The daily Alaskan., 1916-02-08
OYSTERS AGAIN.
Bureau of Fisheries Recommends
 Them as Food.
A LONG LIST OF RECIPES.

Government Tells Housewives the | NOurishing Qualities of Oysters, Civ
 ing Suggestions How to Get the Best
 Results In Cooking Them.
 In the bulletin which is issued from the bureau of fisheries of the depart ment of commerce we find that the oyster is one of the satisfactory viands containing in itself the different prop critics required for the nOurIshment of the human system. There is another surprise, too, for the people who do not follow the markets closely, for the oyster is one of the few articles of i food which have not increased in price with the general higher cost of living. Between 1900 and 1915 the. wholesale quotations of fresh and canned oysters were practically stationary, notwith- standing the fact that the average quality of the oyster has improved, owing to oyster culture. To the peO- pie as a whole there are better oysters for practically the same price, while eggs, poultry and meats have increas- ed from % to D per cent
 Oyster culture has developed to such an extent that at the present time about oue-haIf of the oysters produced are derived from artificial beds, with private owners or leased from the state, and twO-thirds of the total value of the product comes from them. Be ginning at the shbal waters along the shore, the oyster growers have extend ed their operations into the deep, open waters of Long Island sound ChGsa- Deake bay and from every cOastwise state from Massachusetts to Texas and from Washington to California.
 The government bulletin says that to be at its best the oyster must have plenty of food and tue beds must not be too crowded. Then the oyster be. comes fat, luscious and tender one Of the most delicious. digestiblc and noUr- ishlng of foods. It resembles milk in it's nourshing qualities, requiring only the ordinary ingredients used in cook ing to give it the starchcs and fats and make 1t a perfectly balanced food.
 Lovers of oysters will be delighted to hear on the authority of the govern ment that there is an unnecessary fear of the biv0lves. and as there now is federal and in many cases state super vision of the oyster beds lt can be said that there Is at least as sufficient a guarantee of their wholesomcncss as there is of milk, strawberries, lettuce. celery and other foods not usually cooked for the table.
 Eaten raw an oyster may carry dis ease from polluted surroundings, and the few cases where this has happened have been given such prominence that the oyster hus to some extent lost its standing. There is now a close scru- tiny of the sources of oysters brought 10 market and of methods of handling when they are transported from state to state.
 The government gives many recipes for cooking. One for stewing oysters says that a pint of water which has been salted and Dcppered and given tablespoonful of rolled cracker crumbs should be brought to a boil and then poured over a quart of oysters. These must then boil thirty seconds and mot an instant more" Add them to a half pint of milk which has been brought to q boil. The oysters must never boil in the milk, says this recipe. With an other recipe 1t is different. This is for creamed oysters: Scald one pint of oys ters in one pint of boiling water. then drain. Pour the water in a saucepan with two tablespoonfuls of butter a little mace, two bay leaves salt and pepper. Let it come to a boil and ndd Il tablespoonful of cracker crumbs. one half pint cream, one gill sherry. Let it come to a boil, then add the oysters; cook two minutes more auc serve on toast.