The oyster is raised in beds in the ocean, or bays often near
the river mouth, and it is the neighborhood to the river that
makes it possible for the oyster to carry germs of contagion,
particularly of typhoid fever, when city sewage poured into
the river passes over the oyster bed. Here, too, government
protection is essential, and this is a matter that has created
so much excitement that conditions are already improved.
There is an association of oyster growers who make a point
of advertising clean oyster beds, and cleanly methods of
handling and transporting.
Oysters vary in size and flavor, the flavor seeming to de-
pend upon the locality. The smaller are sought for serving
raw, and the medium and larger for cooking. They are sold
by the measure or number when taken from the shell, the
latter giving the surer quantity ; and the price is usually one
cent apiece. They are in season from September to May.
The whole flesh of the oyster is soft and edible, even the
muscle by which it opens and shuts its shell being tender.
Clams are of two kinds, distinguished differently in differ-
ent places. They are known as hard and soft, or round and
FISH, SHELLFISH, AND MEAT SUBSTITUTES 239
long, and in Rhode Island the hard round clam still bears the
Indian name Quahaug, the soft shell clam being the only
'' clam."
The long clam lies buried in the soft mud of creeks and
muddy shores left exposed at low tide, when they are dug by
hoes from the mud. The round clam lies on the bottom of
shallow warm waters, and is raked with an implement made
for the purpose. The round clam is used when very yoimg
and small in place of raw oysters; but both kinds when
matured have a tough portion that is not softened in cooking,
and that is more or less indigestible. The long " neck "
which protrudes from the shell has to be discarded.
Both kinds may be roasted in the shell, and are very palat-
able served hot with melted butter, salt, and pepper. They
are most conmionly used in soups and in chowder. They are
purchased by the quantity or number, are cheaper than oys-
ters, and are always in season.
Scallops, as piu*chased, are only a part of the animal in the
shell, consisting solely of the round white muscle which op-
erates the shell. The escallop, or scallop, is migratory, mov-
ing by a shooting motion, the mature scallops reaching the
creeks and shores in the autumn, and though found in so-
called beds they are not fixtures like the oysters. The flavor
is sweet, and they have a quality that makes them more or
less indigestible, especially when fried. They are very
palatable and more digestible served in a stew made like an
oyster stew. They are sold by the measure and are cheap
in season.
The lobster is now a luxury, for methods of catching in the
past have made them scarce in their old haunts. The lobster
is a much more highly developed animal than the moUusk,
ha\'ing strong muscles inside its coat of mail, and the flesh
has a protein content that compares very favorably with
240 FOODS AND HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT
meat. When fresh, and not served with rich sauces or eaten
at irregular hours, it is not especially indigestible, and may
be the main dish at luncheon or supper, served simply with
salt, pepper, and melted butter and not taken with meat
foods. Its own delicious flavor needs no addition in the way
of sauces and high seasoning.
Page 120
Presented as published in 1914. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
The oyster is raised in beds in the ocean, or bays often near the river mouth, and it is the neighborhood to the river that makes it possible for the oyster to carry germs of contagion, particularly of typhoid fever, when city sewage poured into the river passes over the oyster bed. Here, too, government protection is essential, and this is a matter that has created so much excitement that conditions are already improved. There is an association of oyster growers who make a point of advertising clean oyster beds, and cleanly methods of handling and transporting.
Oysters vary in size and flavor, the flavor seeming to depend upon the locality. The smaller are sought for serving raw, and the medium and larger for cooking. They are sold by the measure or number when taken from the shell, the latter giving the surer quantity ; and the price is usually one cent apiece. They are in season from September to May. The whole flesh of the oyster is soft and edible, even the muscle by which it opens and shuts its shell being tender.
Clams are of two kinds, distinguished differently in different places. They are known as hard and soft, or round and
long, and in Rhode Island the hard round clam still bears the Indian name Quahaug, the soft shell clam being the only '' clam."
The long clam lies buried in the soft mud of creeks and muddy shores left exposed at low tide, when they are dug by hoes from the mud. The round clam lies on the bottom of shallow warm waters, and is raked with an implement made for the purpose. The round clam is used when very yoimg and small in place of raw oysters; but both kinds when matured have a tough portion that is not softened in cooking, and that is more or less indigestible. The long " neck " which protrudes from the shell has to be discarded.
Both kinds may be roasted in the shell, and are very palatable served hot with melted butter, salt, and pepper. They are most conmionly used in soups and in chowder. They are purchased by the quantity or number, are cheaper than oysters, and are always in season.
Scallops, as piu*chased, are only a part of the animal in the shell, consisting solely of the round white muscle which operates the shell. The escallop, or scallop, is migratory, moving by a shooting motion, the mature scallops reaching the creeks and shores in the autumn, and though found in socalled beds they are not fixtures like the oysters. The flavor is sweet, and they have a quality that makes them more or less indigestible, especially when fried. They are very palatable and more digestible served in a stew made like an oyster stew. They are sold by the measure and are cheap in season.
The lobster is now a luxury, for methods of catching in the past have made them scarce in their old haunts. The lobster is a much more highly developed animal than the moUusk, ha\'ing strong muscles inside its coat of mail, and the flesh has a protein content that compares very favorably with
meat. When fresh, and not served with rich sauces or eaten at irregular hours, it is not especially indigestible, and may be the main dish at luncheon or supper, served simply with salt, pepper, and melted butter and not taken with meat foods. Its own delicious flavor needs no addition in the way of sauces and high seasoning.