Get the largest and finest oysters. After they are taken from the shell
wipe each of them quite dry with a cloth. Then beat up in a pan yolk
of egg and milk, (in the proportion of two yolks to half a jill or a
wine glass of milk,) and have some stale bread grated very fine in a
large flat dish. Cut up at least half a pound of fresh butter in the
frying-pan, and hold it over the fire till it is boiling hot. Dip the
oysters all over lightly in the mixture of egg and milk, and then roll
them up and down in the grated bread, making as many crumbs stick to
them as you can.
Put them into the frying-pan of hot butter, and keep it over a hot
fire. Fry them brown, turning them that they may be equally browned on
both sides. If properly done they will be crisp, and not greasy.
Serve them dry in a hot dish, and do not pour over them the butter that
may be left in the pan when they are fried.
Instead of grated bread you may use crackers finely powdered.