Oysters, Stewed

Oysters should not be pierced with a fork, but removed from the liquor with a spoon. Thoroughly drain the juice from a quart of shelled oysters. Add to the juice enough water (if needed) to make one-half pint. Place juice over fire, and add butter the size of a walnut. Remove all scum that arises when the juice boils. Put in the oysters. Let them cook quickly until the beards wrinkle, but not until oysters shrivel—they should remain plump. Add two-thirds pint of milk, let all scald through, remove from fire, and season to taste. Never boil oysters in milk.

Oysters, Fried

Drain the oysters, and dry them on a soft cloth (then they will not absorb grease^. Have some desiccated egg prepared, or beat light the yolks of two or three eggs. Have enough smoking hot grease in the pan to cover all the oysters. Dip an oyster into the egg, then into rolled cracker or dry crumbs, and repeat this. Lay oysters in the pan one at a time, so as not to check the heat. When one side is brown, turn, and brown the other side. Serve piping hot.

Oysters, Scalloped

Cover bottom of greased bake-pan with a layer of drained oysters, dot thickly over with small bits of butter, then cover with finely crumbled stale bread, and sprinkle with pepper and salt. Repeat these layers until the pan is full, with bread and butter for top layer. The bread crumbs must be in very thin layers. Bake in reflector or oven until nicely browned.

Oysters, Saute

Drain the oysters. Melt a little butter in the frying-pan, and cook the oysters in it. Salt when removed from pan.

Oysters, Roasted

Put oysters unopened on broiler, and hold over the coals. When they open, put a little melted butter and some white pepper on each oyster, and they are ready.

Clams, Baked

Lay down a bed of stones in disk shape, and build a low wall almost around it, forming a rock oven open at the top. Build a big fire in it and keep it going until the wood has burned down to embers and the stones are very hot. Rake out all smoking chunks. Throw a layer of sea-weed over the embers, and lay the clams on this. Roasting ears in the husks, or sweet potatoes, are a desirable addition. Cover all with another layer of sea-weed, and let steam about forty minutes, or until clams will slip in the shell. Uncover and serve with melted butter, pepper, salt, and perhaps lemon or vinegar.

Clam Chowder

Wash the clams, put tbem in a kettle, and pour over them just enough boiling water to cover them. When the shells open, pour off the liquor, saving it, cool the clams, and shell them. Fry two or three slices of pork in bottom of kettle. When it is done, pour over it two quarts of boiling clam liquor. Add six large potatoes, sliced thin, and cook until nearly done. Turn in the clams, and a quart of hot milk. Season with salt and pepper. When this boils up, add crackers or stale bread, as in fish chowder. Remove from fire and let crackers steam in the covered pot until soft;

Fried sliced onion and a can of tomatoes will improve this chowder. Cloves, allspice, red pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and other condiments, may be added according to taste.

Shellfish, Steamed

See page 60.