This method of cooking terrapin was as famous as the hospitality of its giver in the
old Washington days of Clay, Webster and Sumner.
SOFT-SHELL CRABS.
Lift the shell at both sides and remove the spongy substance found on the back. Then
pull off the "apron," which will be found on the under side, and to which is attached a
substance like that removed from the back. Now wipe the crabs, and dip them in beaten
egg, then in fine bread or cracker crumbs. Fry in boiling fat from eight to ten minutes,
the time depending upon the size of the crabs. Serve with Tartare sauce. Or, the egg
and bread-crumbs✪ Lobster Croquettes may be omitted. Season with salt and cayenne, and fry as before.
SOFT-SHELL CRABS, BROILED.
After drying and cleaning them well, season them lightly with cayenne pepper and
salt; then drop them into boiling water for one minute, take them up and broil over a clear,
hot fire. Serve very hot, with a la maitre d'hdtel, or sauce Tartare.
DEVILED CRABS.
One dozen fresh hard-shell crabs boiled, pick out the meat from the shells; a quarter
of a pound of fresh butter; one small teaspoon of mustard powder; cayenne pepper and
salt to taste.
Put the meat into a bowl and mix carefully with it an equal quantity of fine bread-
crumb✪ Deviled Crabss. Work the butter to a light cream, mix the mustard with it, then stir very care-
fully, a handful at a time, the mixed crabs and crumbs. Wash the crab shells and fill with
the mixture, sprinkle bread-crumbs over the tops, put three small pieces of butter upon
the top qf each, and brown them quickly in a hot oven. They will puff in baking and
will be found delicious. Half the quantity can be made.
OYSTERS.
r f "'HE traditional oyster season ends the last of April. It was formerly against the
law to sell oysters in any months but those having an " R " in their names, but
this statute is long since obsolete, and as good a " broil " or " half shell " may be had
in August nowadays as in January. " In fact/' said a wholesale oysterman, "many kinds
of oysters are in their best condition during the summer months. All along the Connecti-
cut shore of Long Island Sound, where oyster culture has been brought down to a science,
people think oysters are better in summer, and eat more of them than in winter."
It is not as generally understood as it should be that oysters have medicinal qualities
of a high order. They are not only nutritious, but wholesome, especially in cases of indi-
gestion. It is said " there is no ether alimentary substance, not even excepting bread,
that does not produce indigestion under certain circumstances; but oysters, never. Oyster
juice promotes digestion. By taking oysters daily, indigestion, supposed to be almost in-
curable, has been cured ; in fact, they are to be regarded as one of the most healthful ar-
ticles of food known to man. Invalids who have found all other kinds of food disagree
with them, frequently discover in the oyster the required aliment. Raw oysters are highly
recommended for hoarseness. Many of the leading vocalists use them regularly before
concerts and operas; but their*strongest recommendation is the remarkable wholesome in-
fluence exerted upon the digestive organs.
RAW OYSTERS.
Page 81 · 2 recipe records on this page
Presented as published in 1891. 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
This method of cooking terrapin was as famous as the hospitality of its giver in the old Washington days of Clay, Webster and Sumner.
SOFT-SHELL CRABS.
Lift the shell at both sides and remove the spongy substance found on the back. Then pull off the "apron," which will be found on the under side, and to which is attached a substance like that removed from the back. Now wipe the crabs, and dip them in beaten egg, then in fine bread or cracker crumbs. Fry in boiling fat from eight to ten minutes, the time depending upon the size of the crabs. Serve with Tartare sauce. Or, the egg and bread-crumbs may be omitted. Season with salt and cayenne, and fry as before.
SOFT-SHELL CRABS, BROILED.
After drying and cleaning them well, season them lightly with cayenne pepper and salt; then drop them into boiling water for one minute, take them up and broil over a clear, hot fire. Serve very hot, with a la maitre d'hdtel, or sauce Tartare.
DEVILED CRABS.
One dozen fresh hard-shell crabs boiled, pick out the meat from the shells; a quarter of a pound of fresh butter; one small teaspoon of mustard powder; cayenne pepper and salt to taste.
Put the meat into a bowl and mix carefully with it an equal quantity of fine breadcrumbs. Work the butter to a light cream, mix the mustard with it, then stir very carefully, a handful at a time, the mixed crabs and crumbs. Wash the crab shells and fill with the mixture, sprinkle bread-crumbs over the tops, put three small pieces of butter upon the top of each, and brown them quickly in a hot oven. They will puff in baking and will be found delicious. Half the quantity can be made.
OYSTERS.
r f "'HE traditional oyster season ends the last of April. It was formerly against the law to sell oysters in any months but those having an " R " in their names, but this statute is long since obsolete, and as good a " broil " or " half shell " may be had in August nowadays as in January. " In fact/' said a wholesale oysterman, "many kinds of oysters are in their best condition during the summer months. All along the Connecticut shore of Long Island Sound, where oyster culture has been brought down to a science, people think oysters are better in summer, and eat more of them than in winter."
It is not as generally understood as it should be that oysters have medicinal qualities of a high order. They are not only nutritious, but wholesome, especially in cases of indigestion. It is said " there is no ether alimentary substance, not even excepting bread, that does not produce indigestion under certain circumstances; but oysters, never. Oyster juice promotes digestion. By taking oysters daily, indigestion, supposed to be almost incurable, has been cured ; in fact, they are to be regarded as one of the most healthful articles of food known to man. Invalids who have found all other kinds of food disagree with them, frequently discover in the oyster the required aliment. Raw oysters are highly recommended for hoarseness. Many of the leading vocalists use them regularly before concerts and operas; but their*strongest recommendation is the remarkable wholesome influence exerted upon the digestive organs.
RAW OYSTERS.
Records on this page
Lobster CroquettesDeviled Crabs