Editing Buffet (section)

===20th century===
[[File:1955 - Americus Hotel Buffet.jpg|thumb|Dinner buffet in [[Americus Hotel]] (1955)]]

In a 1922 housekeeping book entitled ''How to Prepare and Serve a Meal'', Lillian B. Lansdown wrote:

{{blockquote|The concept of eating a buffet arose in mid 17th century France, when gentleman callers would arrive at the homes of ladies they wanted to woo unexpectedly. Their surprise arrival would throw the kitchen staff into a panic and the only food that could be served was a selection of what was found in the cold room.

The informal luncheon or lunch—originally the light meal eaten between breakfast and dinner, but now often taking the place of dinner, the fashionable hour being one (or half after if cards are to follow)—is of two kinds. The "buffet" luncheon, at which the guests eat standing; and the luncheon served at small tables, at which the guests are seated...

The knife is tabooed at the "buffet" lunch, hence all the food must be such as can be eaten with fork or spoon. As a rule, friends of the hostess serve... The following dishes cover the essentials of a "buffet" luncheon. Beverages: punch, coffee, chocolate (poured from urn, or filled cups brought from pantry on tray); hot entrées of various sorts (served from chafing dish or platter) preceded by hot bouillon; cold entrées, salads, lobster, potatoes, chicken, shrimp, with heavy dressings; hot rolls, wafer-cut sandwiches (lettuce, tomato, deviled ham, etc.); small cakes, frozen creams and ices.<ref>[http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext05/psmid10.txt How to Prepare and Serve a Meal], Project Gutenberg etext of the 1922 book by Lillian B. Lansdown</ref>}}

The informal luncheon at small tables calls for service by a number of maids, hence the "buffet" plan is preferable.{{Citation needed|date=July 2012}}<!--Should this be part of the above quote?-->