Here is the journalist's opinion:
“From a social standpoint, a similar attitude is barbaric.
I don't mean this one, or some other feast, but for the principle. Women are part of society, therefore, they have an equal right and duty to feel and understand civic merit, and worship them.
So it is a regrettable circumstance, that none of the women made a word of protest, and too much, without thinking, enjoyed the privilege of decorating the banquet hall. Such facts do not contribute to raising the position of women in society…”
However, there were parties in Warsaw at that time 'only for men”, which by no means endangered the social position of women.
Carolina Beylin: Weekdays of Warsaw in the years 1880-1900:
…As every year for many years, dr Karol Benni sent in the fall to his friends printed on thick notice paper, that after the summer break, he resumes his parties every other Friday at 8 in the evening and that these "Fridays" will last until the end of May.
The men themselves were invited, "Fridays" at Dr. Bennie's - just like the parties at the critic Dionysius Henkiel in the so-called. hermitage in Mazowiecka - were held without women. Even Mrs. Luiza Benni limited herself to welcoming her husband's guests, then she disappeared into her room.
At first, the guests sat in small groups and had separate conversations. Later, the bell for dinner brought everyone to one table, and usually for a common conversation.
There was a snack table against the wall in the dining room, which were sprinkled with starka. Then people were seated at a long table. The menu was almost always the same and exceptionally large. The regulars knew, that after tripe or bigos there will be buckwheat noodles covered with butter and sprinkled with cheese on the table, followed by fish and baked goods. Beer circulated in the jugs from hand to hand. There was never any dessert.
After the feast was over, you went to the living room, where a cup of black coffee and a glass of cherry were placed in front of each, whose goodness was loud in Warsaw. For this, dried plums on sticks were served, sprinkled with caraway seeds - the house's specialty.
Conversations, started at the table, they grew stronger over coffee. When one topic has been exhausted, there was always someone deftly starting the next one. Usually, the most important matters were moved to the less important ones and ended with social gossip …”
Nostalgia for those "weekdays"” it will become much worse if we are seduced by the temptation to study Christmas menus. Here's what Christmas Eve menu is offered by the Economical Cook (!):
1) Choice of three soups (Lenten borscht with dumplings, almond soup or hawthorn soup).
2) Pike in gray (in a sweet raisin sauce).
3) Pike in yellow (with saffron sauce).
4) The Sądak pike (pike perch) cold.
5) Carp or bream planted (cooked in wine sauce)
6) Woknie with potatoes.
7) Husked pike (cooked in vegetables, served with grated horseradish, seasoned with vinegar).
8) Ruffers with ginger (baked with the addition of olive oil, beer and ginger).
9) Sago vegetables (with raspberry juice).
10) Red cabbage with cutlets (with fish).
11) Baked sturgeon with a variety of lettuce.
12) Various cakes”.
And that's not all. “Instead of dessert” - after all, fasting should rule out any pomp - was given: satiated peas (honey), Plum compote (on red wine with roots), almond jelly, satiated rice, boiled in beer, wrapped in flour and fried in oil - mushrooms with horseradish, and moreover, twigs and potato kissels.
Yes, they "mortified themselves”, that's how they fasted” Warsaw. Without the risk of making a major mistake, one could, however, risk “supposition”, that few copies of the Economical Kucharka were sold in Krakow.