To one quart, or twenty-five oysters, add a half pint of water. Put the
oysters on the fire in the liquor. The moment it begins to simmer (not
_boil_, for that would shrivel the oysters), pour it through a colander
into a hot dish, leaving the oysters in the colander. Now put into the
saucepan two ounces of butter (size of an egg); when it bubbles,
sprinkle in a table-spoonful (one ounce) of sifted flour; let the _roux_
cook a few moments, stirring it well with the egg-whisk; then add to it
gradually the oyster-juice, and half a pint of good cream (which has
been brought to a boil in another vessel); season carefully with Cayenne
pepper and salt; skim well, then add the oysters. Do not let it boil,
but serve immediately. An oyster soup is made with thickening; an oyster
stew is made without it (see receipt).
Oyster crackers and pickles are often served with an oyster soup.