Pictured below is another old friend from my Commis Waiter days. Preparing this trolley was usually an afternoon job in
the hour before going up to the Main Lounge for afternoon tea service. All the spirit lamps, about 10 in each restaurant,
would be collected and taken into the galley.
There to be replenished with methylated spirits (denatured alcohol), have their wicks trimmed or cleaned and then have
their bodies polished. The silver pans would have been cleaned and polished by us on the previous evening.
The three trolleys would then have clean cloths placed on them and have two silver pans placed on the shelf below.
Other items would then be added according to the Restaurant Manager's request, as service started that evening.
This brochure image is cleverly rigged to show an abundance of items that could be served from the Maître'D's trolley
as deserts. On the table is a “Bombe Caronia” - a block of vanilla or mint choc-chip ice-cream covered in
piped meringue and placed in a very hot oven for a minute or two, before having its highlights brought-up
by hand with a blow-torch. This would normally be served with either black-cherries flamed with kirsch, or with fresh
strawberries.
The abundance comes from the fact that the trolley is actually prepared for serving Crêpes
Suzettes, the halved oranges and bottle of Grand Marnier being key ingredients in the preparation
of this dish. However, it was usually one or the other that was served at any one table.
