Luncheon

Put fifteen oysters in just water enough to cover them, simmer three minutes, and drain ; thicken the broth with a teaspoonful of flour, salt to taste, stir this into the curry ; add the oysters, simmer a moment, and serve with boiled rice. Deviled Oysters on Toast. — Mix together a heaping saltspoonful of mustard flour, half a saltspoonful each of white pepper and salt, and the yolk of one egg. Dip six oysters in the paste, then in fine crumbs, and broil over a moderate fire. When done, arrange on toast, and squeeze over them the juice of half a lemon. Pickled Oysters. — A few pickled oysters may be served instead of clams during warm weather. Scald a quart of oysters a moment, drain, and put them in jars. To a pint of oyster liquor, add half a pint of hot water and half a pint of hot vinegar ; pour over the oysters ; add three cloves, four whole peppers, a small bit of mace, and a slice of lemon, to each jar. This will be sufficient for two ordinary fruit jars. Soft Clams in Chafing Dish. —Select a dozen large Guilford clams, wash them thoroughly, and plunge them into boiling water for a moment. Drain and open them, and use the round plump part only. Put in a chafing dish a pat of butter, and when quite hot add a dash of flour, and cayenne to suit the taste ; add the STEWED LITTLE-NECK CLAMS.27 clams, and, when they are slightly cooked, add a gill of light sherry. Cover the dish, and allow it to simmer five minutes. Have ready three slices of toast, put four clams upon each slice, add a little of the hot sherry, and serve. Stewed Little-Neck Clams. — Get tv,-o dozen freshly opened, very small clams. Boil a pint of milk, a dash of white pepper, and a small pat of butter. Now add the clams. Let them come to a boil, and serve. Longer boihng will make the clams almost indigestible. Soft Clams. — Select a dozen soft-shell clams ; wash them well ; remove the shells ; trim off the tough neck ; place each clam on a half shell, and add to each half a teaspoonful of finely-chopped bacon, a little cayenne, a very small bit of onion, and a pat of butter rolled in flour ; strew over the top a little grated Parmesan cheese, and bake to a deUcate brown. Cracker crumbs may be used instead of the cheese if preferred. Snapping Turtle. — Philadelphia is the home of this most highly-esteemed dish. Select a turtle weighing about ten pounds, allow it to swim in a tub of clean water half a day. Half fill a wash boiler with water ; when it boils, drop the snapper into it. (This is the quickest and best mode of kilUng : cutting his head off is apt • 28 SHRIMP PASTE. to be attended with difficulties when attempted by amateurs.) Boil twenty-five minutes, then plunge in cold water to cool. Remove the nails, scales, and outer skin, turn it over, and separate and remove the breast or lower shell. Remove the entrails carefully, saving the liver only ; cut off the gall bag without breaking it ; divide the remainder of the flesh in neat pieces, put them in a pot, and add a gallon of water. Simmer four hours. Add salt to taste, a teaspoonful of whole peppercorns, a pinch of nutmeg, the grated rind of a lemon, and a heaping tablespoonful of mixed dry herbs.