The housekeeper's companion

To Fry Oysters with Batter. — Take fine large oysters, beat as many eggs with cream (say two eggs to a cup of cream) as will moisten all the oysters required; dip the oyster thoroughly into this mixture and then cover well with cracker crumbs which have been seasoned with salt, pepper and a little mace, if desired. Put into your frying pan or spider equal quantities of butter and lard, and when hot fry the prepared oysters to a delicate brown tint and serve hot. If preferred, add three tablespoonfuls of flour to the eggs and cream, and* omit the cracker crumbs. Oysters Broiled on the Shell. — The oysters should be of the largest size. Clean the shells with a stiff brush, then open and save the juice; turn boiling water over the oysters for only a minute or two; drain it off, and lay the oysters on one-half of the shell, putting it on a well-heated gridiron over a very hot fire. Boil the liquor that came from the oysters when opened, add it to the shell with a sprinkle of salt, pepper, and a bit of butter, serve hot on the shells, laid on large platters. Unsurpassed Fricasseed Oysters. — For one can of oysters use one pint of thin cream; clean all the liquor from the oysters and put them over steam until hot; at the same time thicken the cream with flour and season with salt, pepper and a small pinch of mace, and the same of cinnamon and a very little butter; cook this well, and when done thoroughly, add to it the liquor of the oysters which has been scalded and well skimmed until clear; then add the oysters, letting them remain just long enough to get plump (if left too long they grow tough). Have ready some toast on a platter and pour the whole over it, or have leaves and triangles of rich paste around the dish and partially moistened by the fricassee. Your platter must be very hot, as fricasseed oysters chill like a newborn baby. Oyster Pie.— Two cans of oysters, or three pints of solid oysters, one quart of cream, one dozen rolled crackers, pepper, salt, etc. Stir all together and pour into a dish lined with thick pufF paste, cover with another paste and bake three-quarters of an hour. This is a delicious moder of cooking oysters. Oyster Patties. — Put the oysters in a saucepan with enough of the liquor to cover them: let them come to a boil, skim well, add two teaspoonfuls of butter for one quart of oysters, season with pepper and a little salt. Two or three spoonfuls of cream will add to the richness. Have ready small tins lined with puff-paste; put three or four oysters in each, according to the size of the patty; cover with paste and bake in a quick oven twenty minutes; when done wash over the top with beaten egg and set in the oven for two minutes to glaze. Scalloped Oysters. — Have plenty of fine crushed cracker crumbs — either soda or butter crackers; put a layer in the bottom of a buttered pudding dish; wet slightly with oyster liquor and milk, mixed; next a layer of oysters; season with salt and pepper and small bits of butter; then more crumbs and oysters, alternately, until the dish is full. Let the top layer be of crumbs. Beat an egg and mix it with a little milk to pour over the top; place little lumps of flour all over the top, cover the dish and bake half an hour; remove the cover a few minutes before taking from the oven to let it brown.