The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-09-28
THE HOME



first class one at that. Place q roll OF
piece of bread on its folds. Have extra
spoons, forks, knives, &C., together with
sifted sugar, cream, (if required), butter,
&c, in readinesso or the sidcboard,
which should be covered with dainty
sideboard cloth. Be very particular as
to the laying of the cloth. &C., even when
you are alone; and insist on every detail
being as strictly carried out for the daily
meal as for company" then your SER
wants will be used to the right way of
serving, and will not be fiurri ed when
you have guests, which tley certainly
would be if You allowed things to slice
when you were alone. Teach your parlor
maid always to give the glass and plate
Il rub over with IL channels rs she lays
them down on the table. so as to insure
their being at their brightest. If this is
done, and the plato washed in plenty OF
hot water and silver soap, it will not need
cleaning so often, and yet will keep ID
good condition. All above impresses on
your maid the absolute necessity of quiet
waiting. A noisy waitress is never
!
be. Lastly remember that when you are
training girl, though everything good
or bad, must be remarked on, never do it
at table This public reproof only makes
the unfortunate servant idiotic and wor
ries the guests uspeakably.
The Seasonable oyster.
The oyster is a food long known to
man, but it was Butler in his "Dyet's
Dinner, in 1899, who laid down the law
limiting its use. - 1t is unreasonable, "
he wrote, "and unwholesome in all
months that have not an r in their name
to eat an OYSTER This restriction may
have had some added foundation. in the
way Of cooking the dainty in those days.
The formula for an oyster pie put forth
about that time by an accomplished fe-
male instructor prepared with osyter Ii
quor, beaten pepper. grated nutmeg, and
salt, currants, minced dates, barberries
preserved or picked, mace i'll blades,
with slices of butter and lemons between
the layers about dozen oysters in halves,
the bones, tails and fins being taken
away" When this mixture was baked
butter beaten up with white wine, SUI
gar, and the juice of All orange was poured
over
The oysters food is valuble, being COM
posed mostly of proetids: it is vey nutrl-
tious and easily digested when fresh or
eaten raw or only slightly cooked. The So
cret of success of serving raw oysters is
that they be fresh, thoroughly chilled
and carefully freed from every bit of shell.
Use lemon or horseradish with them,
and not, as ia seen dozen times a day in
the city;the unholy combination of lemon
and salt.
Stewed oysters are usually spoiled in
the cooking by too much of it. 1t is
mistake to cook them first in their own
liquor. That may be heated to the sim
meriug point, carefully SKINNED, diluted
with hot milk, seasoned, thickened very
slightly with finely powdered cracker
crumbs, and into this the oysters, after
having been looked over, are put Let
them remain only long enough to plump
up before serving.
Fried oysters are more delicate, and
have a finer flavor when cooked after the
home method rather han the caterer
which immerses them in hot fat. They
should be wiped dry busted with salt and
pepper. and dipped first in seasoned crack
er crumbs, rolled fine, then in beate II
eggs mixed with tablespoonful of milk
and again in crumbs. Have lump Of
lard and butter smoking hot in the pan
and lay in the oysters earthly. AS soon
as one sled is a delicate brown, turn TO
the other. Drain on a paper. and serve
very hot laid neatly around hot platter
in the center Of which, on folded nap
kin. is mound of cabbage or celery
salad.
Oyster Fritters. TO one pint of milk
add one tablespoonful salt, one-half salt.
spoonful white pepper, one teaspoonful
baking powder, and -four enough to male
a thin batter Add one and one-halt
pints of OYSTERS chopped fine Drop into
hot drippings or butter fry delicate
brown; take up on white paper a moment
to absorb superfiuous fat, and then serve
hot.
Oyster Omelet. - Stew one pint of oye-
cookie. Separate three tablespoonfuls of
butter in small pieces, and rolling in flour
add to the oysters, with salt and pepper
to season. Remove oysters, chop fine.
return to the liquor, and set on back of
range, Take six eggs, deaf whites and
yolks separately until very light; add
three tablespoonful hot milk one of but
ter, one saltspoonufi salt, and one-half
saltspoonspful pepper. Have a lump Of
butter hot in frying pan, pour in the
egg shake on stove until eggs begin to
thicken, then remove to oven till set,
which will be in about five minutes. Slip
the knife deftly under the omelet turn
, over, and roll out on a heated platter
Pour over the oyster sauce and serve very
hot
Oyster Salad. Take fifty court oysters
} and cook for q momeut in their own
liquor Drain we'll; season with one
tablespoonful best olive oil, one salt
spoonful salt, one-half saltspoonful pep