The Service of Afternoon Teas
The old English tradition of taking afternoon tea at 4 o’clock is slowly dying out and in its place the trend is towards ‘tea and pastries’ only, the venue changing from the hotel lounge to the coffee bars and tea gardens. This trend is due to two main factors, the first being the problem of the staffing of the afternoon period between lunch and dinner, and the second being a simple case of economics in that in order to make the service of afternoon tea pay the hotelier would have to charge a price unacceptable to the public.
However afternoon tea is still served in many establishments and in a variety of forms which may be classified into three main types:
a) Full afternoon tea as served in a first class hotel;
b) High tea as served in a popular price restaurant or café;
c) The reception or buffet tea.
Full Afternoon Tea
This is usually served in the hotel lounge by the lounge waiters or by a small brigade drawn from the restaurant on a rota basis. The lounge tables will be used and are covered with an afternoon tea cloth which may be white or coloured. A buffet table may be set up in one corner of the lounge, preferably with immediate access to the stillroom and service area. It would be set up as a sideboard with all the necessary equipment for serving and relaying the afternoon teas.
The menu will usually consist of some or all of the following items which are served in the order in which they are listed.
1. Hot beverages
2. Assorted afternoon tea sandwiches – Smoked salmon, cucumber, tomato, sardine, egg, Gentleman’s relish
3. Tea cake, crumpets, scones, muffins etc
4. Sliced brown and white bread and butter, fruit bread and butter, & preserves like raspberry or strawberry jams
5. Gâteaux , pastries, iced cakes, sweet deserts ,etc
With reference to the menu above:
1. The sandwiches are sent from the larder already dressed on silver flats and these are set out on the buffet prior to service.
2. Tea cakes, crumpets, scones, muffins etc are obtained from the stillroom as ordered and are served in a soup plate or welled dish with a silver cover on an underplate. An alternative to this would be the use of a muffin dish which is a covered silver dish with an inner lining and with hot water in the lower part of the container. It is essential that all these items are served hot. When serving hot buttered toast for afternoon tea, the crusts from three sides are removed, and the toast is then cut into ‘fingers’ with part of the crust attached to each ‘finger’.
3. The assorted buttered breads are obtained from the stillroom and are dressed on doilies on silver flats and are also set out on the buffet. Preserves are also obtained from the stillroom, either in individual pots or in preserve dishes, both of which are served on a doily on an underplate and with a preserve spoon.
4. Gâteaux and pastries are collected already dressed up on doilies on silver flats or salvers from the chief pâtissier. An alternative to this would be the use of a pastry trolley.
Cover for afternoon tea
1. Side plate.
2. Paper serviette.
3. Side or tea knife.
4. Pastry fork.
5. Tea cup and saucer with a tea spoon.
6. Slop basin and a tea strainer.
7. Sugar basin and tongs.
8. Tea pot and hot water jug stands or underplates.
9. Jug of cold milk.
10. Preserve dish on a doily on an underplate with a preserve spoon.
11. Ashtray.
Items 9 and 10 may be brought to the table only when the guests are seated and are not part of the basic
mis-en-place.
Service of afternoon tea
As soon as the order has been taken, the top copy of the check is sent to the stillroom for the beverage and any toasted items that may be required. While these are being prepared, items 9 and 10 of the cove listed above are set on the table.
The beverage will be served first making sure that the teapot, hot water jug and milk jug are placed to the right of the hostess of the party and with the handles correctly positioned for easy pouring. The toasted items are served next and are followed in turn by the other savoury items and then the assorted buttered breads with the appropriate preserve.
The side plate will then be changed before serving the pastries. There are three alternative methods for the actual service of the food, this depending on the type of establishment and style of service being employed, and also the number of staff available. These are as follows:
a) Silver service direct from the various silver flats
b) As for a) but with all the flats on a trolley which is wheeled from table to table.
c) The waiter plates up the food at the buffet with the appropriate portions and the plates are all set on the table. This method has obvious disadvantages in that it is time wasting and uneconomical.
Additional reading material
Afternoon Tea is a light meal typically eaten between 3 pm and 5 pm. The custom of drinking tea originated in England when Catherine of Braganza married Charles II in 1661 and brought the practice of drinking tea in the afternoon with her from Portugal. Various places that belonged to the former British Empire also have such a meal. However, changes in social customs and working hours mean that most Britons will rarely take afternoon tea, if at all.
Traditionally, loose tea is brewed in a teapot and served in teacups with milk and sugar. This is accompanied by sandwiches (customarily cucumber, egg and cress{any of various plants of the mustard family which are cultivated for their sharp tasting leaves , which can be eaten raw or cooked} , fish paste, ham {ham is cut from the leg of pork}, and smoked salmon), scones (with clotted cream and jam, see Cream tea) and usually cakes and pastries (such as Battenberg, fruit cake or Victoria sponge). The food is often served on a tiered stand: there may be no sandwiches, but bread or scones with butter or margarine and optional jam or other spread.
A formal, proper afternoon tea nowadays is usually taken as a treat in a hotel, café or tea shop. In everyday life, many British take much simpler refreshment consisting of tea and biscuits at teatime.
Anna Maria Russell, Duchess of Bedford, is credited as the first person to have transformed afternoon tea in England into a late afternoon meal rather than simple refreshment.
Isabella Beeton describes afternoon teas of various kinds: the old-fashioned tea, the at-home tea, the family tea and the high tea and provides menus.[4]
Breakfast is the first meal of the day. The word is a compound of "break" and "fast," referring to the conclusion of fasting since the previous day's last meal. Breakfast meals vary widely in different cultures around the world but often include a carbohydrate such as cereal or rice, fruit and/or vegetable, protein, sometimes a dairy product, and a drink.
Nutritional experts have referred to breakfast as the most important meal of the day. This is based on studies of the large numbers of people in the West who skip breakfast, to adverse effect on their concentration, metabolism and weight
History
Breakfast has commonly been practiced worldwide and is a concept easily transferred between cultures, but there have been many regional interpretations over the years. In Medieval Europe, for instance, the basic format of meals differed from what is currently 'standard', in that only two meals were to be had – a heavy dinner at noon and a light supper, largely due to the influence of the Church.
However, exceptions existed, most notably for children and the infirm. They were allowed a small breakfast meal, and many labourers, farmers, and other physical workers also took the meal despite criticism and social pressure on them not to, and by the 15th century even the nobility had begun to ignore the rules and mores of polite society and took breakfast.[7]
The earliest appearance in print of the idea that "breakfast is the most important meal of the day" occurs in the novella Metamorphosis, published in 1915 by Franz Kafka, which includes the line, "for Gregor's father, breakfast was the most important meal of the day".
Continental breakfast
Continental breakfast is a meal based on lighter Mediterranean breakfast traditions. It is a light meal meant to satisfy one until lunch. A typical Continental breakfast consists of coffee and milk (often mixed as Cappuccino or latte) or hot chocolate with a variety of sweet cakes such as brioche and pastries such as croissant, often with a sweet jam, cream, or chocolate filling. It is often served with juice. The continental breakfast may also include sliced cold meats, such as salami or ham, yogurt or cereal, served with bread or bread roll. Some countries of Europe, such as the Netherlands and those in Scandinavia, add fruit and cheese to the bread menu and occasionally a boiled egg or a small serving of salami.
The Continental Breakfast concept is not limited to Europe and is often served throughout the world in hotel chains.
The term itself is of British origin. "The continent" in Britain refers to the countries of mainland Europe. A "continental breakfast" thus denotes the type of lighter meal served in mainland Europe, as opposed to the "full", or "traditional", cooked British breakfast.
Traditionally, people in the United Kingdom and Ireland have enjoyed a substantial hot meal for breakfast, featuring eggs, bacon, and sausages, accompanied by toast and tea or coffee. These items are sometimes eaten separately on morning rolls. Many other items (for example kedgeree, grilled or fried tomatoes, black pudding or white pudding, baked beans, fried sliced bread, various types of fried potatoes and mushrooms) may be included depending on taste and location. Today, this dish remains popular but is not usually served at breakfast time during the week. Many people instead reserve the full cooked breakfast for weekends, or go to a café or pub for it at the weekend. A full breakfast is also a meal available any time at many cafés and greasy spoons. It is also served at hotels where it can be quite substantial in size and variety. The author Somerset Maugham once quipped that "the only way to eat well in England is to have breakfast three times a day." This is sometimes quoted as the origin of the term, and indeed meal, all-day breakfast.[citation needed]
Another popular breakfast in England is the kipper, a type of salted, smoked herring that is then grilled or fried, though in England at least, usually steamed.
This traditional cooked breakfast has largely been replaced by simple, light foods mainly eaten cold: fruit, yogurt, packaged cereal with cold milk, and toast with a variety of spreads such as butter, jam, marmalade, lemon curd, Marmite, or peanut butter. Boiled eggs with soldiers are also a popular breakfast meal in the UK although like the full English breakfast they are mainly eaten at the weekend. Porridge is a traditional breakfast in Scotland as well as the rest of Britain in the winter months. In most British hotels this breakfast is included in the room rate.[citation needed]
Today, most Americans and Canadians eat a reduced breakfast most days, but may still enjoy a traditional hearty breakfast on weekends, holidays, and vacations. Having only coffee or skipping breakfast entirely is also common. Eating out for breakfast or brunch is common on weekends and holidays.
Eggs are strongly associated with breakfast.
Waffles with fruit and sausage patties are a contemporary hearty breakfast, and would likely be enjoyed on a weekend or special occasion.
A typical contemporary combination of food for a hearty breakfast consists of eggs (fried or scrambled), one type of meat, and one or two starchy dishes; commonly hash browns and toast. A more basic breakfast combination would be a starchy food (such as toast, pastry, breakfast cereal, oatmeal, pancakes, or waffles) either alone or served with fruit and yogurt. This second option, similar to the Continental breakfasts served in Europe, is especially common in institutional situations where serving hot food is difficult, expensive, or impractical.
Restaurants that serve breakfast typically base their menus around egg dishes and pork meats such as sausage, ham and bacon. Pancakes and waffles are also popular. An assemblage commonly known as a country breakfast in restaurants consists of eggs or omelette, sausage or bacon, hash browns, sausage gravy, coffee, biscuits or toast with jam or jelly, and fruit juice.
A typical breakfast for those that eat ordinary breakfast as a home meal is instant oatmeal or a cold breakfast cereal with milk. Leftovers from the previous day's meals may also be eaten, such as cold pizza and hot pockets.
A worker's breakfast often consists only of coffee and prepared food purchased on the way to work or brought from home, eaten during the morning commute or at the workplace just before clocking in. Food items that fit this eat-on-the-go strategy include various sweet breakfast breads and pastries, bagels (often with cream cheese), sweetened flavored yogurt cups, smoothies and milkshakes, fresh fruit, granola or "energy" bars, toaster pastries, and fast food. Many fast food restaurants sell breakfast versions of their typical offerings that include eggs and are usually sweeter and less spicy. Examples of such breakfasts-to-go are: egg-filled sandwiches on croissants, biscuits or muffins, and breakfast burritos filled with eggs, cheese and sometimes sausage.
Healthier breakfasts are gaining in popularity in some parts of the country such as California, featuring yogurt, whole-grain cereal, fresh fruit or egg-white omelets.
Coffee is the most common breakfast beverage. In the United States, 65% of coffee drunk during the day is with breakfast.[6] Also common are tea, milk, hot chocolate, orange juice, and other fruit juices (grapefruit, tomato, etc). Occasionally, caffeinated carbonated beverages may be substituted for the more traditional coffee or tea. Espresso drinks such as cappuccino and latte have become increasingly popular since the 1990s. In Washington State and British Columbia, the cappuccino and latte are the default way of buying coffee for breakfast.
The modern options typical of the U.S.A. and Canada are representative of Western-style breakfasts that have become common worldwide, especially in industrialized nations.
Breakfast is thought as the foods typically eaten during morning hours, that are distinct from other foods even if eaten outside of the morning. In this sense, some serve breakfast for dinner. There are several fast food and casual dining chains in North America, such as IHOP and Denny's, that specialize in hearty breakfast-style foods, such as pancakes and country breakfasts, and offer them all day. Like greasy spoons in the UK, American coffeeshops and diners typically serve breakfast foods all day.
Elevenses
In the United Kingdom, Ireland and some Commonwealth realms, elevenses is a snack that is similar to afternoon tea, but eaten in the morning.[1] It is generally less savoury than brunch, and might consist of some cake or biscuits with a cup of tea. The name refers to the time of day that it is taken: around 11 am. The word "elevensies" is seen as a little old fashioned.[citation needed]
In Australia and New Zealand, it is called morning tea or smoko (often little lunch, recess or playlunch in primary school). Choice of foods consumed at morning tea vary from cakes, pastries or lamingtons, or biscuits, to just coffee. In the Royal Australian Navy it is commonly referred to as "Morno's".
In many Spanish-speaking cultures the term las onces (the elevens in Spanish) is used to describe a similar meal. Among Chileans, the tradition was known as under the same name, although in modern times, it has shifted in most respects to later in the afternoon, more closely reflecting the pattern of British "tea time".[
Meal
A meal is an instance of eating, specifically one that takes place at a specific time and includes specific, prepared food.
Meals occur primarily at homes, restaurants, and cafeterias, but may occur anywhere. Regular meals occur on a daily basis, typically several times a day. Special meals are usually held in conjunction with such occasions as birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, and holidays.
A meal is different from a snack in that meals are larger, more varied, and more filling, while snacks are more likely to be small, high-calorie affairs; however, any food eaten in small amounts at an unscheduled time can be classified as a snack.
A picnic is an outdoor meal where one brings one's food, such as a sandwich or a prepared meal (sometimes in a picnic basket). It often takes place in a natural or recreative area, such as a park, forest, beach, or grassy lawn. On long drives a picnic may take place at a road-side stop such as a rest area.
A banquet is a large, often formal, and elaborate meal with many guests and dishes.With lots of food
[edit] Common meals
These are the most common set mealtimes in the Western-world.
• Breakfast is usually eaten within an hour or two after a person wakes up in the morning.[1]
• Lunch is eaten around mid-day, usually between 11 am–2 pm.[2]
• Supper in the US and UK is a meal eaten in the evening.[3]
• Dinner is the main meal of the day, regardless of whether it's at lunchtime or in the evening. Dinner also refers to the evening meal as a formal meal or just the evening meal in the south of England.[4]
• Dessert is typically eaten after dinner as a treat. It may be considered a course within a meal or a meal itself. Cakes, pastries, fresh fruit, and ice cream are examples of common dessert food.
[edit] Other meals
• Second Breakfast is a traditional midmorning meal served in parts of central Europe.
• Elevenses, also called "Morning Tea," is a drink and light snack taken late morning after breakfast and before lunch.
• Brunch is a late-morning meal, usually larger than a breakfast and usually replacing both breakfast and lunch; it is most common on Sundays.
• Afternoon Tea is a midafternoon meal, typically taken at 4pm, consisting of light fare such as small sandwiches, individual cakes and scones with tea.[5]
• High Tea is a British meal usually eaten in the early evening.
LUNCH
It is the midday meal in many English speaking countries. The world was introduced into France in the first half of the 19th century and is used for a cold buffet served at a reception where a large number of guests have to be catered for. In addition to canapés, a lunch of this type consists of cheeses, fruits; petit fours, chilled puddings and a few larger dishes such as fish an aspic and old hams.
Cultural variations within Europe have divided them into siesta loving and snacks eating people. The British claim that after a heavy meal, efficiency is reduced. Therefore, they avoid any such item which is greasy and soft and saucy. They enjoy dry, easy to eat items like sandwiches and savories with coffee and tea to make them easy to gulp. British nonetheless eat a heavy breakfast
On the other hand Europeans enjoy an excellent lunch with several courses. They however skip heavy breakfasts, call themselves continental. French, Italian, Greek, Spanish, Portuguese are the ones who enjoy heavy lunch followed by a siesta The ideal time for lunch is between 12 noon to 3 p.m. The menu is similar to dinner but not identical. For e.g. appetizer is preferred to soup, more cold items, a beer or a soft drink to wet the gullet, fish to heavy roast or raised items, less accompaniment, a cold sweet to a hot sweet, prefer tea to coffee.
Afternoon Tea
A cup of tea
Afternoon Tea is a light meal typically eaten between 3 pm and 5 pm. The custom of drinking tea originated in England when Catherine of Braganza married Charles II in 1661 and brought the practice of drinking tea in the afternoon with her from Portugal.[citation needed] Various places that belonged to the former British Empire also have such a meal. However, changes in social customs and working hours mean that most Britons will rarely take afternoon tea, if at all.
Traditionally, loose tea is brewed in a teapot and served in teacups with milk and sugar. This is accompanied by sandwiches (customarily cucumber, egg and cress, fish paste, ham, and smoked salmon), scones (with clotted cream and jam, see Cream tea) and usually cakes and pastries (such as Battenberg, fruit cake or Victoria sponge). The food is often served on a tiered stand: there may be no sandwiches, but bread or scones with butter or margarine and optional jam or other spread.[1][2][3]
A formal, proper afternoon tea nowadays is usually taken as a treat in a hotel, café or tea shop. In everyday life, many British take a much simpler refreshment consisting of tea and biscuits at teatime.
Anna Maria Russell, Duchess of Bedford, is credited as the first person to have transformed afternoon tea in England into a late afternoon meal rather than a simple refreshment.
Isabella Beeton describes afternoon teas of various kinds: the old-fashioned tea, the at-home tea, the family tea and the high tea and provides menus.[4]
[edit] High Tea
High Tea (also known as meat tea[5]) is an early evening meal, typically eaten between 5pm and 6pm. It would substitute for both afternoon tea and the evening meal. It is now largely replaced by a later evening meal.
High Tea would usually consist of cold meats, eggs or fish, cakes and sandwiches. In a family, it tends to be less formal and is an informal snack (featuring sandwiches, biscuits, pastry, fruit and the like) or else it is the main evening meal.
On farms or other working class environments, high tea would be the traditional, substantial meal eaten by the workers immediately after nightfall, and would combine afternoon tea with the main evening meal. See also The UK Tea Council Definition.
In recent years, high tea has become a term for elaborate afternoon tea, though this is American usage and mainly unrecognised in Britain. This usage is disfavored by etiquette advisors, such as Miss Manners (see United States below).
United States
For most of the United States, the morning or afternoon break is not often referred to as tea as the beverage has not traditionally been a widespread choice with Americans. The term coffee break is used instead to denote a morning social gathering for a snack and short downtime where hot and cold beverages and cakes, breads and pastries are consumed.
The term "high tea" is also used in the United States to refer to afternoon tea or the "tea party," a very formal, ritualised gathering in which tea, thin sandwiches and little cakes are served on the best china. This usage is an analogical construction, the term "high" being associated with social "formality" (rather than a "high," or main, table). Etiquette experts hold the opinion that such usage is unorthodox outside commercial contexts.
This form of tea is increasingly served in high-end American hotels, often during the Christmas holidays and other tourist seasons, and a rising number of big-city teahouses, where it is usually correctly described as "Afternoon Tea." The Tea Party is still occasionally given in the U.S., either for a special occasion or in honour of a visiting celebrity or guest.
Brunch or bruncheon is a combination of breakfast and lunch [1] The term is a portmanteau of breakfast and lunch(eon). Brunch is often served after a morning event or prior to an afternoon one, such as a wedding or sporting event. As such, it is a heavy meal meant to take the place of both. While common in the United States and Canada, according to Punch magazine, the term was introduced in Britain around 1896 by Hunter's Weekly, then becoming student slang.[2] Other sources claim that the term was invented by New York Morning Sun reporter Frank Ward O'Malley based on the typical mid-day eating habits of a newspaper reporter.[3][4]
Some colleges and hostels serve brunch, especially on Sundays and holidays. Such brunches are often serve-yourself buffets, but menu-ordered meals may be available instead of, or with, the buffet. The meal usually involves standard breakfast foods such as eggs, sausages, bacon, ham, fruits, pastries, pancakes, and the like. However, it can include almost any other type of food served throughout the day. Buffets may have quiche, large roasts of meat or poultry, cold seafood like shrimp and smoked fish, salads, soups, vegetable dishes, many types of breadstuffs, and desserts of all sorts.
The dim sum brunch is a popular meal in Chinese restaurants worldwide.[5] It consists of a wide variety of stuffed bao (buns), dumplings, and other savory or sweet food items which have been steamed, deep-fried, or baked. Customers select small portions from passing carts, as the kitchen continuously produces and sends out more freshly-prepared dishes. Dim sum is usually eaten as a mid-morning, midday, or mid-afternoon teatime.
Dinner
Not to be confused with Supper.
Not to be confused with Dinner-time.
Dinner is the name of the main meal of the day. Depending upon region and/or social class, it may be the second or third meal of the day.[1] Originally, it referred to the first meal of the day, eaten about noon, and is still occasionally used in this fashion if it refers to a large or main meal.
Dinner courses
In many Western countries, simple dinner may consist of meat or other proteins served with vegetables and/or a grain or cereal product, like bread, potatoes, rice or pasta.[citation needed]
More elaborate dinners have several courses, for example starting with an appetizer or soup, and ending with dessert.[citation needed]
[edit] Dinner, lunch, supper and tea
In general, people in rural parts of America, Canada, and other Anglophone countries eat breakfast, dinner and supper. Germans traditionally stick to the same pattern. In these cases, dinner typically happens between midday and early afternoon. But whether town or country, wherever the dominant industry of an area involves hard labor (e.g., farming, mining, timber trade), the midday meal is an important feature because it divides the day's labor in half and provides necessary replenishment of nutrients. The evening meal is smaller than the midday meal and is commonly called 'supper'. In Scotland and northern England, supper is almost invariably called 'tea' (specifically, "high tea" - which does not indicate high formality but indicates that some kind of meat, fish, etc., is being served).
People who live in cities and towns, and especially those who work in "white collar" positions, typically eat dinner in the evening. Their midday meal is called lunch (or luncheon) and is often a small and quick meal, although a business lunch can be large, heavy and protracted.
In the north of England the word dinner usually refers to the midday meal (though it may also be used interchangeably with "lunch"), and throughout the UK the term "dinner-ladies" traditionally refers to women who cook the mid-day meal, or supervise children at this time, in schools. The evening or after-work meal is referred to as tea. However, the upper and upper-middle classes nationwide invariably eat lunch at midday and dinner (or supper, if it is a small meal) in the evening (see U and non-U English).
On holidays, such as American and Canadian Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, New Year's Day, and occasionally on weekends, people who normally eat dinner in the evening will eat their special holiday dinner in the early afternoon.
Lunch
Luncheon, commonly abbreviated to lunch, is a midday meal.[1]
In English-speaking countries during the eighteenth century what was originally called "dinner"— a word still sometimes used to mean a noontime meal in the UK, and in parts of Canada and the United States — was moved by stages later in the day and came in the course of the nineteenth century to be eaten at night, replacing the light meal called supper, which was delayed by the upper class to midnight.
The mid-day meal on Sunday and the festival meals on Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving (in the U.S. and Canada) are still often eaten at the old hours, usually either at noon or between two and four in the afternoon, and called dinner. Traditional farming communities also may still commonly have the largest meal of the day at mid-day and refer to this meal as "dinner."[citation needed]
The abbreviation lunch, in use from 1823,[1] is taken from the more formal "Lunchentach,"[2] which the OED reports from 1580, as a word for a meal that was inserted between more substantial meals.
In medieval Germany, there are references to nuncheontach, a non lunchentach according to OED, a noon draught— of ale, with bread— an extra meal between midday dinner and supper, especially during the long hours of hard labour during haying or early harvesting. In Munich, by the 1730s and 40s, the upper class were rising later and dining at three or four in the afternoon, and by 1770 their dinner hour in Pomberano was four or five.[3] A formal evening meal, artificially lit by candles, sometimes with entertainment, was a "supper party" as late as Regency times.
In the 19th century, male artisans went home for a brief dinner, where their wives fed them, but as the workplace was removed farther from the home, working men took to providing themselves with something portable to eat at a break in the schedule during the middle of the day. In parts of India a light, portable lunch is known as tiffin.
Ladies whose husbands would eat at the club would be free to leave the house and have lunch with one another, though not in restaurants until the twentieth century. In the 1945 edition of Etiquette, Emily Post still referred to luncheon as "generally given by and for women, but it is not unusual, especially in summer places or in town on Saturday or Sunday, to include an equal number of men"— hence the mildly disparaging phrase, "the ladies who lunch." Lunch was a ladies' light meal; when the Prince of Wales stopped to eat a dainty luncheon with lady friends, he was laughed at for this effeminacy.[3] Afternoon tea supplemented this luncheon at four o'clock, from the 1840s.[3] Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management had much less to explain about luncheon than about dinners or ball suppers:
The remains of cold joints, nicely garnished, a few sweets, or a little hashed meat, poultry or game, are the usual articles placed on the table for luncheon, with bread and cheese, biscuits, butter, etc. If a substantial meal is desired, rump-steaks or mutton chops may be served, as also veal cutlets, kidneys, or any dish of that kind. In families where there is a nursery, the mistress of the house often partakes of the meal with the children, and makes it her luncheon. In the summer, a few dishes of fresh fruit should be added to the luncheon, or, instead of this, a compote of fruit or fruit tart, or pudding. —Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management
Lunch food varies. In some places, one eats similar things both at lunch and at supper - a hot meal, sometimes with more than one course. In other places, lunch is the main meal of the day, supper being a smaller cold meal.
Many people eat lunch while at work or school. Employers and schools usually provide a lunch break in the middle of the day, lasting as much as an hour. Some workplaces and schools provide cafeterias, often called canteens, where one can get a hot meal (in British schools female staff who serve lunch are often known as "dinner ladies"). In some work locations one can easily go out to eat at a nearby restaurant. Where these conveniences are not available it may be impractical to make lunch the main meal of the day. In these cases relatively simple foods might be packed in a container, such as a bag or a lunchbox, and taken to work or school. Many worksites are visited regularly by catering trucks, which provide lunch.
Brown bag lunch of a chicken salad sandwich, a pear, carrot sticks, and milk.
The quintessential bag lunch (also, brown bag from the brown paper sack used to carry it) in North America of the past has consisted of a sandwich and often a whole fruit and either cookies or a candy bar. But now, the near-universal spread of the microwave oven to the workplace since the 1980s has changed the nature of workers' lunches considerably. Leftovers from home-cooked meals, frozen foods, and a huge variety of prepared foods needing only reheating are now more common than the sandwich lunch.
A similar tradition exists in Britain, where schoolchildren and workers bring in a prepared lunch in a lunchbox. This will usually contain, at the least, a sandwich, a bag of crisps and a drink, possibly with a chocolate bar and some fruit. However, this is now changing in the workplace due to the ubiquity of small cafés in cities as well as the microwave. It remains common in schools and among builders where such facilities do not exist on-site.
In Australian primary and high schools, most children bring a lunch box that contains a morning snack for recess (usually fruit or a muesli bar) and a sandwich for lunch.
Lunches also serve as a popular reward in settling wagers. This is typical in an office setting where buying a coworker lunch to settle a wager is the normal method of payment. Generally there will be a cap on the amount the buyer should spend on the lunch.
On weekends in the United States it is popular to combine a late breakfast with lunch, called a "brunch". Brunches often feature more elaborate fare than ordinary breakfasts, and may include desserts and alcoholic beverages, such as mimosas, which are not ordinarily served with breakfast.
In French the midday meal is called déjeuner, taken between noon and 2 p.m. It is the main meal in the South of France. The evening meal is the main meal of the day in Northern France but lighter in Southern France, taken around 6 - 7 p.m. (North) or 8 (South), is called dîner or souper (which is also used for a night-time meal, usually after 11 p.m.).
Supper is the name for the evening meal in some dialects of English - ordinarily the last meal of the day. Originally, in the middle ages, it referred to the lighter meal following dinner, which until the eighteenth century was invariably eaten as the midday meal.
The term is derived from the French souper, which is still used for this meal in Canadian French, Swiss French and sometimes in Belgian French. It is related to soup. It is also related to the German word for soup, Suppe. (The OED, however, suggests that the root, sup, retains obscure origins. OED Online, Accessed 31 October 2007.)
In England, whereas "dinner", when used for the evening meal, is fairly formal, "supper" is used to describe a less formal, simpler family meal, but also the fairly formal variety in others. In working-class British homes, as in Australia and Ireland, "tea" can be used for the evening meal. In parts of the United Kingdom, supper is a term for a snack eaten after the evening meal and before bed, usually consisting of a warm, milky drink and British biscuits or cereal.
In Australian English, supper may refer to a late light dessert or snack (such as toast and cereal) had some time after dinner, or a warm drink such as Milo accompanied by biscuits. In New Zealand it is similar – generally cake and tea/coffee served later in the evening, particularly when people have visitors.
In most parts of Canada, "supper" and "dinner" are considered synonyms. In some areas either term may be rarely used. It is typically served between 6pm and 8pm. The only real requirement is it must be eaten after lunch, and must use a plate.
In rural areas of the United States Upper Midwest dinner is a larger noon-time meal, and supper is a lighter evening meal and similar to eating customs in northern Europe where most of the inhabitants originate from. Supper is the last of three to five daily meals: breakfast, (morning lunch), dinner, (afternoon lunch or "coffee") and supper. The main meal is between 11.30am and 1pm. Supper is usually lighter and often consists of bread with cold meat, cheese, soup, salads, fried potatoes, egg dishes and / or dairy products. The decline of typical Midwestern farm culture and urbanization of American language and habits has led to a change in Midwestern eating habits in the past thirty years. Supper is still usually considered lighter fare and a more casual setting, and may be served before a usual dinner time so that evening activities may be unaffected.
In Saskatchewan, and much of Nova Scotia, in Canada, "supper" means the main meal of the day, usually served in the late afternoon, while "dinner" is served around noon. "Dinner" may be used in some areas, such as Newfoundland and Labrador, only for special meals, such as "Thanksgiving Dinner" or "Christmas Dinner", while the noon meal is "lunch" and the evening meal "supper". For harvest meals put on by churches and other community organizations, the term used is "Fowl Supper" (features turkey) or "Fall Supper", never "dinner".
In Ireland, a "chicken supper" is a meal of chips, gravy, onions, peas and chicken breast.
Similarly in Scotland and perhaps elsewhere in the United Kingdom, such as in Ulster Scots, a fish supper is a portion of fish and chips. The word is used also as a modifier in this way for a range of other similar meals, such as a "sausage supper", "pastie supper", "haggis supper" and indicates the addition of chips.
In Germany supper is called Abendessen (evening meal) or Abendbrot (evening bread). The main meal ("Mittagessen" or dinner) is usually at noontime. Supper is generally eaten between 5.30pm and 8.30pm. In Poland supper is called kolacja, the meal is usually taken from 6pm to 9pm. The main meal (obiad) is usually at afternoon. In Germany as in Poland a variety of breads and rolls are served at supper. Cold meats, sausages, various sorts of ham, cheese, pickles, tomatoes, and other sliced vegetables are served with the bread. Usually one drinks water, fruit juices, beer or an everyday wine with this meal. In Poland Christmas Eve's supper is taken at evening on 24th of December, and traditionally contains 12 dishes.
In Portugal, Spain, Latin America, Asia and the Arab World, supper may be taken as late as right before sleep.
In the Philippines, supper or in Tagalog, hapunan, is taken from as early as 6 pm to 9 pm.
In Singapore, "dinner" refers to the first evening meal, while "supper" refers to the meal taken later in the evening after dinner, usually from 9pm to 12 midnight.
Breakfast is the first meal of the day. The word is a compound of "break" and "fast," referring to the conclusion of fasting since the previous day's last meal. Breakfast meals vary widely in different cultures around the world but often include a carbohydrate such as cereal or rice, fruit and/or vegetable, protein, sometimes dairy, and beverage.
Nutritional experts have referred to breakfast as the most important meal of the day. This is based on studies of the large numbers of people in the West who skip breakfast, to adverse effect on their concentration, metabolism and weight.[1][2]
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Breakfast (petite dejeuner)
It is the first meal of the day, which literally breaks the fast of the night. Two quite different traditions can be traced – the first hot drink (pick me up) of the day, and the first meal of the day, which is much more substantial.
At the time of revolution it became customary to eat dinner at the end of the afternoon when the business of the day was completed. The main meal was taken at mid day. Hence a ‘breakfast’ was required to bridge the gap between the two meals.
Breakfast is traditionally a British rather than a continental meal, originating from the days of private house and family service. At this time it was a very substantial meal consisting of some six or seven courses with items such as chops, liver, game or steaks.
During the past decade however the British have been eating far less breakfast foods such as an egg and bacon and have turned to lighter alternative.
In France this is the petit dejeuner, milky coffee with bread in some form, now commonly known as “continental breakfast” an often bought in a cafe, on the way to work. Other simple foods that are popular for breakfast include fresh fruit and yogurt.
1. Fruit juices
- Orange (fresh/ canned)
- Pineapple (fresh/ canned)
- Grapefruit (fresh/ canned)
- Tangerine (fresh/ canned)
- Tomato (canned)
- Mango (canned)
- Apricot (canned)
- Apple (canned)
- Passion fruit (canned)
- Sweet lime (fresh)
- Watermelon (fresh)
2. Fresh Fruits
- Melon
- Strawberries
- Grapefruit (Half or segments)
- Pineapple
- Apricots
- Peaches
- Mango
- Lychees
- Figs
- Prunes
3. Stewed fruits/ Fruit compote
(a preparation of fresh or dried fruit cooked either whole or in pieces in a sugar syrup, unlike jam not kept for a long time)
- Prunes - pineapple - peach
- Pears - cherry
- Apples - apricot
- Figs - rhubarb
3. Cereals
- All proprietary brands of breakfast cereals
- Oatmeal porridge
- Rolled oat porridge
- Broken wheat porridge
Eg: cornflakes, weetabix, Special K, Alpen, muesli, bran flakes, Rice Krispeis etc
*Porridge is eaten with hot milk or cream or golden syrup (refined maple syrup)
*porridge is a dish of rolled oats or oatmeal cooked in boiling water or milk , which can be eaten , with or without sugar with hot or cold milk or cream.
*Golden syrup/ maple syrup: maple is one of about 200 species of tree or shrub which grow in temperate climates. The North American sugar maple has orange sap, which is collected from the trunk in the spring and yields a clear golden syrup. Rich in sugar, with an aromatic flavor, it is very popular in US and Canada. It is spread on roasts and ham, served with pancakes and puddings, used to glaze carrot and caramelize sweet potatoes.
4. Fish
a) Finnan Haddock
The fish is gutted and split down the back bone. It is soaked in brine but not dyed. Then it is put in tenter hook till the protein gloss develops on the surface of the fish. It is then smoked.
b) Grilled herrings
Clean and trim herrings then brush them with oil or melted butter, season and cook under a moderate grill , serve with maitre d’ hotel butter or mustard sauce.
c) Bloaters
First developed at Yarmouth (England) in 1835. Bloaters are prepared from good quality herrings. They are prepared whole owning to their special flavour due to the activity of the gut enzymes. The fish is dry salted for 12 hrs. It is then washed to remove the excess amount of salt deposits. It is threaded on metal spears and stacked in kiln to smoke.
d) Kippers
They are also prepared from good quality fresh herrings. The fish is squatted and split with the help of machine. The fish is soaked in brine and dyed before being smoked. The fish is then treaded on tenter hooks for 1 ½ hrs before being smoked.
e) Fried smelt (salmon family)
The fish is gutted, washed; dried and stored in the refrigerator (they freeze very well) they can also be marinated and grilled, cooked in white wine, coated with flour and fried. Served with lemon quarters, garnished with parsley.
e) Fried plaice
Plaice is a 25-65cm long fish with both eyes on the upper side found in the Atlantic, greyish brown in colour. The flesh has a delicate taste and texture and is suitable for frying, grilling or poaching. Its taste is similar to sole.
f) Kedgeree
A British breakfast preparation comprises mixture of rice, cooked flaked fish and hard boiled eggs. The fish is usually smoked haddock, but it may be salmon or even turbot. Peas may be added to the ingredients can be bound with curry flavoured béchamel sauce seasoned with cayenne pepper and nutmeg.
An English dish that came originally from India. The word comes from the Hindi word khicari, from Sanskrit khicca, the origin which is obscure. The original Indian dish, known as kadgeri, consists of rice garnished with onions, lentils and eggs. Fish was added by the British.
g) Arbroath smokes
These are haddock or whiting weighing around ½ pound (225gms) which are headed and gutted but not split. It is soaked in brine, tied in pairs, and canned. They are not smoked.
h) Golden cutlets
These are made from haddock or whiting which are headed, gutted but not split. They are split from the head end to the backbone leaving two joint fillets. They are soaked in brine and dyed to bright yellow colour before being smoked.
4. Eggs
- Fried (sunny side up, Turn – over)
- Poached
- Scrambled
- Boiled
- Plain/ savoury omelette
*with ham/bacon/sausage/grilled mushrooms
* Standard accompaniments are grilled tomato & hash brown potatoes
5. Meat
- Fried or grilled bacon
- Fried or grilled pork sausage
- Sweet bread (the culinary term for thymus gland in the throat and pancreas near the stomach in calves, lambs and pigs although the latter are not much used)
- Grilled chitterlings (intestines of pigs)
- Fried bath chaps (pig’s cheeks with ham)
- Grilled animelles (Testicles of lamb ram or bull)
- Grilled breakfast steaks
- York ham
- Calf’s tongue
- Breakfast sausage
- Gammon
6. Breads/ breakfast rolls
- Toast
- Rolls
- Croissants
- Brioches
- Muffins
- Danish pastry (no preserves)
- Doughnut (no preserves)
- Crisp Bread
- Plain sliced white & brown bread
- American muffins
- English muffins
- Spiced scones
- Tea cakes
7. Preserves
- Marmalade
- Honey
- Plum
- Cherry
- Jam
8. Beverages
- Tea
- Coffee
- Hot chocolate
- Tisanes
- Proprietary Beverages
- Milk
Other types of breakfasts
Café simple
Only coffee is served for breakfast, with nothing else to eat.
Thé simple
Only Tea is served for breakfast, with nothing else to eat.
Café complet
The term ‘café complet’ is widely used in continental Europe and means a continental breakfast with coffee as the beverage.
Thé complet
The term ‘Thé complet’ means a continental breakfast with tea as the beverage.
Brunch
A meal originating in America, being a combination of breakfast and lunch. This type of meal is commonly eaten on Sundays, when people gather around the table in a relaxed atmosphere between 10am to 2 pm. The menu combines traditional British breakfast items with those of a cold meal: cereals, bacon, and fried or scrambles eggs, salads of fruits and green vegetables, pancakes with jam or maple syrup, fruit juice, tea or coffee. Pies and cold meats may also be served. There is often a fruit loaf (called the coffee cake), corn bread or French toast (slices of bread dipped in beaten egg, then fried and sprinkled with sugar) served in this meal.
LUNCH
It is the midday meal in many English speaking countries. The world was introduced into France in the first half of the 19th century and is used for a cold buffet served at a reception where a large number of guests have to be catered for. In addition to canapés, a lunch of this type consists of cheeses, fruits; petit fours, chilled puddings and a few larger dishes such as fish an aspic and old hams.
Cultural variations within Europe have divided them into siesta loving and snacks eating people. The British claim that after a heavy meal, efficiency is reduced. Therefore, they avoid any such item which is greasy and soft and saucy. They enjoy dry, easy to eat items like sandwiches and savories with coffee and tea to make them easy to gulp. British nonetheless eat a heavy breakfast
On the other hand Europeans enjoy an excellent lunch with several courses. They however skip heavy breakfasts, call themselves continental. French, Italian, Greek, Spanish, Portuguese are the ones who enjoy heavy lunch followed by a siesta The ideal time for lunch is between 12 noon to 3 p.m. The menu is similar to dinner but not identical. For e.g. appetizer is preferred to soup, more cold items, a beer or a soft drink to wet the gullet, fish to heavy roast or raised items, less accompaniment, a cold sweet to a hot sweet, prefer tea to coffee.
Afternoon Teas
The old English tradition of taking afternoon tea at 4 o’clock is slowly dying out and in its place the trend is towards ‘tea and pastries’ only, the venue changing from the hotel lounge to the coffee bars and tea gardens. This trend is due to two main factors, the first being the problem of the staffing of the afternoon period between lunch and dinner, and the second being a simple case of economics in that in order to make the service of afternoon tea pay the hotelier would have to charge a price unacceptable to the public.
However afternoon tea is still served in many establishments and in a variety of forms which may be classified into three main types:
a) full afternoon tea as served in a first class hotel;
b) high tea as served in a popular price restaurant or café;
c) the reception or buffet tea.
Full Afternoon Tea
This is usually served in the hotel lounge by the lounge waiters or by a small brigade drawn from the restaurant on a rota basis. The lounge tables will be used and are covered with an afternoon tea cloth which may be white or coloured. A buffet table may be set up in one corner of the lounge, preferably with immediate access to the stillroom and service area. It would be set up as a sideboard with all the necessary equipment for serving and relaying the afternoon teas.
The menu will usually consist of some or all of the following items which are served in the order in which they are listed.
Menu
1. Hot beverage: variety of tea, tisanes and coffees
2. Assorted afternoon tea sandwiches – Smoked salmon, cucumber, tomato, sardine, egg, Gentleman’s relish
3. Hot buttered toast, Tea cakes, crumpets, scones( with butter or whipped/clotted cream), muffins etc
4. Brown and white bread and butter, fruit bread and butter, raspberry or strawberry jams
5. Gâteaux, pastries, iced cakes, sweet dishes etc
With reference to the menu above:
1. Toast, tea cakes, and crumpets are obtained from the stillroom as ordered and are served in a soup plate or welled dish with a silver cover on an under plate. An alternative to this would be the use of a muffin dish which is a covered silver dish with an inner lining and with hot water in the lower part of the container. It is essential that all these items are served hot. When serving hot buttered toast for afternoon tea, the crusts from three sides are removed, and the toast is then cut into ‘fingers’ with part of the crust attached to each ‘finger’.
2. The sandwiches are sent from the larder already dressed on silver flats and these are set out on the buffet prior to service.
3. The scones and assorted buttered breads are obtained from the stillroom and are dressed on doilies on silver flats and are also set out on the buffet. Preserves are also obtained from the stillroom, either in individual pots or in preserve dishes, both of which are served on a doily on an underplate and with a preserve spoon.
4. Gâteaux and pastries are collected already dressed up on doilies on silver flats or salvers from the chief pâtissier. An alternative to this would be the use of a pastry trolley.
Cover for afternoon tea
1. Side plate.
2. Paper serviette.
3. Side or tea knife.
4. Pastry fork.
5. Tea cup and saucer with a tea spoon.
6. Slop basin and a tea strainer.
7. Sugar basin and tongs.
8. Tea pot and hot water jug stands or underplates.
9. Jug of cold milk.
10. Preserve dish on a doily on an underplate with a preserve spoon.
11. Ashtray.
Items 9 and 10 may be brought to the table only when the guests are seated and are not part of the basic mise-en-place.
Service of afternoon tea
As soon as the order has been taken, the top copy of the check is sent to the stillroom for the beverage and any toasted items that may be required. While these are being prepared, items 9 and 10 of the cove listed above are set on the table.
The beverage will be served first making sure that the teapot, hot water jug and milk jug are placed to the right of the hostess of the party and with the handles correctly positioned for easy pouring. The toasted items are served next and are followed in turn by the other savoury items and then the assorted buttered breads with the appropriate preserve.
The side plate will then be changed before serving the pastries. There are three alternative methods for the actual service of the food, this depending on the type of establishment and style of service being employed, and also the number of staff available. These are as follows:
a) Silver service direct from the various silver flats
b) As for a) but with all the flats on a trolley which is wheeled from table to table.
c) The waiter plates up the food at the buffet with the appropriate portions and the plates are all set on the table. This method has obvious disadvantages in that it is time wasting and uneconomical.
DINNER
The main meal of the day. This is normally eaten in the evening or in the middle of the day (instead of luncheon). In France before the Revolution, dinner was eaten in the morning or at midday. It is generally thought that the French word diner is derived from the Latin disjunare (to break the fast), as is déjeuner, the French word for lunch. This is because the word was originally used for the morning meal that was eaten after Mass, first at 7 a.m. and later at 9 or 10 a.m. It consisted of bacon, eggs and fish and was one of the two main meals of the day, the other being supper (the tenth hour or 10 o’ clock) or from the words of the blessing dignare dominum, or even from the Greek word deipnon (the meal eaten after sunset)
The hour for eating dinner became progressively later when the daily rite of Mass was observed less strictly and, in time, the habit of light meal on rising developed. This meal, the déjeuner, later became the petit déjeuner (breakfast) Dinner was at midday in the reigns of Louis XIII and Louis XIV and Furetiére describes the meal thus. Midday is the normal time for dinner. When one wants to go and see people, it is advisable to do so between 11 o’ clock and midday, certainly not later, for then one would be preventing them from taking their meal.
In the 18th century, dinner was moved on to 2 p.m. but supper often remained the principle meal of the day. Finally, at the time of Revolution dinner was eaten at the end of the afternoon, lunch was taken at midday and supper was served (in the towns) where there was a soirée. In the country, there was less change and supper continued to be the main meal for a considerable period of time
Today dinner usually takes place at 7p.m., earlier in Scandinavian countries and later in Mediterranean countries. It may be a formal occasion for receiving guests. Alexander Dumas defined dinner as the principle act of the day that can be only carried out in a worthy manner by people of wit and humor, for it is not just sufficient to eat at dinner. One has to talk with a calm and discreet gaiety. The conversation must sparkle like the rubies in the entremets wines; it must be delightfully suave with the sweetmeats of the dessert and become very profound with the coffee. According to Chef Denis composition of a formal dinner must be varied and abundant and hot dishes must alternate with cold ones. For a big occasion he recommends consommé followed by a cold entrée a large hot entrée, a sorbet, a hot roast, a cold roast, vegetables, sweet dessert patisserie and fruit. This prescription is now simplified to consommé, fish served in a sauce, roast meat and garnish and patisserie. Some gastronomes advice against serving cheese at dinner.
In the family household the main meal of the day varies according to the working patterns of the adults and whether they have children. Whether the evening meal consists of dinner or supper is very much a matter of lifestyle. Where both adults work dinner is likely to be an evening meal and lunch a light snack. Children at home may well be served a main meal in the middle of the day and the whole family may have a dinner at this time on a Sunday. Although few people live close enough to their place of work and have someone at home to prepare dinner during the day, in retired households the main meal maybe eaten instead of lunch. It is also worth remembering that major social changes of the 20th century greatly influenced eating patterns. Meals are no longer subject to rigid definitions, eating patterns vary between weekdays and weekends and individual or family choices dominate
Supper
A light meal taken in the evening. Originally the only evening meal (now called dinner), supper usually consisted of soup (hence the name) was eaten relatively early. The fashion for supper as an intimate late dinner became established in French high society in the 18th century. Saint-Simon recalls the famous suppers of the Regent hotel: for small suppers, dishes were prepared in kitchens specially set up on the same floor, using utensils made of silver. The roués often gave the cooks a hand, rich and extravagant dishes were prepared, included marinated wild boar kidneys, oysters with cream, followed by cakes, tarts, salads and entremets (pig’s trotters Sainte-Menehould, peas with poached eggs , apples a la chinoise)
Until the midnight of the 19th century, supper was the essential conclusion of any successful high-society evening. At a ball, the orchestra gave the signal for supper by means of a fanfare. Gradually however the supper was abandoned (one reason was the expense). It was sometimes replaced by buffets or refreshments brought on trays an sometimes, very late in the evening, by a punch or pastries. At dawn the guests were revived with tea, broth, chocolate, coffee, sandwiches and wines. However private households continued to hold quiet supper: ‘When only a chosen few are left in the drawing room, the master of the house gathers them together quietly around a table concealed in some cozy nook, and there they see in the day, chatting about events of the past night. Wit and appetite normally find their best openings in these private suppers, which have a certain smack of the forbidden fruit.’ The supper vogue also became established with restaurateurs of the time, especially those who had private rooms.
It is the first meal of the day, which literally breaks the fast of the night. Two quite different traditions can be traced – the first hot drink (pick me up) of the day, and the first meal of the day, which is much more substantial.
At the time of revolution it became customary to eat dinner at the end of the afternoon when the business of the day was completed. The main meal was taken at mid day. Hence a ‘breakfast’ was required to bridge the gap between the two meals.
Breakfast is traditionally a British rather than a continental meal, originating from the days of private house and family service. At this time it was a very substantial meal consisting of some six or seven courses with items such as chops, liver, game or steaks.
During the past decade however the British have been eating far less breakfast foods such as an egg and bacon and have turned to lighter alternative.
In France this is the petit dejeuner, milky coffee with bread in some form, now commonly known as “continental breakfast” an often bought in a cafe, on the way to work. Other simple foods that are popular for breakfast include fresh fruit and yogurt.
1. Fruit juices
- Orange (fresh/ canned)
- Pineapple (fresh/ canned)
- Grapefruit (fresh/ canned)
- Tangerine (fresh/ canned)
- Tomato (canned)
- Mango (canned)
- Apricot (canned)
- Apple (canned)
- Passion fruit (canned)
- Sweet lime (fresh)
- Watermelon (fresh)
2. Fresh Fruits
- Melon
- Strawberries
- Grapefruit (Half or segments)
- Pineapple
- Apricots
- Peaches
- Mango
- Lychees
- Figs
- Prunes
3. Stewed fruits/ Fruit compote
(a preparation of fresh or dried fruit cooked either whole or in pieces in a sugar syrup, unlike jam not kept for a long time)
- Prunes - pineapple - peach
- Pears - cherry
- Apples - apricot
- Figs - rhubarb
3. Cereals
- All proprietary brands of breakfast cereals
- Oatmeal porridge
- Rolled oat porridge
- Broken wheat porridge
Eg: cornflakes, weetabix, Special K, Alpen, muesli, bran flakes, Rice Krispeis etc
*Porridge is eaten with hot milk or cream or golden syrup (refined maple syrup)
*porridge is a dish of rolled oats or oatmeal cooked in boiling water or milk , which can be eaten , with or without sugar with hot or cold milk or cream.
*Golden syrup/ maple syrup: maple is one of about 200 species of tree or shrub which grow in temperate climates. The North American sugar maple has orange sap, which is collected from the trunk in the spring and yields a clear golden syrup. Rich in sugar, with an aromatic flavor, it is very popular in US and Canada. It is spread on roasts and ham, served with pancakes and puddings, used to glaze carrot and caramelize sweet potatoes.
4. Fish
a) Finnan Haddock
The fish is gutted and split down the back bone. It is soaked in brine but not dyed. Then it is put in tenter hook till the protein gloss develops on the surface of the fish. It is then smoked.
b) Grilled herrings
Clean and trim herrings then brush them with oil or melted butter, season and cook under a moderate grill , serve with maitre d’ hotel butter or mustard sauce.
c) Bloaters
First developed at Yarmouth (England) in 1835. Bloaters are prepared from good quality herrings. They are prepared whole owning to their special flavour due to the activity of the gut enzymes. The fish is dry salted for 12 hrs. It is then washed to remove the excess amount of salt deposits. It is threaded on metal spears and stacked in kiln to smoke.
d) Kippers
They are also prepared from good quality fresh herrings. The fish is squatted and split with the help of machine. The fish is soaked in brine and dyed before being smoked. The fish is then treaded on tenter hooks for 1 ½ hrs before being smoked.
e) Fried smelt (salmon family)
The fish is gutted, washed; dried and stored in the refrigerator (they freeze very well) they can also be marinated and grilled, cooked in white wine, coated with flour and fried. Served with lemon quarters, garnished with parsley.
e) Fried plaice
Plaice is a 25-65cm long fish with both eyes on the upper side found in the Atlantic, greyish brown in colour. The flesh has a delicate taste and texture and is suitable for frying, grilling or poaching. Its taste is similar to sole.
f) Kedgeree
A British breakfast preparation comprises mixture of rice, cooked flaked fish and hard boiled eggs. The fish is usually smoked haddock, but it may be salmon or even turbot. Peas may be added to the ingredients can be bound with curry flavoured béchamel sauce seasoned with cayenne pepper and nutmeg.
An English dish that came originally from India. The word comes from the Hindi word khicari, from Sanskrit khicca, the origin which is obscure. The original Indian dish, known as kadgeri, consists of rice garnished with onions, lentils and eggs. Fish was added by the British.
g) Arbroath smokes
These are haddock or whiting weighing around ½ pound (225gms) which are headed and gutted but not split. It is soaked in brine, tied in pairs, and canned. They are not smoked.
h) Golden cutlets
These are made from haddock or whiting which are headed, gutted but not split. They are split from the head end to the backbone leaving two joint fillets. They are soaked in brine and dyed to bright yellow colour before being smoked.
4. Eggs
- Fried (sunny side up, Turn – over)
- Poached
- Scrambled
- Boiled
- Plain/ savoury omelette
*with ham/bacon/sausage/grilled mushrooms
* Standard accompaniments are grilled tomato & hash brown potatoes
5. Meat
- Fried or grilled bacon
- Fried or grilled pork sausage
- Sweet bread (the culinary term for thymus gland in the throat and pancreas near the stomach in calves, lambs and pigs although the latter are not much used)
- Grilled chitterlings (intestines of pigs)
- Fried bath chaps (pig’s cheeks with ham)
- Grilled animelles (Testicles of lamb ram or bull)
- Grilled breakfast steaks
- York ham
- Calf’s tongue
- Breakfast sausage
- Gammon
6. Breads/ breakfast rolls
- Toast
- Rolls
- Croissants
- Brioches
- Muffins
- Danish pastry (no preserves)
- Doughnut (no preserves)
- Crisp Bread
- Plain sliced white & brown bread
- American muffins
- English muffins
- Spiced scones
- Tea cakes
7. Preserves
- Marmalade
- Honey
- Plum
- Cherry
- Jam
8. Beverages
- Tea
- Coffee
- Hot chocolate
- Tisanes
- Proprietary Beverages
- Milk
Other types of breakfasts
Café simple
Only coffee is served for breakfast, with nothing else to eat.
Thé simple
Only Tea is served for breakfast, with nothing else to eat.
Café complet
The term ‘café complet’ is widely used in continental Europe and means a continental breakfast with coffee as the beverage.
Thé complet
The term ‘Thé complet’ means a continental breakfast with tea as the beverage.
Brunch
A meal originating in America, being a combination of breakfast and lunch. This type of meal is commonly eaten on Sundays, when people gather around the table in a relaxed atmosphere between 10am to 2 pm. The menu combines traditional British breakfast items with those of a cold meal: cereals, bacon, and fried or scrambles eggs, salads of fruits and green vegetables, pancakes with jam or maple syrup, fruit juice, tea or coffee. Pies and cold meats may also be served. There is often a fruit loaf (called the coffee cake), corn bread or French toast (slices of bread dipped in beaten egg, then fried and sprinkled with sugar) served in this meal.
LUNCH
It is the midday meal in many English speaking countries. The world was introduced into France in the first half of the 19th century and is used for a cold buffet served at a reception where a large number of guests have to be catered for. In addition to canapés, a lunch of this type consists of cheeses, fruits; petit fours, chilled puddings and a few larger dishes such as fish an aspic and old hams.
Cultural variations within Europe have divided them into siesta loving and snacks eating people. The British claim that after a heavy meal, efficiency is reduced. Therefore, they avoid any such item which is greasy and soft and saucy. They enjoy dry, easy to eat items like sandwiches and savories with coffee and tea to make them easy to gulp. British nonetheless eat a heavy breakfast
On the other hand Europeans enjoy an excellent lunch with several courses. They however skip heavy breakfasts, call themselves continental. French, Italian, Greek, Spanish, Portuguese are the ones who enjoy heavy lunch followed by a siesta The ideal time for lunch is between 12 noon to 3 p.m. The menu is similar to dinner but not identical. For e.g. appetizer is preferred to soup, more cold items, a beer or a soft drink to wet the gullet, fish to heavy roast or raised items, less accompaniment, a cold sweet to a hot sweet, prefer tea to coffee.
Afternoon Teas
The old English tradition of taking afternoon tea at 4 o’clock is slowly dying out and in its place the trend is towards ‘tea and pastries’ only, the venue changing from the hotel lounge to the coffee bars and tea gardens. This trend is due to two main factors, the first being the problem of the staffing of the afternoon period between lunch and dinner, and the second being a simple case of economics in that in order to make the service of afternoon tea pay the hotelier would have to charge a price unacceptable to the public.
However afternoon tea is still served in many establishments and in a variety of forms which may be classified into three main types:
a) full afternoon tea as served in a first class hotel;
b) high tea as served in a popular price restaurant or café;
c) the reception or buffet tea.
Full Afternoon Tea
This is usually served in the hotel lounge by the lounge waiters or by a small brigade drawn from the restaurant on a rota basis. The lounge tables will be used and are covered with an afternoon tea cloth which may be white or coloured. A buffet table may be set up in one corner of the lounge, preferably with immediate access to the stillroom and service area. It would be set up as a sideboard with all the necessary equipment for serving and relaying the afternoon teas.
The menu will usually consist of some or all of the following items which are served in the order in which they are listed.
Menu
1. Hot beverage: variety of tea, tisanes and coffees
2. Assorted afternoon tea sandwiches – Smoked salmon, cucumber, tomato, sardine, egg, Gentleman’s relish
3. Hot buttered toast, Tea cakes, crumpets, scones( with butter or whipped/clotted cream), muffins etc
4. Brown and white bread and butter, fruit bread and butter, raspberry or strawberry jams
5. Gâteaux, pastries, iced cakes, sweet dishes etc
With reference to the menu above:
1. Toast, tea cakes, and crumpets are obtained from the stillroom as ordered and are served in a soup plate or welled dish with a silver cover on an under plate. An alternative to this would be the use of a muffin dish which is a covered silver dish with an inner lining and with hot water in the lower part of the container. It is essential that all these items are served hot. When serving hot buttered toast for afternoon tea, the crusts from three sides are removed, and the toast is then cut into ‘fingers’ with part of the crust attached to each ‘finger’.
2. The sandwiches are sent from the larder already dressed on silver flats and these are set out on the buffet prior to service.
3. The scones and assorted buttered breads are obtained from the stillroom and are dressed on doilies on silver flats and are also set out on the buffet. Preserves are also obtained from the stillroom, either in individual pots or in preserve dishes, both of which are served on a doily on an underplate and with a preserve spoon.
4. Gâteaux and pastries are collected already dressed up on doilies on silver flats or salvers from the chief pâtissier. An alternative to this would be the use of a pastry trolley.
Cover for afternoon tea
1. Side plate.
2. Paper serviette.
3. Side or tea knife.
4. Pastry fork.
5. Tea cup and saucer with a tea spoon.
6. Slop basin and a tea strainer.
7. Sugar basin and tongs.
8. Tea pot and hot water jug stands or underplates.
9. Jug of cold milk.
10. Preserve dish on a doily on an underplate with a preserve spoon.
11. Ashtray.
Items 9 and 10 may be brought to the table only when the guests are seated and are not part of the basic mise-en-place.
Service of afternoon tea
As soon as the order has been taken, the top copy of the check is sent to the stillroom for the beverage and any toasted items that may be required. While these are being prepared, items 9 and 10 of the cove listed above are set on the table.
The beverage will be served first making sure that the teapot, hot water jug and milk jug are placed to the right of the hostess of the party and with the handles correctly positioned for easy pouring. The toasted items are served next and are followed in turn by the other savoury items and then the assorted buttered breads with the appropriate preserve.
The side plate will then be changed before serving the pastries. There are three alternative methods for the actual service of the food, this depending on the type of establishment and style of service being employed, and also the number of staff available. These are as follows:
a) Silver service direct from the various silver flats
b) As for a) but with all the flats on a trolley which is wheeled from table to table.
c) The waiter plates up the food at the buffet with the appropriate portions and the plates are all set on the table. This method has obvious disadvantages in that it is time wasting and uneconomical.
DINNER
The main meal of the day. This is normally eaten in the evening or in the middle of the day (instead of luncheon). In France before the Revolution, dinner was eaten in the morning or at midday. It is generally thought that the French word diner is derived from the Latin disjunare (to break the fast), as is déjeuner, the French word for lunch. This is because the word was originally used for the morning meal that was eaten after Mass, first at 7 a.m. and later at 9 or 10 a.m. It consisted of bacon, eggs and fish and was one of the two main meals of the day, the other being supper (the tenth hour or 10 o’ clock) or from the words of the blessing dignare dominum, or even from the Greek word deipnon (the meal eaten after sunset)
The hour for eating dinner became progressively later when the daily rite of Mass was observed less strictly and, in time, the habit of light meal on rising developed. This meal, the déjeuner, later became the petit déjeuner (breakfast) Dinner was at midday in the reigns of Louis XIII and Louis XIV and Furetiére describes the meal thus. Midday is the normal time for dinner. When one wants to go and see people, it is advisable to do so between 11 o’ clock and midday, certainly not later, for then one would be preventing them from taking their meal.
In the 18th century, dinner was moved on to 2 p.m. but supper often remained the principle meal of the day. Finally, at the time of Revolution dinner was eaten at the end of the afternoon, lunch was taken at midday and supper was served (in the towns) where there was a soirée. In the country, there was less change and supper continued to be the main meal for a considerable period of time
Today dinner usually takes place at 7p.m., earlier in Scandinavian countries and later in Mediterranean countries. It may be a formal occasion for receiving guests. Alexander Dumas defined dinner as the principle act of the day that can be only carried out in a worthy manner by people of wit and humor, for it is not just sufficient to eat at dinner. One has to talk with a calm and discreet gaiety. The conversation must sparkle like the rubies in the entremets wines; it must be delightfully suave with the sweetmeats of the dessert and become very profound with the coffee. According to Chef Denis composition of a formal dinner must be varied and abundant and hot dishes must alternate with cold ones. For a big occasion he recommends consommé followed by a cold entrée a large hot entrée, a sorbet, a hot roast, a cold roast, vegetables, sweet dessert patisserie and fruit. This prescription is now simplified to consommé, fish served in a sauce, roast meat and garnish and patisserie. Some gastronomes advice against serving cheese at dinner.
In the family household the main meal of the day varies according to the working patterns of the adults and whether they have children. Whether the evening meal consists of dinner or supper is very much a matter of lifestyle. Where both adults work dinner is likely to be an evening meal and lunch a light snack. Children at home may well be served a main meal in the middle of the day and the whole family may have a dinner at this time on a Sunday. Although few people live close enough to their place of work and have someone at home to prepare dinner during the day, in retired households the main meal maybe eaten instead of lunch. It is also worth remembering that major social changes of the 20th century greatly influenced eating patterns. Meals are no longer subject to rigid definitions, eating patterns vary between weekdays and weekends and individual or family choices dominate
Supper
A light meal taken in the evening. Originally the only evening meal (now called dinner), supper usually consisted of soup (hence the name) was eaten relatively early. The fashion for supper as an intimate late dinner became established in French high society in the 18th century. Saint-Simon recalls the famous suppers of the Regent hotel: for small suppers, dishes were prepared in kitchens specially set up on the same floor, using utensils made of silver. The roués often gave the cooks a hand, rich and extravagant dishes were prepared, included marinated wild boar kidneys, oysters with cream, followed by cakes, tarts, salads and entremets (pig’s trotters Sainte-Menehould, peas with poached eggs , apples a la chinoise)
Until the midnight of the 19th century, supper was the essential conclusion of any successful high-society evening. At a ball, the orchestra gave the signal for supper by means of a fanfare. Gradually however the supper was abandoned (one reason was the expense). It was sometimes replaced by buffets or refreshments brought on trays an sometimes, very late in the evening, by a punch or pastries. At dawn the guests were revived with tea, broth, chocolate, coffee, sandwiches and wines. However private households continued to hold quiet supper: ‘When only a chosen few are left in the drawing room, the master of the house gathers them together quietly around a table concealed in some cozy nook, and there they see in the day, chatting about events of the past night. Wit and appetite normally find their best openings in these private suppers, which have a certain smack of the forbidden fruit.’ The supper vogue also became established with restaurateurs of the time, especially those who had private rooms.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
MAIL HANDLING
Importance :
Mail handling procedure is a very important function which the Front Office staff has to handle in a hotel. A receptionist in a hotel has to be very careful that all the mail receives due attention and are attended to without any delay to avoid embarrassment.
Types of mail - Incoming & Outgoing, Ordinary & Registered :
Basically while discussing there are two types of mail. Incoming & Outgoing.
Incoming Mail :
Various types of mail may be received in a hotel, like mail for Hotel Management and Hotel staff and mail for guests. In addition the mail may be an ordinary mail or registered/recorded mail etc.
Staff has to be extra careful about recorded mail. All incoming mail must be DATE AND TIME STAMPED. A proper record of all the recorded mail is kept as per requirement i.e., the entries are made in either registered letter book, parcels book or telegram book etc. No such record is maintained for ordinary mail. After having date and time marked the mail, it is sorted and classified under 3 main categories.
(1) HOTEL MAIL is identified by the designation of a senior manager of the hotel eg General Manager, Banquet Manager etc. This mail is delivered to the office of the managers concerned.
(2) STAFF MAIL is identified by the presence of the name of employee, designation and department mentioned in the address. This is usually sorted and delivered through the Time Office.
(3) GUEST MAIL : Any mail that is left is supposed to be guest mail
Guest Mail may belong to any one of the following categories
(1) Present Guest Mail
(2) Past Guest Mail
(3) Future guest Mail
(4) Wrongly Addressed Mail
PRESENT GUEST MAIL
The guest mail is first arranged in ALPHABETICAL ORDER and then checked against the INFORMATION RACK to identify the PRESENT GUESTS. Wherever applicable the room no is entered in pencil on the letters and then they are put in the appropriate room no pigeon hole in the MAIL AND KEY RACK to be handed to the guests when they come to deposit or collect their keys
Any mail that is left still belongs to guests who have already departed (past guest) or to guests who have still to arrive (future guests)
PAST GUEST MAIL
Sometime the hotel receives mail for the guests who have already departed from the hotel after having stayed for some period. The hotel to avoid any embarrassment as to what to do with such mail and how to hand it over to the person quickly, ask the departing guest to leave their forwarding address and for how long they would want their mail to be redirected to that address. A special program called “Mail Forwarding Card” is used for this. Many hotels keep these cards in the stationery folder in the room while others keep these slips at the Front Desk and give them to the guest at the time of departure. This card contains the address to which and the dates/period till by which the guest would like all the mail received by the hotel after his departure to be forwarded. These cards are filed alphabetically and when the expiry date is reached they are cleared out systematically. Any letter received after the expiry date is either returned back to the sender or in case the permanent address of the guest is available, is redirected to him at his permanent address.
The remaining mail is still in alphabetical order and checked against the Mail Forwarding Cards and where applicable they are Redirected. Details of mail redirected is entered on the reverse of the Mail Forwarding Card.
FUTURE GUEST MAIL
General mail for guests yet to arrive is kept in the back office in pigeon holes marked alphabetically. An indication is made in the reservation record about this awaited mail i.e., in case of Whitney system the words “Awaited Mail” is written on the Whitney slip. In case of diary system it is recorded in the diary against his name in remarks column and in case of Computer system it is updated in the computer. Later this mail is sent to the Front Desk and is kept with the receptionist in special slot on the day of arrival of the guest and when the guest arrives the receptionist hands over the mail to the guest at the time of registration.
If there is any mail that is delivered within thirty days after it has been received, it is marked “Addressee Unknown” and sent back to the Post Office which will send them to the Dead Letter Office..
Outgoing Mail :
Outgoing mail of the hotel include mail of the hotel and guest. Outgoing Hotel Mail is handled by the individual departments. The various departments have their own secretarial staff who maintain record of all outgoing mail. Large Hotels use Franking Machine for postage. If the volume of mail is high the use of Franking Machine save lot of time. This machine is hired / purchased generally from the Post & Telegram department or any authorized supplying company. This machine stamps on the envelope (or on an adhesive tape) the amount of postage required and the date cancellation mark. Advance payment has to be made to the post office to cover the value of the postage expected to be used. As the stamp value is printed on the envelope, the amount is reduced on the machine till it reaches zero value. The machine will then automatically lock and the post office will again charge it after further payment. While using the machine care must be taken that the correct denomination of stamp is put on envelopes. The date stamp must be altered every day as the post office will not accept the prior post dated mail. One of the most important thing for the staff to know is the current postal regulations.
Besides the outgoing mail of Hotel, the Hotel also provide the service of posting letter etc. for the guest staying at the hotel. Generally the bell desk keeps stamps and letter and parcels scale. The stamp folder is used to prevent the stamps from getting lost. The folder contains separate divisions for various denominations. The stamp folder should be kept under lock and key. The letter and parcel scale is used to weigh the mail to ensure that correct amount of postage is affixed.
Some hotels use a book called postage book to keep the record of postage used. All mail for dispatch if franked by a franking machine or if the stamps are used should be entered into postage book.
The procedure of sending ordinary mail for guest is simple. The guest leaves his mail (to be posted) at the Bell Desk where it is weighed and then the necessary stamps are affixed and posted. In case of Registered mail the mail is sent to post office, which issue an special official receipt. These receipts are retained as they are required to be produced in case a claim for clarification from the guest.
PAGING
Paging is used to locate a guest in the hotel. Guests may require this paging service during their stay in the hotel. Sometimes when a expecting a phone call or a visitor but he doesn’t want to wait for him in his room, and either goes to any of the public areas or goes out of the hotel; then in such cases he will leave the information about his whereabouts at the front desk. For this purpose he has to fill in a ‘Location form’
Location form tells about the whereabouts of the guest in case he is not in his room and is expecting a telephone call or a visitor. Sometimes this form is kept in the stationary folder in the guest room but more commonly it is with the front desk. The receptionist on the guest’s behalf can fill this in. it is made in duplicate; one copy is kept in the “Key and Mail rack”, the second copy goes to the telephone operator. Paging can be done for a guest whose location is known or for a guest who has not left any location form.
PROCEDURE FOR PAGING
1. Page Board System:
When a phone call is received for any guest or a visitor comes to visit the guest who is not in his room, the reception desk personnel will write the name and/or room number of the guest on both the sides of the Page board. This will be handed over to the bellboy. If the guest location is known, bell boy will carry that board to specific public area and will ring the bells attached to the board. This draws attention of the guest and the concerned guest gets his message.
Disadvantages:
• Time consuming- if the guest does not specify his location page board will have to be carried to all public areas of the hotel.
• When bell boy moves with the board and the bells are ringing, he might disturb many guests in the area.
2. Channel Music Or Public Address System:
When there is a phone call for a guest who has to be paged, the receptionist switches off the channel music of the lobby and other public area of the hotel. With the help of a microphone she announces the name and/or the room number of the guest, which is transmitted to all public areas simultaneously.
Importance :
Mail handling procedure is a very important function which the Front Office staff has to handle in a hotel. A receptionist in a hotel has to be very careful that all the mail receives due attention and are attended to without any delay to avoid embarrassment.
Types of mail - Incoming & Outgoing, Ordinary & Registered :
Basically while discussing there are two types of mail. Incoming & Outgoing.
Incoming Mail :
Various types of mail may be received in a hotel, like mail for Hotel Management and Hotel staff and mail for guests. In addition the mail may be an ordinary mail or registered/recorded mail etc.
Staff has to be extra careful about recorded mail. All incoming mail must be DATE AND TIME STAMPED. A proper record of all the recorded mail is kept as per requirement i.e., the entries are made in either registered letter book, parcels book or telegram book etc. No such record is maintained for ordinary mail. After having date and time marked the mail, it is sorted and classified under 3 main categories.
(1) HOTEL MAIL is identified by the designation of a senior manager of the hotel eg General Manager, Banquet Manager etc. This mail is delivered to the office of the managers concerned.
(2) STAFF MAIL is identified by the presence of the name of employee, designation and department mentioned in the address. This is usually sorted and delivered through the Time Office.
(3) GUEST MAIL : Any mail that is left is supposed to be guest mail
Guest Mail may belong to any one of the following categories
(1) Present Guest Mail
(2) Past Guest Mail
(3) Future guest Mail
(4) Wrongly Addressed Mail
PRESENT GUEST MAIL
The guest mail is first arranged in ALPHABETICAL ORDER and then checked against the INFORMATION RACK to identify the PRESENT GUESTS. Wherever applicable the room no is entered in pencil on the letters and then they are put in the appropriate room no pigeon hole in the MAIL AND KEY RACK to be handed to the guests when they come to deposit or collect their keys
Any mail that is left still belongs to guests who have already departed (past guest) or to guests who have still to arrive (future guests)
PAST GUEST MAIL
Sometime the hotel receives mail for the guests who have already departed from the hotel after having stayed for some period. The hotel to avoid any embarrassment as to what to do with such mail and how to hand it over to the person quickly, ask the departing guest to leave their forwarding address and for how long they would want their mail to be redirected to that address. A special program called “Mail Forwarding Card” is used for this. Many hotels keep these cards in the stationery folder in the room while others keep these slips at the Front Desk and give them to the guest at the time of departure. This card contains the address to which and the dates/period till by which the guest would like all the mail received by the hotel after his departure to be forwarded. These cards are filed alphabetically and when the expiry date is reached they are cleared out systematically. Any letter received after the expiry date is either returned back to the sender or in case the permanent address of the guest is available, is redirected to him at his permanent address.
The remaining mail is still in alphabetical order and checked against the Mail Forwarding Cards and where applicable they are Redirected. Details of mail redirected is entered on the reverse of the Mail Forwarding Card.
FUTURE GUEST MAIL
General mail for guests yet to arrive is kept in the back office in pigeon holes marked alphabetically. An indication is made in the reservation record about this awaited mail i.e., in case of Whitney system the words “Awaited Mail” is written on the Whitney slip. In case of diary system it is recorded in the diary against his name in remarks column and in case of Computer system it is updated in the computer. Later this mail is sent to the Front Desk and is kept with the receptionist in special slot on the day of arrival of the guest and when the guest arrives the receptionist hands over the mail to the guest at the time of registration.
If there is any mail that is delivered within thirty days after it has been received, it is marked “Addressee Unknown” and sent back to the Post Office which will send them to the Dead Letter Office..
Outgoing Mail :
Outgoing mail of the hotel include mail of the hotel and guest. Outgoing Hotel Mail is handled by the individual departments. The various departments have their own secretarial staff who maintain record of all outgoing mail. Large Hotels use Franking Machine for postage. If the volume of mail is high the use of Franking Machine save lot of time. This machine is hired / purchased generally from the Post & Telegram department or any authorized supplying company. This machine stamps on the envelope (or on an adhesive tape) the amount of postage required and the date cancellation mark. Advance payment has to be made to the post office to cover the value of the postage expected to be used. As the stamp value is printed on the envelope, the amount is reduced on the machine till it reaches zero value. The machine will then automatically lock and the post office will again charge it after further payment. While using the machine care must be taken that the correct denomination of stamp is put on envelopes. The date stamp must be altered every day as the post office will not accept the prior post dated mail. One of the most important thing for the staff to know is the current postal regulations.
Besides the outgoing mail of Hotel, the Hotel also provide the service of posting letter etc. for the guest staying at the hotel. Generally the bell desk keeps stamps and letter and parcels scale. The stamp folder is used to prevent the stamps from getting lost. The folder contains separate divisions for various denominations. The stamp folder should be kept under lock and key. The letter and parcel scale is used to weigh the mail to ensure that correct amount of postage is affixed.
Some hotels use a book called postage book to keep the record of postage used. All mail for dispatch if franked by a franking machine or if the stamps are used should be entered into postage book.
The procedure of sending ordinary mail for guest is simple. The guest leaves his mail (to be posted) at the Bell Desk where it is weighed and then the necessary stamps are affixed and posted. In case of Registered mail the mail is sent to post office, which issue an special official receipt. These receipts are retained as they are required to be produced in case a claim for clarification from the guest.
PAGING
Paging is used to locate a guest in the hotel. Guests may require this paging service during their stay in the hotel. Sometimes when a expecting a phone call or a visitor but he doesn’t want to wait for him in his room, and either goes to any of the public areas or goes out of the hotel; then in such cases he will leave the information about his whereabouts at the front desk. For this purpose he has to fill in a ‘Location form’
Location form tells about the whereabouts of the guest in case he is not in his room and is expecting a telephone call or a visitor. Sometimes this form is kept in the stationary folder in the guest room but more commonly it is with the front desk. The receptionist on the guest’s behalf can fill this in. it is made in duplicate; one copy is kept in the “Key and Mail rack”, the second copy goes to the telephone operator. Paging can be done for a guest whose location is known or for a guest who has not left any location form.
PROCEDURE FOR PAGING
1. Page Board System:
When a phone call is received for any guest or a visitor comes to visit the guest who is not in his room, the reception desk personnel will write the name and/or room number of the guest on both the sides of the Page board. This will be handed over to the bellboy. If the guest location is known, bell boy will carry that board to specific public area and will ring the bells attached to the board. This draws attention of the guest and the concerned guest gets his message.
Disadvantages:
• Time consuming- if the guest does not specify his location page board will have to be carried to all public areas of the hotel.
• When bell boy moves with the board and the bells are ringing, he might disturb many guests in the area.
2. Channel Music Or Public Address System:
When there is a phone call for a guest who has to be paged, the receptionist switches off the channel music of the lobby and other public area of the hotel. With the help of a microphone she announces the name and/or the room number of the guest, which is transmitted to all public areas simultaneously.
MESSAGE HANDLING
Receiving messages for in-house guests in their absence, recording them and communicating them to the guests as soon as possible is an important function of the front desk staff. The efficiency and professionalism of the hotel and the attitude of the staff is reflected by the way this function is carried out by the staff. Usually when a guest goes out of his room he would leave his room key at the counter where the information clerk would put it in the appropriate pigeon hole of his room in the mail and key rack. The guest my leave a filled “Location Form” indicating where he will be for the next few hours.
There are only two ways that a person can contact an in-house guest.
(1) In case of a phone call the telephone operator will connect it to the room of the guest. Since the guest is not in the room the call comes back to the operator who connects it to the Information Section of the Front Desk. After checking that the guest has left his key at the desk (as confirmed by the key being in the “Mail and Key Rack”) the telephone call is transferred to the “Message Desk”. The message clerk prepares the message slip in triplicate. It is important to read back the message to the caller and confirm the details before signing off. The top two copies are given to the Information Clerk who puts it the room no on the forms (from the Information Rack). The Top Copy is sent to the room to be slipped under the door. The Second Copy is put in the appropriate room no pigeon hole of the Mail and Key Rack. In addition, for further safety, an “attention card” or a “mail and message advise card” is put on the door knob of the room or “message light” is activated in those hotels which use electronic systems. The message details may also be fed into the computer and the guest may view it on the screen of the T.V. in his room.
(2) In case of the visitor coming to the hotel , he is asked to first try the house telephones to contact the guest. When he finds the guest is not in his room he comes to the Information Desk and fills in the message slip in triplicate as given above.
MESSAGE SLIP
To ___________________________ Room No _______
Date ________________ Time __________
DURING YOUR ABSENCE
Mr / Mrs / Ms ___________________________________________
Of _____________________________________________________
Tel No __________________________
Called by Telephone
Please call him/her
Came to see you
Will return
Wants to see you
Urgent
MESSAGE _____________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Received by __________________________________
Receiving messages for in-house guests in their absence, recording them and communicating them to the guests as soon as possible is an important function of the front desk staff. The efficiency and professionalism of the hotel and the attitude of the staff is reflected by the way this function is carried out by the staff. Usually when a guest goes out of his room he would leave his room key at the counter where the information clerk would put it in the appropriate pigeon hole of his room in the mail and key rack. The guest my leave a filled “Location Form” indicating where he will be for the next few hours.
There are only two ways that a person can contact an in-house guest.
(1) In case of a phone call the telephone operator will connect it to the room of the guest. Since the guest is not in the room the call comes back to the operator who connects it to the Information Section of the Front Desk. After checking that the guest has left his key at the desk (as confirmed by the key being in the “Mail and Key Rack”) the telephone call is transferred to the “Message Desk”. The message clerk prepares the message slip in triplicate. It is important to read back the message to the caller and confirm the details before signing off. The top two copies are given to the Information Clerk who puts it the room no on the forms (from the Information Rack). The Top Copy is sent to the room to be slipped under the door. The Second Copy is put in the appropriate room no pigeon hole of the Mail and Key Rack. In addition, for further safety, an “attention card” or a “mail and message advise card” is put on the door knob of the room or “message light” is activated in those hotels which use electronic systems. The message details may also be fed into the computer and the guest may view it on the screen of the T.V. in his room.
(2) In case of the visitor coming to the hotel , he is asked to first try the house telephones to contact the guest. When he finds the guest is not in his room he comes to the Information Desk and fills in the message slip in triplicate as given above.
MESSAGE SLIP
To ___________________________ Room No _______
Date ________________ Time __________
DURING YOUR ABSENCE
Mr / Mrs / Ms ___________________________________________
Of _____________________________________________________
Tel No __________________________
Called by Telephone
Please call him/her
Came to see you
Will return
Wants to see you
Urgent
MESSAGE _____________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Received by __________________________________
RECEIVING, REGISTERING AND ROOMING PROCESS FLOW CHART
Determine Traveller’s
Reservation Status
Walk in Guest with a reservation
Determine accommodation Locate reservation record
Requirement rack, movement list,
correspondence file or
computer VDU to be consulted
Determine creditability
Determine
Room availability Confirm reservation details
Decide whether the
room to be allotted
Or nor
If not
Refuse tactfully Assign room
(without offending
the guest)
Assist guest in registering
Check method of payment
Direct guest to make payment
Complete the other formalities
| NAME AND LOGO OF THE HOTEL Guest Name……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Room No………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. Arrival Date & Time………………………………………….Departure Date……………………………………………………… Signature of the Guest……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Room key upon presentation of this card please. |
KEY CARD
| Hotel ABC Room No…………………………….Name of the Guest……………………………………….(Arrival) ………………………………… |
| Items …………………………………………………………………… Number of Pieces ……………………………………………………. |
|
|
| USE FOR SCANTY BAGGAGE |
| Company ………………………………………. Contact ……………………………………..Departure Date………………………….. Remarks …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. |
| Bell Captain Lobby Manager |
| ROOM CHECK LIST |
|
|
| Bell Boy Time: Date: |
BELL BOY ERRAND CARD (ARRIVAL)
BELL CAPTAIN’S CONTROL SHEET
| HOTEL ABC Sheet No. …………………………….. BELL CAPTAIN………………………………………... Date…………………………….. Shift (From……………. To………....) | ||||||||||||||||
| Room No. Remarks Bell Boy Time out Time in Outside call Change of room Departure Bell Boy No. Arrival | ||||||||||||||||
|
|
VVIP ARRIVAL FLOW CHART
| EXPECTED ARRIVAL LIST RECEIVED
INFORM H.KEEPING TO GIVE SPECIAL
PREPARE COMPLEMENTARY
VVIP SIGNS THE PRE REGISTRATION CARD PLACE FRUIT PLACE EITHER AT THE RECEPTION OR SOFT DRINK FLOWERS TROLLEY AS AS DERECTED ASSIGNED EXPLAIN THE SALIENT FEATURES OF THE ROOM AND MAKE HIM FAMILIARISE WITH
GREET AND COME OUT OF THE ROOM] |
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