Fried Oysters

Fried Oysters...

FROM: The American Pure Food Cook Book and Household Economist (The Marguerite Series, No. 141, Feb. 1899, Subscription Price $ 6.00/year) © 1898, Geo. M. Hill Co., Publisher, Chicago, Il.

Oysters are sometimes regarded as a symbol of misery. Perhaps this is due to the fact that you can acquire hepatitis from eating raw oysters. (A business associate of ours did just that some years ago). So avoid the raw oysters, and perhaps try one of these recipes instead? Once again, no guarantees are offered. But, try to be certain of the source and quality of your oysters. Please verify that they are uncontaminated.

Carefully dry in a clean cloth a dozen large oysters. In a bright frying-pan put two heaping tablespoonfuls of good butter, and as soon as this comes to a boil, throw in the oysters and whip them out with a strainer as soon as they begin to curl up, and serve immediately. Oysters cooked in this manner are delicious; but the butter must be heated to the point when the blue smoke (? we've never done this, so please USE CAUTION!) hovers over the pan. To three well-beaten eggs add one-half pint of oyster juice, a teaspoonful of salt, and black or Cayenne pepper according to taste. Work into this a gill (a unit of measurement, 1/4 of a pint) of sweet-oil (?) until the whole becomes a batter. On a bed of cracker dust on the table lay your oysters, then take them one by one by the beard, dip them in the mixture, then in the bread-crumbs. Place each oyster on the table by itself. Do not pile one on top of the other, or they will become heavy. Now fry in a pan of hot butter, and serve on a hot dish.

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