The Pattern cook-book

Drain the oysters well in a colander and season with salt and pepper. Have ready a pint and a-half of dried bread-crumbs (see index for method of preparing bread for crumbing), and slightly salt and pepper them. This quantity of crumbs will " bread " fifty oysters, which number will be ample for six persons. Thoroughly beat three eggs. Place a few crumbs on a plate, and roll the oysters in them, adding crumbs as needed, until all the oysters have been treated to the crumbs. Lay the oysters as they are crumbed on a baking board that has been sprinkled with crumbs. Dip the oysters into the beaten egg, one at a time, and roll each, as soon as dipped, in the bread-crumbs again. Do not pile them one upon another ; and let them stand at least an hour before frying, if you would have them in perfection. Place a layer of oysters in a frying-basket and plunge them into boiling fat that is so hot that blue smoke rises from the center. Cook about a minute and a-half, and drain on soft brown paper. Oysters fried in this manner are brown, tender, crisp and plump. OYSTERS, SAUTEED. Drain the oysters well, season with salt and pepper, and roll them in fine bread or cracker crumbs. Place clear fat in a frying-pan (butler may be used if the difference in cost is not an object), and when it becomes very hot drop in enough oysters to cover the bottom of the pan. When one side is browned, turn the oysters carefully to brown the other side. The iron pancake griddle is often used for this purpose, as in this way many oysters may be cooked at one time. Serve very hot on toast. OYSTERS FRICASSEED Twenty-five large oysters. One large table-spoonful of butter. One large table-spoonful of flour. One large table-spoonful of chopped parsley. One-half pint of milk. Two eggs (yolks only). Salt and pepper to taste. Boil the oysters in their own liquor, and drain. Place the butter in a frying-pan, and when it has melted, add the flour, rubbing to a smooth paste. Now pour in the milk, and stir it until it boils ; then add the oysters, half a cupful of the liquor and the salt and pepper, 'and stir again until the liquid boils. At this point remove the pan from the fire, stir in the eggs, well beaten, and also the parsley, and serve at once. OYSTERS ON TOAST. One pint of oysters. One table-spoonful of butter. One table-spoonful of flour. Salt and pepper to taste. Heat the oysters in their own liquor, and when boiling, skim them ; add the butter and flour rubbed to a cream, and season with salt and pepper ; then let the whole cook about two minutes, to make certain the flour is done. Have ready some nicely toasted bread ; and if the oysters do not seem rich in liquor, wet the edges of the toast carefully with a little salted water, pouring it on with a tea-spoon so as not to add too much ; then turn the oysters over the toast. Should there be plenty of liquor to moisten the toast properly, the water, of course, need not be used. This is a particularly delicate and appetizing dish for an invalid or a convalescent. Many prefer the liquor without thickening, and the flour is then omitted, with quite as good results. OYSTERS BAKED IN THE SHELLS.