1940s Dinner Party & Buffet Supper Table Setting Etiquette
Arranging a Buffet Supper is a straightforward, step by step 1940's film on how a traditional American housewife can prepare a sumptuous meal for a large number of guests. As the film will tell the viewer, hosting a buffet supper for friends is not an easy feat, and a task that requires a great deal of organization. A dinner party begins with the invitation of guests, which can be made by telephone. Then the décor must be considered. A clean linen tablecloth is needed for the table and a small dish of fruit will make a good centerpiece. Some less common sense rules are also revealed. For instance, if candles are not to be the main lighting in the room, they should not be used as a centerpiece.
Oozing domesticity and traditional social conformity, every last detail is accounted for with the utmost consideration. The main entrée should be put in a pan and set on the table. The entrée should not require the use of a knife since the guest will not be seated at a table. All foods should be informal. Rolls should be buttered in the kitchen before being served, and kept warm under a napkin until guests can eat them. The entire meal should be on the table with the exception of the drinks, which should go on a separate table. The dinner etiquette is strictly defined. Not just a useful manual for hosting a traditional dinner party, Arranging a Buffet Supper is also an absorbing glimpse of 1940's social norms and family social values.
Oozing domesticity and traditional social conformity, every last detail is accounted for with the utmost consideration. The main entrée should be put in a pan and set on the table. The entrée should not require the use of a knife since the guest will not be seated at a table. All foods should be informal. Rolls should be buttered in the kitchen before being served, and kept warm under a napkin until guests can eat them. The entire meal should be on the table with the exception of the drinks, which should go on a separate table. The dinner etiquette is strictly defined. Not just a useful manual for hosting a traditional dinner party, Arranging a Buffet Supper is also an absorbing glimpse of 1940's social norms and family social values.