The Cook Book, by "Oscar" of the Waldorf

cultivated in certain localities, and yielding enormous crops, as it is estimated that one oyster alone produces in one year from three to four thousand young. The system of cultivation has been brought to great perfection, and the superior kinds of oysters are carefully preserved from contamination with inferior sorts. Of the numerous kinds of oysters sold in our markets, it is only necessary to state that those possessing the smallest, smoothest and cleanest looking shells, from the high class native, down to the lowest types, are the best flavored. For serving plain, no oyster excels the blue points, but for cooking a coarser and cheaper kind may be used with almost as good results. Oysters must be kept alive, and as they are liable to fret and waste in substance while in captivity, they require frequent change of water, and occasional feeding or fattening as it is called. The following is the system usually adopted: Take some fresh oysters, put them in a tub of water, wash or scrub them with a birch or heather broom until they are quite clean, then lay them in an earthenware pan with the flat shell upwards; sprinkle them with flour or oatmeal, and cover with salted water (quite as salt as sea-water), bay salt being the best for this purpose. Change the salt water every day and sprinkle the oysters with oatmeal or flour, and they will fatten. Sometimes it is necessary to preserve oysters for culinary use, especially in localities where they are scarce or the supplies insufficient. When this is the case, the following will be found an excellent method of preparing them so that they will keep good, although not fresh, and be always ready for use. Clean the oysters thoroughly, put them in a large saucepan with some sea-water, the juice of half a lemon, and some grated nutmeg. When the water is on the point of boiling move the saucepan off the fire, and leave the oysters in the liquor till the following day. Put them into stone or earthenware jars, pour over some clarified butter, and when cold, cover and tie the jars down; keep them in a cool place. Oysters should be kept in a very cold place, and should be thoroughly washed before they are opened; they should, according to the French custom, be opened on the deep shell so as to preserve their liquor; it is then advisable, if possible, to lay them on a bed of finely chopped ice for an hour or so before serving; this improves the flavor greatly, but they must not be left on the ice much longer, for after that time they will begin to lose flavor, instead of gaining it. Oysters, American Style. Place in a sauce bowl one heaped teaspoonful of salt, three-fourths teaspoonful of very finely ground white pepper, one medium sized fine, sound, well peeled shallot, one heaped teaspoonful of chives, and one-half teaspoonful of parsley, all very finely chopped. Mix lightly together, and then pour in one teaspoonful of olive oil, six drops of Tabasco sauce, one saltspoonful of Worcestershire sauce, and lastly one gill (or five and one-half tablespoonfuls) of good vinegar. Mix it thoroughly with a spoon, and it is ready for use. A teaspoonful should be poured over each oyster just before eating. Baked Oysters. Put in a small lined stewpan a quarter of a pound of butter and one teacupful of cream, stirring them well over a fire until thoroughly mingled. Add one wineglassful of wine, one tablespoonful of anchovy sauce and a small quantity each of cayenne pepper and grated lemon peel, and continue stirring over the fire until hot.. Pour half of this mixture into a dish and lay the oysters on it. Strew Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs over, with a little salt and pepper, pouring on the remainder of the cream and butter, with another thin layer of crumbs and cheese on top. Bake until nicely browned in a brisk oven and serve while hot Baked Oysters in their Shells.