Cooking for profit

305— Raw Oysters— Half Shell. Open the oysters as they are called for, loosen from the shell, serve in the best shell with as much of their own liquor as can be saved, ranged on a plate with half a lemon in the center. Shred cabbage, crackers, butter and table sauces go free. 306— Raw Oysters— Bulk. "Counts" are the largest — same thing as "Saddle Rocks.'' "Selects" next largest. Serve a dozen on the plate Lemon, if called for, in a small glass dish at the side. Cost — according to the price of oysters— with oysters at $1,00 per 100 — oysters 12, lemon J, crackers 1, butter 2, tomato ketchup etc., 1^; 17 cents a dozen. Small oysters only half the price. 307— Oyster Stew It is a dozen medium oysters with a pint or less of milk and perhaps a small allowance of butter; with crackers, butter and pickles on the table. Cook the oysters and milk in separate saucepans. Dip the oysters from the saucepan into the bowl, add a ladleful of milk and a small piece of fresh butter. Serve crackers, butter and shred cabbage separately with the stew. Cost of material — oysters 7, milk 3, table extras 4; 14 cents. Note — Oysters do not always curdle the milk when boiled in it, but there is always a danger that they may, so the rule is not to run any risk. Besides, to cook the oysters in the milk although good for flavor, always makes a dingy looking stew with a scum on top. To obtain the best quality and appearance boil some oyster liquor separately and keep it ready for orders. As it reaches boiling point the ecura on top can be skimmed off and after that pour it through a fine strainer into a clean saucepan, and you have the oyster essence clear and ready for use .without detriment to the appearances. 308— Plain Stew. The oysters cooked as above with the liquor only served with them, and no milk. Note — It is with cooking an oyster as with cooking an egg. It may be either soft boiled or hard boiled, only there is a difference that an oyster boiled hard is spoiled. To cook oysters for stews set some of the liquor that has been previously boiled and strained as directed above, on the lange in a little saucepan and drop in the oysters with a fork. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, shake them back and forth while heating and as soon as the liquor fairly boils they are done. Time about 3 minutes for one stew. 309— Dry Stew. The same as plain stew but served without the liquor. Have a spoonful of fresh butter ready melted at a convenient place and pour it to the oysters in the bowl after they have been dipped up out of their liquor with a strainer. 310— Boston Fancy Stew. Make a milk stew in the same style, and a thin slice of buttered toast. Use a broad and shallow bowl. Put the buttered toast in the bowl, dish the oysters (sott cooked) on the toast and pour the liquor in at the side, enough to make it float. Cost of material — 12 large oysters 12, milk 4, buttered toast 1, table extras 3; 20 cents. 311— Box Stew. The richest stew that can be made and with the very largest oysters, called Fulton Market box, oysters.