After the Meal

This is part of a series I've been wanting to do for a long time so I am excited I am able to have Eugene do this for my blog.  It is about etiquette as was appropriate in the Victorian Era (1837–1901).  During that time, culturally there was a transition away from the rationalism of the Georgian period and toward romanticism and mysticism with regard to religion, social values, and the arts. The era is popularly associated with the values of social restraint. What?  Social restraint? What's that?!?  So we move on....thank you for reading. 

Love, George

After the Meal

At the end of a dinner, when the last dish of sweets has been passed and the hostess sees that no one is eating, she looks across the table and, catching the eye of one of the ladies, slowly stands up. The one lady who happens to be observing the hostess also stands up, and in a moment everyone is standing. The gentlemen offer their arms to their partners and conduct them back to the living room or wherever they are to sit during the rest of the evening. Each gentleman then leaves his partner and follows the host to the room where after-dinner coffee, liqueurs, and cigars and cigarettes are being passed. The ladies go to the drawing room where they have their coffee, liqueur and cigarettes passed to them. 

Coffee is served in one of three ways: 

1) The footman proffers a tray of cups, saucers, and sugar; the butler follows with a coffee pot and pours into the cup held in the guest's hand

2) A tray filled with cups is proffered by the butler to the guests, who help themselves.

3) The tray of cups and sugar is held on the servant's left hand. The guest puts sugar into one of the cups and the servant pours coffee with the right hand. 


The liqueurs are offered exactly as the coffee in the second or third manner. The guests pour their own, or saying "Cognac" or "Mint, please," their choice is poured for them. 


Cigarettes are arranged on a tray with matches or a lighter. There is no hostess or even an old-fashioned one that doesn't have cigarettes passed after dinner. 




Posted by Eugene Vodovoz at 27 October 2011, 10:38 AM
Categories: Etiquette
Tags: host hostess dinner coffee liqueur cigarettes
 
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