These, as well as fruit cocktails, are served at the beginning of a dinner in the place of shell-fish. At a summer luncheon they take the place of both shell-fish and soup. All sorts of vegetables may be used, served in small punch glasses, or in peppers with the seeds removed, or in scooped out tomatoes, or in apple shells.

Fruit cocktails are attractive in the rinds of oranges, lemons, shaddocks or in apple shells. Serve with them both an oyster fork and a small spoon.

Tomato Cocktails

4 good-sized tomatoes

2 tablespoonfuls of tomato catsup

1 dash of tabasco

1/2 teaspoonful of salt

6 sweet peppers

1 teaspoonful of Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoonful of grated onion

Peel the tomatoes, cut them into halves, press out the seeds; cut the flesh in small blocks. Add all the other ingredients and stand them on the ice to cool. At serving time cut the bottoms from the peppers, and after taking out the seeds, stand them in a bowl filled with finely shaved ice; put in the tomato "cocktail," put on the "lid," and send to the table.

String Beans may be boiled, cut into small pieces and used in the same way, or stuffed into peeled, scooped-out tomatoes.

In this case the tomato can be eaten; in the first case the peppers are not eaten, although frequently a portion cut off with the lid is chopped and mixed with the tomato inside.

Boiled Cauliflower, Asparagus, Jerusalem Artichokes, all make admirable "cocktails." Use them in precisely the same way, either in punch glasses or in tomatoes placed in shallow bowls, partly filled with cracked ice.