Today dinner time often means sharing a pizza……. at the table or in front of the TV or computer. But it was NOT like that in the olden days.

An old Miss Manners newspaper column gives the courses, and the order of these courses, for a 19th century dinner……. all served with different and appropriate dishes, silverware and wine:

• Raw oysters
• Soup, often a cream soup
• Hors d’oeuvres
• Fish
• Entree… not what we think today but vegetables like asparagus, artichoke, corn
• Sorbet
• Hot roast
• Cold roast
• Game
• Salad
• Pudding
• Ice Cream
• Fruit
• Cheese

“Never fear, “Miss Manners touted “these were times when thinness was considered not chic, but pitiful. But even then, guests were not supposed to et everything. It was like an entire (menu) from which to pick and choose.”Keep in mind, that at these L-O-N-G dinners, you’re wearing heavy, formal attire (corsets, full skirts, sleeves) and there was no AC in summer and it was considered bad manners to absent yourself from the table. If invited, would you attend???