Table service for the American Home, 1939

The threshers eating dinner, photo by Wallace Kirkland for Life, n.d. (1930s)

SERVICE

There are three general types of service. Russian, when all food is served in the kitchen and brought to the table after the guests are seated. Each plate may be served or the food may be arranged on platters for each guest to help himself.   Family Type, when the food is all served at the table by the host or hostess or both.  Combination, when the main course is served at the table by the host and all the other courses served in portions from the kitchen.
                                                              — from The American Home Cookbook, 1939.