The Tin Wedding Anniversary

The tin wedding comes with the tenth anniversary, and there are unlimited possibilities in the way of decorations and entertaining of the guests. If musically inclined the young matron may send out invitations for an informal musicale, using the fragrant red rose in such quantities as she can command for decorating the rooms and table. A charming idea is to have the program composed of plantation songs, interspersed with old-time melodies.

Arrange the table in the dining-room, covering the polished surface with a large centerpiece of Renaissance lace, embroidered with clusters of red roses. A tin funnel inserted in the central opening of an angel-cake tin furnishes an ideal foundation for the floral decoration, which should consist of a glowing mass of scarlet roses and syringa. Place this on a large circle of brightly polished tin.

Several crescents or half-moons cut from new tin may be placed at several places on the table and the dates, also cut in new tin, may be placed at either side of the centerpiece.

Four tin candlesticks, with sconces of ruby glass, and fitted with red wax candles, each having a jaunty cap or shade of crimson silk, should be used for lighting the table; and, as tin ware can be purchased in a variety of designs, the hostess should have no difficulty in selecting several artistic little dishes to be used as receptacles for the bonbons, olives and nuts. The following menu is suggested as being easily and quickly served:

• Lobster Salad.
• Rolled Ham Sandwiches.
• Galantine of Chicken.
• Salted Nuts. Olives. Rolls.
• Strawberry Parfait.
• Fancy Cakes.
• Coffee.

Everything comprised in the menu, with the exception of the parfait and the coffee should be arranged on the table before supper is announced. Serve the lobster salad in a tin bread-bowl, with a wreath of small red roses encircling the rim, and the galantine of chicken piled in neat slices, in a shallow baking pan, the handles of which are tied with bows of crimson ribbon.

The hostess must also remember that all the tin ware used on the table should be new and polished to the utmost brilliancy. At an informal supper of this description the host may serve the salad and chicken, after they are placed on the table, the waitress having first distributed the napkins to the guests. A breakfast plate is used for this course.

The sandwiches, olives, rolls and nuts are then passed in the order mentioned. The strawberry parfait should be served in crystal sherbet glasses, resting on small layer-cake pans, and the little fancy cakes may be iced with vanilla frosting and decorated with candied cherries.

The coffee may be brought to the table by the waitress in a large tin coffee-pot and poured by the hostess into small tin cups, which are then passed accompanied with cut sugar and cream in tin receptacles. Souvenir boxes for holding the wedding-cake can be made from small heart-shaped pasteboard boxes, covered with silver paper and tied with narrow scarlet ribbon, the cake being stamped with a heart-shaped cutter before it is placed in the box.

A Chafing-Dish Supper

The object which arrived in the mail one morning was a thin piece of tin, four or five inches in size, on which was inscribed in gold and blue, an invitation from Mr. and Mrs. Eaton for a chafing- dish supper in celebration of the tenth anniversary of their marriage.

At ten o’clock on the evening of the 6th, four gentlemen and four ladies assembled at the Eaton residence. In the dressing- rooms they found awaiting them stiffly starched cook’s aprons and caps of linen, also deep cuffs of the same material.

On descending the stairs the guests were escorted by the host and hostess to the dining-room where the table was spread with a damask cloth, and a full service of tin. Fancy-shaped tin dishes, at the corners, held Vienna rolls, salted wafers, olives and celery.

On a side table stood two nickle chafing-dishes and a five-o’clock- tea kettle and stand, also numerous sauce-pans, cans and boxes. Five white envelopes lay on a tin salver. The host passed these to the gentlemen. Each helped himself, and the remaining one was taken by the host. They were found to contain tin heart-shaped badges inscribed respectively: “Mock Terrapin,” “Devilled Lobster,” “Sweetbreads ä la Roumage,” “Orange Omelet,” and “Cafe Noir.”

The host explained: “Each man is expected to prepare the dish inscribed on his badge, and he who is declared by vote to be the best cook will receive as a reward a chafing-dish outfit of Nickle, that being first cousin to tin.”

“But we don't know how to cook,” wailed three of the unfortunates. The fourth looked triumphant. He had drawn “Caf6 Noir,” and was confident of the prize—for what man does not believe that he can make good coffee?

“The recipe will be read to you, all you will have to do is to cook,” said the hostess. “‘Mock Terrapin,’ will kindly come forward and receive sentence.”

It now appeared that the various receptacles on the chafing- dish table held the ingredients for the different dishes. The mock terrapin was prepared in due time and served in tin cups.

Devilled lobster came next, served on tin plates with a garnishing of watercress and an accompaniment of salted wafers.
While the lobster was cooking, another cook began with the sweetbreads à la roumage. This was such an elaborate dish that the cook did not draw a full breath until it was finally served in small tin boxes, lined with white paper.

The man who made the orange omelet, by his piteous pleadings induced all five ladies to assist him, though his brother chefs grumbled and declared this to be base partiality. Meantime the five-o’clock kettle was hung over its alcohol lamp and after the coffee was brewed the fragrant liquid was poured into tiny tin cups passed to the guests.

This being disposed of, the momentous duty of awarding the chafing-dish was in order. Only the ladies were allowed a voice in the matter. With one accord they declared that the compounder of the sweetbreads à la roumage was the prize winner.

“I really think I do deserve it,” he said modestly in response to the presentation speech, “if only as a recompense for the agonies of mind I suffered while preparing the dish.”

Jean Wilde Clark, Ed., "Wedding Anniversaries: The Tin Wedding," in Weddings and Wedding Anniversaries: A Book of Good Form in the Conduct of Marriage Ceremonies . . . with Added Chapters about the Various Anniversaries, New York: The Butterick Publishing Company, 1910, p. 109.

Jean Wilde Clark, Ed., "Wedding Anniversaries: A Chafing-Dish Supper," in Weddings and Wedding Anniversaries: A Book of Good Form in the Conduct of Marriage Ceremonies . . . with Added Chapters about the Various Anniversaries, New York: The Butterick Publishing Company, 1910, p. 110.