New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-20
OYSTERS.
A DEALER TALKS OF THE METHODS OF
HANDLING AND MARKETING THEM.
AND A HorsEKEEPER TELLS HOW TO COOK
THEM IN UNUSUAL WAYS.

The oyster season is now fairly opened. Dealers
say that the delectabe shelhsh OF exception
| ally excellent quality. Concerning the care and
marketing of oysters a leading planter and whole
| sale dealer said to a Tribune reporter:
When oysters are taken from their native beds
they arc temporarily transferred to beds. floats
pens at the mouths of fresh water streams for the
| purpose of drinking them. They are allowed TO re-
! main in these places for tide and meanwhile.
they open their shells and take in or drink the
brackish water which they fatten. The best
drinking places are those in which vegetable mat
ter comes down from inland ponds. the oysters
require such matter TO make them fat and plump.
but the water must he too fresh. Immediately
after the drinking process. the oysters are brought
TO market. and. Of course. are sold as soon
as possible Some are brought here in boats and
others by rail. Occasionally a rush order may
come through by express. hut that is unusual
In warm weather oysters can be kept fresh for
from one 10 two weeks even little longer. II
they put into cool. damp cellar and covered
with wet canvas tarpaulins. In winter oysters may
he kept for an almost unlimited time II they are not
frozen. Even II oysters do get frosted. they are
not always spoiled thereby My firm once had
about forty bushels of Blue Points left over on
sloop. They became frosted. We thought that
they were dead and worthless. but We threw them
into the hold OF a scow and covered them over with
wet seaweed Three months and twenty days
later We examined them and found them to be in
prime condition. The seaweed seemed to nave
drawn all the frost from them and they had fat
tened on their own juice that they had become
plump and were marketed at good price. In
warm weather oysters that are carried In the holds
of boats often become heated. For that reason
they are carried mostly on the decks Of the boats
and covered over with canvas. oysters that are
grown In shallow water will keep longer than those
that planted in deep water This Is because
those that grow IN the shallow water have become
accustomed to changes of temperature and so TO
I'D ii. nCpn al a.
having been always in an even temperature, are
sensitive 10 atmospheric changes when they are
brought TO market
Oysters when feeding in their native beds lie
upon the deep sides of their shells and open their
minute nutri . ~ ,be o~siSrs SEPARATE and
their tissue-ike folds to the mouth. which IS large
enough 20 admit the point of a shdrpened lead
pencil 10 a considerable distance.
After oysters are brought market they arc
not fed is commonly but enormously supposed
heir own Juice There seems to he a general be-
lief that oysters are fattened uron cornmeal. but
it is Incorrect. Farmers who lay in winter sup
piy OF perhaps ten or twelve busneis OF oysters LOT
sprinkle cornmeal on the edges of the fiat shells
but the oysters do not open their smells and therv
10 do with their existence or fattenng. II corn
mvsters are drinking it would undoubtedly nourish
them but | have never known the experiment 70
be tried.
tn the housckeeper as well TO the epcure
one Of the many attractions OF September Is the
advent OF the oyster. To the former particularly
the REMEMBRANCE OF that popular bivalve Is a
veritable boom as there is nothing that can he
served quickly IN such d variety ol ways anu -
so generally liked
The best way Of frying oysters is TO dip them
in the beaten yolk of egg. well seasoned ana theh
in corrmeal lay them on the frying-basket ana
plunge it in deep hot lard Serve 1t with garhlsh
Of parsley.
hND K
fast IL 10 broI them in the following manner;
String them on a wire bent Ike hairpin. putting
first an oyster and then thin slice of pork, and
so on until the wire is filled. Fasten the ends OF
the wire in d wooden handle and broil before the
fire Serve the oysters without the pork with
little pepper as the only seasoning
A novel way Of serving oysters Is to cut the top
off of freshly baked loaf OF bread, remove the
sponge. and Ill the cavity WIN creained oysters;
put in in layers. with intervening ayers OF prea9
.rumbs When fun replace The top Of the loaf
cover the latter with the beaten yo OH OF an egg
1retty dish If served n wreath OF parsley, placed
on the dish with their stems turned In so that the
loaf VIII conceal all but the leaves.
Everything like a surprise is always attractive at
ser~e as a suggestion Season mashed potatoes
with butter. pepper and SAT-, add q little rich ef,
a mould about inch thick. and into It pour some
oysters dressed with cream; pepper SAT- and IT.
Re mace: add a little OF their own gravy ana when
ouifn not the beaten yOlk Of an egg The oysters
shoui1 nl With the potatoes pressed down evenly
s sgp turn II from the mould the fryng,plate
covor win the beaten yolk Of an egg. and then
LIN broad crumbs plunge II into the hot lard. and
wben a Ight brown lift it out, slide on hot
nIatter and serve garnshed with parsley
P'G,,star croauettes are made by scalding the oys
,aTs then chopping fine adding an equal amount
OF po opnSr alt and half gill Of cream shape in
small rolls dip IN ,gs ana grated d oread, pace
GOOD way OF testing lard for croquettes Is to have
+ hot enough TO brown bit of bread an inch
square oy " e onele IS delicious Chop twelve
hfteen large Ty teaspoon and half giii of rich
IAN. sdd TWO ounces of melted butter. six we'll
me ovsters Fry and fold like ordinary omelet
oyster sauce is a desirable accessory OF many
Vvhite oyster sauce Is made as follows: Put the
ovsters in q saucepan. and cook for 1--WE minutes
drsin thom and place In bain-marie, having re-
u. their Juice in bowl Then put four ounces
Of butter into saucepan. with TWO ounces OF nouT
focether while moistening them with the oyster
juice and some ricn cream sur tne sauce on t tne
"a - IL through a fanny on the oysters which have
bcep kent not I'm the bain-marie.
frroWn oyster sauce Is prepared in the same way
only instead Of cream substitute an equal quantity
Of brown gravy This sauce goes particularly well
with beefstoak pie. broiled slices of Goldfish and
various plain meat dishes
For those who like highly seasoned food. devilled
oysters may bee served. quart Of fine oysters
should be wiped dry. laid in fat dish and covered
with mixture Of cayenne pepper. melted butter
and lemon Juice. Let them lie in this for ten
minutes. turning them frequently Then roll them
in the crumbs Of beaten cracker. then in an egg
beaten very light. then again IN the crumbs ana
fry I'm n mixture OF lard and butter made very not
Fricaseed chicken with oysters Is particularly
good The chicken IL cut up IN the ordinary way.
and after being neatly trimmed Is placed in
saucepan with clarified butter seasoned with
pepper and salt. and fried light brown Pour
of the butter add three dozen parbOiled oysters,
with their liquor previously reduced In quantity
ard strength ened by boiling two large gravy spoon
fuls OF good stock and "A gill Of cream. Set the
whole on the fire and simmer a few minutes and
then dish up the entree with fried croutons OF
bread. arranged as garnlsh.
The ordinary ways Of cooking oysters have not
been mentioned in this article. as they are too well
known 20 good housekeepers 10 require repetition
but as currled oysters may he novelty TO some
people the receipt will do to close with Take
twelve or fifteen large parboiled oysters. large