Miss Corson's practical American cookery and household management

guests, a block of ice may be surrounded by unopened oysters, and several layers of the shell-fish placed upon the top : this necessitates the opening of the oysters at the table, an operation difficult to accomplish unless one is an expert at " stabbing " the oysters, or prying open the shells, without pounding off the edges. The oysters might be partly opened, care being taken not to lose their liquor, and then packed around and upon the block of ice, with their deep shells undermost : the opening would then be a comparatively simple matter. Of course, this service of oysters necessitates an ample supply of napery, and sometimes an entire change of the table-linen. OYSTERS IN ICE. A caterer's device for serving raw oysters at a dinner of sixteen persons may be notecl. Hollow shapes had been frozen to represent apples made of ice, the upper half movable and lifted by a stem ; the oysters were placed in the lower section of the apple, which was set on a small doily laid on a plate : a few bits of parsley made a pretty garnish. The objection to this method of icing the oysters was, that the melting of the ice-apple plunged them in a bath of icewater ; while the hollow at the bottom of the interior of the apple collected the oysters in a wet mass. They lost not only their natural flavor, but also their individuality : one of the excellences of the service on the half-shell is that each bivalve reaches the consumer in its legitimate habitat, and surrounded by its own distinctive liquor. When half-shells are not obtainable, the fancy oyster - plates might be iced by being left for an hour or longer in the ice-box, so that they would speedily cool the oysters placed upon them ; or a thin film of ice might be frozen over them, by exposing them to a freezing temperature with a little water in each one : this, however, would make the oysters watery as the ice melted. A third method of icing oysters is given in the next recipe. COLD CANNED OYSTERS. When it is impossible to obtain fresh oysters for the halfshell service before dinner, a partial substitute may be made from canned oysters, by carefully following the details of this recipe. The oysters will be most presentable if served on the fancy oyster-plates which imitate the shells; and they must be absolutely cold. From a can of fine oysters select the largest and fattest ; see that no bits of shell adhere to them, and drain them on a sieve ; put their liquor over the fire with an equal quantity of vinegar and enough hot water to cover the oysters, and let the broth thus made boil, removing all scum as it rises. When the broth is quite. free from scum, throw the oysters into it, and watch them closely ; the instant they become full and plump, skim them out of the broth, and again lay them on the seive to drain. A very little time will suffice to make the oysters plump : if they are allowed to cook until they shrivel, they will be spoiled for this dish. As soon as the oysters are placed on the sieve, cover them with a cloth wet in cold water, and let them cool ; when they are entirely cold, arrange them on the fancy oyster-plates, and serve them cold, with lemon and brown bread and butter. LITTLE-NECK CLAMS ON THE HALF-SHELL.