Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-02-20

cagot.
THE MOST TYPICAL AND PoPU-
LAR OF THE MOLLUSkS.
The belief that oysters may be the
means of conveying the infection of ty-
phoid fever is not unwarranted, as it is
possible and not at all improbable for
tt.erfl to become infected with typhoid
germs If they are grown where they
may be contaminated by sewage which
NAV contain these disease germs. Al
though it has been clearly proven by
artificial incubation of typhoid bacilli
that danger from this source is possi-
Bile. there is very little risk, if any. if
the suspected oysters are kept alive
for several days after dredging, in salt
water that is frequently changed Ito
wash out the bacillD. 1t is very un-
likely that oysters obtained in the shell!
or freshly opened in the markets can
introduce typhoid fever even when
eaten raw. as the bacilli introduced
into their bodies will survive but few
days But when uncertain of the feed
ing ground OF your favorite bivalve it is
well to inquire into the methods of
treatment employed by the oyster deal
cr or else buy your oysters in the shell
by the salt diet process.
Cooking the oyster will effect the
same object with even greater GER
tainty, but by the ordinary process it's
digestibility is greatly diminished; and
oysters are too eXtravagant form or
food TO be served improperly.
Light cooking is permissible, and II
they are lightly roasted in the shell
nfIxr ta q l.
BILE as the raw oyster. and far more
palatable to many tastes. Baking or
steaming in the shells or out are often
more convenient ways of cooking than
roasting, or, rather, grilling over the
fire, and their digestibility may be as
sured in this way although their char-
acteristic flavor is somewhat dimin-
ished. The oysters are not so fire.
quently the cause of Indigestion as is
the company they are made to keep.
They are served with milk that has
perhaps been boiled, ard is not an ele-
ment which is, under any circum-
stance, harmonious to shell fish of any
kind. The practice of barbarism goes
still further and various kinds of
pickles, oe themselves most likely 10
disagree, are served with it.
erly regarded as an easily digested
food Chemically it contains the repre-
sentatives of all three nutritive con-
stituents of the food. Exclusive of it's
large per cent. of liquid. the oyster pos
sesses a very small proportion of solid
nutrient And the very small amount
of fat or fuel substances they furnish
necessitates their combination with
Viz 20
cereal, when they are eaten to supply
actual nutrition. While they are
classed as tissue formers, the nitrog-
enous matter they contain may not all
be in the form of proteid, but partly in
form of other compounds lower in their
nutritive value.
The presence of glycogen, the par
ticuIar. form in which the carbohy-
drates are presented in the oyster is
contained in the liver. which con-
stitutes the larger proportion of the
bivalve. In cases of diabetes in which
a strict diet is being enforced, the
presence of carbohydrates renders the
oyster most unsuitable and always to
be avoided.
Avoid oysters that have been fat
tened" unless you prefer appearance
eighth to one-fifth of their nutritive
value by this process.
Baked Oysters.
Have the oysters freshly opened, re-
move the gills (beards) and first dip
they in beaten egg. then into fne,
sieved bread crumbs, white or Whole
wheat. first seasoning the crumbs With
pepper, salt and little grated nutmeg
or celery salt. Place the oysters in
tneir lower shells. put piece OF butter
on top of each and arrange the shells
in a shallow pan; place them in brisk
oven for few minutes. When steam
ing hot remove at once to heated
oyster plates, squeeze a little lemon
Juice over each and serve. Cut lemon
may be placed in a bouquet of parsley
or watercress i'll center of each dish
and used at option of each guest.
Stewed Oysters.
(Without milk.
Carefully remove q dozen oysters
from their shells; wash them in their
own liquor until they are perfectly
free from grit and shells; put them In
a saucepan and after straining the
liquor until perfectly clear, pour it over
the oysters Place the pan over IL
moderate fire and let simmer gently
until gills ruffle. Skim out the Oysters
and keep them warm over hot water.
Now if you can get it. add to the liquor
a cup of pure, rich cream mot milk or
else use good chicken or veal stock
Rub two ounces of butter with level
tablespoonful of flour ard fhicken the
sauce with this, cooking and stirring
until it boils up smooth and thickens
Season to taste with salt and pepper
Put in the oysters and let them get
very hot without boiling. Take from
the fire and pour over slices of toast
If cream is used flavor with little
nutmeg. ground mace or celery Seed
I;uf use lemon Juice If the broth IS
substituted.
Spiced Oysters.
Take one hundred nice sized oysters
ana put them in a large earthen jar
with the strained liquor. half grated
nutmeg, one and one-half dozen cloves,
four blades of mace, q teaspoonful of
whole allspice, same of whole black
pepper, q teaspoonful of sal: and few