Miss Corson's practical American cookery and household management

The custom generally prevails in this country, of beginning every dinner, where there is any attempt at formality, with small shell-fish served on the half-shell. Even in the inland towns, oysters and hard clams can usually be procured, for they are now shipped in barrels from the eastern seaboard to all parts of the country accessible by rail. Sometimes a fine grade of canned oysters is served on plates painted to imitate five or six half oyster-shells ; but great care should be exercised, if this is done, to have the oysters used directly the can is opened ; if there is the slightest taint, or deterioration from exposure to the air, the success of the dinner will be marred. Indeed, it is best to omit this first service of shellfish, unless they can be freshly taken from the shells. The proper accompaniments for raw shell-fish are lemon and brown bread and butter, both of which are placed upon the table when it is laid. OYSTERS ON THE HALF-SHELL. Choose the smallest plump oysters which can be obtained. In the New- York markets, all very small oysters in good condition for serving on the half-shell are called Blue-Points. ■63 The small native oysters of California are excellent, having the coppery taste so much esteemed by European epicures. The small oysters of the southern Atlantic seaboard are delicious. Have the shells of the oysters liberally dashed with cold -water to free them from mud, and then open them, loosening the oyster from both sides of the shell by dividing the muscle variously called the " eye '' and the " heart " (both terms are erroneous) ; take off the shallow half of the shell, leaving the oyster lying loose in the deep part, carefully removing all bits of shell which may be broken in opening the oysters: if the oysters are carefully opened, very little of the shell will be broken. Arrange the deep half-shells containing the oysters upon plates, five or six on each plate, with the smallest part of the shell towards the centre of the plate ; put a quarter of a lemon in the midst of the oysters, and have more lemon upon the table, together with several plates of brown bread, cut very thin and buttered and then folded to enclose the butter. Do not dish the oysters until just as they are wanted for the table : they may be opened, arranged in the deep shells on a large pan or tray, and kept in the ice-box until just before serving them. The plates containing the oysters are placed upon the tables just before the guests enter the dining-room. OYSTERS IN A BLOCK OF ICE. This method of icing oysters is more suitable for luncheon, or for a gentlemen's supper, than for a dinner-service. A block of clear ice is best: snow-ice, or that which is opaque and full of air-holes, melts more quickly than clear ice. Make a slight hollow in the upper surface of the ice, and lay the deep half-shells containing the oysters in this cavity ; place the block of ice on a dish large enough to contain all the water from the melting ice, and then at once serve the oysters on the block of ice. When there are many SMALL SHELL-FISH {HUITRES). 1 65