I have a "New Joy of Cooking" cook book, in it they will show you how to set a proper table for lunch, brunch or dinner !!
Bon appetite
