Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-06

Av all t beasts that liver tapped
wing, t foinest fish av t lot
Ez oyster.
From the Sayings Of Kerrigan."
Kerrigan, however, only approached the
portal Of discussion, for with the point de-
termined that an oyster is the most delect-
able of appeals to the epicurean palate, the
best manner Of serving the bivalve grows
more and more the object of discussion
among enthusiastic gourmets.
Nowhere in the city is this burning prob
lem more fully threshed out than in a GER
tain downtown oyster house where have
gathered ardent worshipers at the shrine
oysterial for SO long time that mems rep
utaions as connoisseurs are proved only by
years When they die and are forgotten in
other walks of life you can still hear them
spoken of, admiringly If their ability was
established, and deprecatingly if their oys-
ter choices were not worthy, by the quiet,
constant patrons of the place.
Odd Differences in Taste.
Strange" said the host the other day.
for he is more the host than the proprietor,
"the difference in taste shown by lovers Of
oysters in the matter of serving their ia
vorite bivalve. My patrons, 1 might almost
say clients, show especial difference In the
matter of the raw oyster.
Don't be surprised when tell you that
horseradish, tobasco. Worcestershire, vine
gar, mustard, catsup, celery salt, lemon
cayenne and black pepper. salt, melted but
ter, sugar and even olive oil are used In
dividually and in wonderful variety OF
combinations as condiments for raw oys-
tiers.
'Horseradish and lemon have supplanted
the old-fashioned vinegar alt-and- pepper
combination, and 1 might say fully 70 per
cent Of oyster lovers use them, and them
alone to give zest to their oysters. But
imagine a preparation OF powdered sugar
and sweet Oil on a raw oyster. l have seen
it scores of times. Worse than that mix
ture of French mustard and tomato cat
sup or melted butter and sugar. or morse
radish. Worcestershire. tobasco ana Gel
cry salt, or lemon, vinegar and sugar with
a sprinkling of cayenne. THESE are no
more unusual with those who eat oysters
Sly DAYS In a week than Is the practice OF
submerging an innocent oyster III D. reu
bath Of tomato catSup.
.'This gave rise to the question one day by
one of a party Of four to another. What
sort Of oysters do you usually eat with
your catsup!
Fried in Olive Oil Even.
"Olive oil has become fad with some
in oyster service. Requests for oysters
fried in olive oil or olive .oil in stew and
roast are frequent. The several condiments
which I have named are used extensively
in stews and fancy roasts.
"A lawyer whose name for many years
was among the most celebrated in the list
of criminal lawyers at the local bar. used
to have his oysters brought to him In the
pan SO that he might prepare sauce OF
horseradish, Worcestershire. tobasco and
mustard. in which the bivalves were
stewed Another, also jurist of note. in
sisted upon a generous addition of powder
ed sugar to every stew. The color OF an
oyster and even the appearance of its shell
are made points Of preference. One insists
that each oyster she'll shall be scrubbed
and all seaweed and dark sea growth re-
moved; another insists upon having those
bearing the most barnacles.
"A popular fancy is the matter OF tine
color Of the oyster Itself. Now. an oyster
takes its color from its she'll. II the shell
be dark, so is the oyster, and n light the
same rule holds good. Few persons know
that the darkest oyster II rubbed gently
with a bdt of linen soon becomes white and
clear. There is absolutely no difference. as
tar as taste and wholesomeness are con-