“Life is too short for busy people to waste any portion of it in cultivating uncongenial acquaintances. Uninteresting people doubtless have their uses in the great economy of nature, but their place of service is not at the dinner-table. A dull person may occasionally, under stress of circumstances, be permitted in a company where the leaven of cleverness is sufficiently powerful to overcome the passive resistance of stupidity. It is never safe to run such risks at dinner.”
Christine Terhune Herrick was the Martha Stewart of her day.
After her husband died of typhoid, she supported herself and her young family by writing over 30 books and countless magazine articles on housekeeping, cooking, homemaking, and childcare. She knows what she’s talking about.
The “little dinner” was a departure from the over-orchestrated meals that were popular in the late nineteenth century, but lest that lull you into laziness, dear Reader, let’s be clear: a little dinner is not—as it turns out—“little”. Rules still apply. Protocol must be observed. A test may be involved–and yes, there are right and wrong answers. And yes, only Herrick knows those answers.
But she’s willing to dish.
At Quite Literally Books, we’re always on the lookout for a chuckle. And sadly, we’ve discovered over the hundreds of old books we’ve read, that “funny” doesn’t always age well.
Imagine our surprise to find that a cookbook’s humor aged better than the wines it says are “out of place”.
We suggest you channel Maggie Smith as your inner voice while reading this one (we’re hopeful Herrick would’ve approved).
So, dear Reader–whether you’re a seasoned host or an intrepid first-timer–if you have even “a suspicion of nutmeg” that there’s more to hosting a successful dinner party than having enough chairs, the timeless wisdom of The Little Dinner will set you straight on what to serve, and how to serve it.
It’s a great reminder that no matter your budget, you can own the most valuable real estate in town–a seat at your welcoming table.