The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-05-27
THE ANTE.PRANDIAL MOLLUSK.
How MANY Oysters or CLANS should BE Served
as the Preparatory Course?
From the Boston JonrnC

Mr., johnson was one OF thirty men who
dined together In a tavern last Friday night.
"Dined" Is hardly the word. ate" would be
better. for IL Ia doubtful whether over eight
people can be said to dine together. The tavern
Is one that has long been famous for fish and
| oysters, and to-day the cookery Is as a magnet
to all that are of sensitive and sensible taste.
MIR. johnson knew, then. that al half-past 8
there would be good food Of various kinds and
plenty Of IT.
And yet at $50 Mr.. johnson was sur
prised in a lower room Of the tavern, surprised in
the act OF eating one dozen Little Neck clans:
When ne was reproached for his greed. he looked
at the en- rty shells and was silent Now he
have said with Give: Il wonder at my modera-
ton" lie might have said Il was hungry,
Or y h.aEdd only only a s. slight n m ldnch ;nms. or OF sb Sss,l
ishly. Il cannot resist such a temptation" But
he looked at the empty shells and was silent
The delicious flavor still tickled his alate: He
pitied the man that tried to make mock of him
And the he went upstairs TO- the feast and
! ate six more clans, the six allotted TO each
one, set before the Just and the unjust for the
first course.
! How many oysters should be served TO each
guest In this first %course? Charles Astor Brlsted.
a man who prided himself on his fastidious taste,
an elegant person who kept to his house the
rest OF the season at Washington. because in q
theatre and in the sight of the people he removed
his swallowtail with the %oyercoat MT Brlsted
believed in oysters rs the very best way. or
preparing for a repast: only don't eat two
dozen, or even one dozen, three oysters OF the
size we have them. or si1 Ike the European
ones give the proper whet.
The late Grenvilie Tudor jerks. the Cicero
OF the Brooklyn bar, thought nothing OF eating
q hundred raw oysters Just before a formal
he would substitute a cold chicken. A friend of
Brillat-Sayarin used TO eat thirty-two dozen
and then was lust ready for dinner; At a din
mar praisad hv ThaCkpray I'm his "MpmOrialE of
Gormandising. nine dozen Ostend oysters were
served for six persons. Thomas Walker. a most
}UT ,%1 a tat ,hs xtSts az ,o''' SEirS 81 a q a dozen
and a half Of small oysters, not pampered. but
fresh from their native, bed. eaten simply, after
the French fashion. with lemon juice. 10 give
utes, the time necessary for dressing them,
three fine founders water zoutchied, with
after the founders, a brace Of grouse. not sent
up together. but one after the other. hot and
hot. like mutton chops, each accompanied, by
q plate Of French beans With the founders
bottle Of genuine %claret. winch We get for three
and sixpence"-this was written In 1895 after
" sh,o s,vi = cyP S, ss0s S Of si5G msd not Ns c ,hISs o, IRE his
gorgeous, encountered style. with pity and
contempt. and ! give these particulars by way
of study. and as 2 step toward emancipation
Although We do not agree with Mr.. Walker
in the matter of wines-there should be only
one wine at dinner. and that should be sound
s shs o pIisntdi rss ans for % F tse raw AZ to Sy. lemon rs Ssl4s
cray mentions cayenne pepper will, the lemon.
but that Is a mistake, And avoid barbarous
sauces. horseradish, and all preparations
that destroy the body and the soul Of the oys-
ter, Abstain from a cocktail, and refuse bread
or cracker with or without butter
Mnesitheus Of Athens made the astolnd.
ing statement that raw .oy sters were hard
10 digest on account of the brine which they
contain" on the other hand he commended
oysters, mussels. sea hedge-hogs minced to-
gether, stewed with condiments. and served
scaldine hot The wiser Romans ate raw oys-
tiers not only before a feast. but during II.
when the appetite began TO grow stale. Slaves
opened the shells IN the sight Of the eater.
But this Is a depression,
and then six more eighteen in all. Now
a fair proportion between such clans and
oysters Il twelve 10 six. And would nine
oysters OF moderate size be regarded by IA
thoughttul person a. excessive? Perish the
thought, Remember, however. that these
CLANS. were without accompanying cracker,
and that the only establishment was the
squeeze Of a lemon.
And what does our old friend Dr Thomas
Monfes say y ,health.s impr2yement" Ion,
oisters should be ,tawed with wine. onions.
pepper and butter. or roasted with vinegar.
pepper and butter, or baked with onions, pep
per and butter. or picked with white
wine vinegar their own water, hayes, mint
and hot spices" Thus does he dispute vi \
Ienner C"Nia Recta nd Iitam Iongsm." Lon
don, 1880 who remarked that Oysters roasted
on the coles or stewed in white wine with butter.
pepper and a few drops of white or claret
wine vinegar, and so eaten do oblectate the
palat and stomach. and nourish much better
than when they are eaten raw
But perhaps you are superstitious. and do
not cal. oy sters In Nav or peacock In July, even
when the bird has been fed at home.