used to follow a dinner that is already sufficiently heavy.

2. There is nothing fixed about the dessert course of a meal. It may be
very simple or it may be as complicated and elaborate as desired. To
make an elaborate dessert usually requires a good deal of time, and
unless time and care can be devoted to such a dessert it should not be
attempted. However, whether a dessert is simple or elaborate, it should
always be made sufficiently attractive to appeal to an appetite that is
already almost satisfied. Besides providing a chance to end a meal in an
attractive and appetizing way, it offers a splendid opportunity to carry
out a color scheme that may be adopted for a meal. Of course, this is
seldom done, except for a party or a company meal, for a color scheme
has no particular value other than to appeal to the esthetic sense.

3. The cost of desserts is also a matter that may be varied. For
instance, it may be low, as in plain rice pudding, which contains merely
rice and milk, or it may be high, as in such concoctions as mousse or
parfait, which may contain cream, eggs, gelatine, and fruit. It is
possible then, with correct planning, to make the price of the dessert
equalize the cost of the meal. For example, if the previous courses have
contained expensive foods, the dessert should be an economical one,
whereas an expensive one is permissible either when an elaborate meal is
desired or when the cheapness of the food served before the dessert
warrants greater expense in the final dish.

4. The fact that desserts are often a means of economically utilizing
left-over foods should not be overlooked. A famous cooking expert is
responsible for the statement that any edible left-over may be utilized
in the making of soup, salad, or dessert. This is an important truth to
keep in mind, for, with the exception of a knowledge of the correct