OYSTER LOAVES. Open a quart of fresh oysters, wash and stew them in their own liquor, with two anchovies, a bunch of sweet herbs, a blade of mace, and a bit of lemon peel. Drain off the liquor, boil up a quarter of a pound of butter till it turns brown; add half a spoonful of flour, and boil it up again. Put in some of the oyster liquor, with a little gravy, white wine, mace, nutmeg, a few cloves, and a small piece of shalot. Stew all together till it becomes as thick as cream; then put in the oysters, and stew them a few minutes. Fry some bread crumbs in butter or sweet dripping till they are crisp and brown, drain them well, put in the oysters, and dish them up.—Another. Open the oysters, and save the liquor; wash them in it, and strain it through a sieve. Put a little of the liquor into a tosser, with a bit of butter and flour, white pepper, a scrape of nutmeg, and a little cream. Stew the oysters in the liquor, cut them into dice, and then put them into rolls sold for the purpose.
OYSTER PATTIES. Put a fine puff-crust into small pattipans, and cover with paste, with a bit of bread in each. While they are baking, take off the beard of the oysters, cut the oysters small, put them in a small tosser, with a dust of grated nutmeg, white pepper and salt, a taste of lemon peel, shred as fine as possible, a spoonful of cream, and a little of the oyster liquor. Simmer them together a few minutes, and fill the pattipans as soon as they are baked, first taking out the bread. A bread crust should be put into all patties, to keep them hollow while baking.
OYSTER PIE. Open the oysters, take off the beards, parboil the oysters, and strain off the liquor. Parboil some sweetbreads, cut them in slices, place them in layers with the oysters, and season very lightly with salt, pepper and mace. Then add half a teacup of liquor, and the same of gravy. Bake in a slow oven; and before the pie is sent to table, put in a teacup of cream, a little more oyster liquor, and a cup of white gravy, all warmed together, but not boiled.
OYSTER SAUCE. Save the liquor in opening the oysters, boil it with the beards, a bit of mace and lemon peel. In the mean time, throw the oysters into cold water, and drain it off. Strain the liquor, put it into a saucepan with the oysters, and as much butter, mixed with a little milk, as will make sauce enough; but first rub a little flour with it. Set them over the fire, and keep stirring all the time. When the butter has boiled once or twice, take them off, and keep the saucepan near the fire, but not on it; for if done too much, the oysters will be hard. Squeeze in a little lemon juice, and serve it up. If for company, a little cream is a great improvement. Observe, the oysters will thin the sauce, and therefore allow butter accordingly.
OYSTER SOUP. Beat the yolks of ten hard eggs, and the hard part of two quarts of oysters, in a mortar, and put them to two quarts of fish stock. Simmer all together for half an hour, and strain it off. Having cleared the oysters of the beards, and washed them well, put them into the soup, and let it simmer five minutes. Beat up the yolks of six raw eggs, and add them to the soup. Stir it all well together one way, by the side of the fire, till it is thick and smooth, but do not let it boil. Serve up all together.
OYSTER MOUTH SOUP. Make a rich mutton broth, with two large onions, three blades of mace, and a little black pepper. When strained, pour it on a hundred and fifty oysters, without the beards, and a bit of butter rolled in flour. Simmer it gently a quarter of an hour, and serve up the soup.
OYSTERS. Of the several kinds of oysters, the Pyfleet, Colchester, and Milford, are much the best. The native Milton are fine, being white and fleshy; but others may be made to possess both these qualities in some degree, by proper feeding. Colchester oysters come to market early in August, the Milton in October, and are in the highest perfection about Christmas, but continue in season till the middle of May. When alive and good, the shell closes on the knife; but if an oyster opens its mouth, it will soon be good for nothing. Oysters should be eaten the minute they are opened, with their own liquor in the under shell, or the delicious flavour will be lost. The rock oyster is the largest, but if eaten raw it tastes coarse and brackish, but may be improved by feeding. In order to do this, cover the oysters with clean water, and allow a pint of salt to about two gallons; this will cleanse them from the mud and sand contracted in the bed. After they have lain twelve hours, change it for fresh salt and water; and in twelve hours more they will be fit to eat, and will continue in a good state for two or three days. At the time of high water in the place from whence they were taken, they will open their shells, in expectation of receiving their usual food. The real Colchester or Pyfleet barrelled oysters, that are packed at the beds, are better without being put into water; they are carefully and tightly packed, and must not be disturbed till wanted for the table. In temperate weather these will keep good for a week or ten days. To preserve barrelled oysters however, the best way is to remove the upper hoop, so that the head may fall down upon the oysters, and then to place a weight upon it. This will compress the oysters, keep in the liquor, and preserve them for several days.
P.
Pain in the ear. This complaint is sometimes so prevalent as to resemble an epidemic, particularly amongst children. The most effectual remedy yet discovered has been a clove of garlic, steeped for a few minutes in warm sallad oil, and put into the ear, rolled up in muslin or fine linen. When the garlic has accomplished its object, and is removed from the ear, it should be replaced with cotton, to prevent the patient taking cold.