The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-10-04
Highly Esteemed Bivalve, the oyster


While each season brings us something
new in the culinary line, or regulates
to the past and obsolete, some class of
foods which have long held high place
in popular favor, that most gentle beast
and quiet the oyster, never loses its
place in the esteem of those who have
once learned to enjoy it. Yet there is
no food that suffers more, perhaps,
from bad cooking than this dainty and
delicate molluSk. When one departs
from eating them au naturel, which is
the most desirable and approved method,
they must, of necessity lose much of
the enjoyment, as the piquant flavor
is lost in heating them.
WHEN COOKING IS ALLOWABLE.
Cooking may be advisable when per-
sons are unaccustomed to eating the
oyster and feel decided objections to
partaking of any animal food in its raw
state. Orawhen one obtains them in in
land places to which they are, as a rule
transported in bulk and open. In this
instance and especially when they are
chilled by keeping large piece of ice
in with them, they may prove fiat, stale
and Improbable unless they are served
in osme of the many dishes de-
vised and employed to give variety and
spice in presenting them to the palate.
But whatever method is employed, I'M
less the very greatest care is observed.
cooking viii render the heterogeneous
matter they contain tough and insolu-
BILE, making them very difficult of solu-
ton in the stomach.
Next to eating them raw, the best
method is to steam or roast them in
their shells, eating them as soon as the
heat forces the shells to open.
HOW TO EAT RAW OYSTERS.
The custom of dressing up the I'M
cooked oyster with a deluge of condi-
ments, acids, seasonings, etc, effectually
destroys all vestige of their delicacy,
and is purely American, though most
! objectionable to those who, livirs5 near
] -, Of fLA mo 1.-Two h
| been bred on this class of sea foods
and eat the "salts" direct from their
watery beds with no other dressing
than their own natural juices, which
| contain considerable amount of phos-
phoric acid. To complete this simple
/ but delectable feast, crisp celery and
/ brown bread, in thin slices, is served
The nutritive value of the oyster is ex-
tremely small and in order to get the
daily allowance of nitrogen from this
class of food alone,s one would have to
eat an enormous quantity. This fact
does not lessen the value of the oyster
as a most agreeable addition to our
menus, but rather increases its worth,
| as they may be served as accessories
| to more substantial meats without max
| ing too great an excess of like foods;
or tehy may constitute the principal
dish without other meats, when a light
repast is required. The soft part of the
| oyster, which forms the greater bulk
is the liver. In eating raw oysters, the
| liver ferment is allowed to act upon the
! glycogen stored within that organ, sc
that the oyster is, in a sense, self-di-
gested.
The oyster is seldom eaten alone, ex-
cept by invalids and in cases of chronic
illness, when loss of appetite is a mark
ed feature as well as inability to digest
the heavier and more concentrated
forms of heterogeneous foods
When cooking the oyster for the sick
it should be merely warmed sufficiently
- aIxr, HI he ron
state is Objectionable: but remember
that the heat may destroy the digestive
ferment, and long cooking will render
the oyster almost or quite indigestible
according to the conditions of the diges-
tive functions. For the weak or invalid
always remove the hard muscular part
When oysters are to be cooked it is
not necessary to use those of finest
quality, as the flavor is in great meas
ure changed and a larger, coarser Oys-
ter will answer squually as we'll The
luxurious little aristocrat of the tribe
mollusca should be selected only to
grace the banquet table where masters
of eloquence may pay it inspired and
OYSTER FRICAssEE
Drain and 2ick over a quart of oys-
tiers. Reserve the oyster liquor and
strain it through cheesecloth. Make two
cups of white sauce using the oyster
liquor instead of milk. Season to taste
with salt, cayenne and a grating OF
nutmeg, add the oyster and cook until
the giIls begin to curl. Stir in two we'll
beaten eggs, cook a minute longer and
pour out over rounds of delicate toast
arranged on heated dish.
OYSTER SHORTCAKE
If this is carefully made it is delicious
Make rich but light baking powder
biscuit dough and bake in la-rer cake
tins, split and lightly butter each as i
comes from the oven. Scald the strain
ed liquor from a quart of oysters Rul
two tablespoonfuls of butter smooth
with two tablespoonfuls of flour ant
stir into one and one-half cups of sca1d
ed milk. Cook and stir until it tls.ek