[Illustration: FIG. 25]
82. OYSTERS, CLAMS, and SCALLOPS are salt-water fish that belong to the
family of mollusks, or soft-bodied animals. They are entirely encased in
hard shells, which, though of the same general shape, differ somewhat
from each other in appearance. Fig. 25 shows a group of oysters and
clams, the three on the left being oysters and the three on the right,
clams. Oysters are larger than clams and have a rough, uneven shell,
whereas clams have a smooth, roundish shell. The three varieties of
mollusks are closely related in their composition and in their use as
food, but as oysters are probably used more commonly than the others
they are considered first.
83. COMPOSITION OF OYSTERS.--Oysters occupy a prominent place among
animal foods, because they are comparatively high in protein. In
addition, they contain a substance that most flesh foods lack in any
quantity, namely, carbohydrate in the form of glycogen, and for this
reason are said to resemble milk closely in composition. A comparison
of the following figures will show how these foods resemble each other:
WATER PROTEIN FAT CARBOHYDRATE MINERAL SALTS
Milk......... 87.0 3.3 4.0 5.0 .7
Oysters...... 86.9 6.2 1.2 3.7 2.0
Oysters, as will be observed, contain only a small quantity of fat, and
for this reason their total food value is somewhat lower than that of
milk. A pint of milk has a value of 325 calories, while the same
quantity of oysters has an approximate value of only 250 calories.
Because of the difference in the cost of these two foods, oysters
costing several times as much as milk, the use of oysters is not so
cheap a way of supplying food material.
84. DIGESTIBILITY OF OYSTERS.--When merely the ability of the digestive
tract to handle oysters is taken into consideration, they are said to be
easily digested if they are served raw or are properly prepared. This is
due to the fact that when taken as a food they are disposed of in a
comparatively short time by the stomach. In addition, their absorption
from the alimentary tract is quite complete; that is, they contain
little or no waste material. But, just as cooking has much to do with
the digestibility of other protein foods, so it has with oysters. For
this reason, the housewife who wishes to feed her family this food in
its most digestible form must thoroughly understand all phases of
its cooking.
85. HEALTHFULNESS OF OYSTERS.--Much illness has been attributed to
oysters, and without doubt they have been the cause of some typhoid and
some ptomaine poisoning. A knowledge of the reason for these diseases
has done much to eliminate them. It is now definitely known that much of
the typhoid caused from eating oysters was due to the conditions under
which they were grown. In their growth, oysters fasten themselves to
stationary things, such as rocks or piles driven into the ground
underneath the water, and they obtain their food by simply opening the
shell and making use of minute particles of plant and animal life that
they are able to extract from the water. When the water was not clean or
when sewage was turned into it, typhoid germs were transmitted to
persons who took oysters as food. At present, there is scarcely any
danger from such causes, for more care is now given to the conditions
under which oysters grow. Ptomaine poisoning from oysters was caused by
eating them when they had been improperly cared for in storage or had
been taken from the shells after they were dead. Unless persons handling
oysters know how to take care of them, this danger is still likely
to exist.
86. PURCHASING OYSTERS.--To be able to purchase oysters intelligently,
the housewife should be familiar with the names of the various kinds.
These names are dependent on the locality from which the oysters come,
and include _Blue Points, Cape Cods, Cotuits, Lynn Havens_, and numerous
other varieties. It should be remembered that the varieties raised in
different localities are quite distinctive, differing to some extent in
both size and appearance. Unless the purchaser is familiar with the
different varieties, almost any of the small oysters are likely to be
sold to her for one of the small varieties and, likewise, any of the
large oysters for one of the large varieties. While this is of small
consequence, provided the quality is satisfactory and the price is
right, it is well for every housewife to familiarize herself with the
names of the various kinds, so that she may know just what variety she
is purchasing.
87. When oysters are bought in the shell, they should be alive, a fact
that can be determined by the tightly closed shell, as has already been
stated. If the shells are not closed or can be easily pried apart, it
may be known that the oysters are not good and that they should be
rejected. When it is possible to procure them, oysters that have been
removed from the shells immediately after being taken from the beds are
preferable to those which have not been removed from the shells before
shipping. When purchased out of the shells, oysters should be grayish in
color, should have no disagreeable odor, and should contain no excess
water or liquid. After being purchased, oysters should be kept on ice
unless they can be cooked at once.
The season for oysters is from September to April, inclusive. While in
some localities they can be purchased at other times during the year,
they are not likely to be so good. In fact, it is not safe to use
oysters during the warm months.
88. IMPORTANT POINTS IN COOKING OYSTERS.--The protein of oysters, like
that found in other foods, is coagulated by heat. Long heat, provided it
is sufficiently intense, makes oysters tough, and in this condition they
are neither agreeable to eat nor readily digested. When they are to be
cooked at a high temperature, therefore, the cooking should be done
quickly. If they are to be cooked at a temperature below the boiling
point, they may be subjected to heat for a longer time without becoming
so tough as when a high temperature is used. Cooking quickly at a high
temperature, however, is preferable in most cases to long, slow cooking.
For example, in the preparation of oyster stew, long cooking produces no
better flavor than short cooking at a high temperature and renders
oysters far less digestible.
[Illustration: FIG. 26]
[Illustration: FIG. 27]
89. OPENING OYSTERS.--Unless oysters are bought already opened, it
becomes necessary to open them in the home before they can be served raw
or cooked. To open oysters is not difficult, and with a little
experience the work can be done with ease. It will be well to note that
the two shells of an oyster, which are called _valves_, are held
together by a single muscle, known as the _adductor muscle_, that lies
near the center, and that this muscle must be cut before the shell will
open readily. Before attempting to open oysters, however, they should be
scrubbed with clean water, so as to remove any sand that may be on the
shells. When the oysters are cleaned, proceed to open them in the manner
shown in Figs. 26 and 27. First, as in Fig. 26, insert the point of a
knife into the hinged, or pointed, end and push the blade between the
valves until they appear to separate, when it will be known that the
muscle has been cut. Then, as in Fig. 27, lay the valves open and loosen
the oyster from the shell by slipping the knife under it.
If the oysters that are being opened are to be cooked before serving,
simply drop them with their liquid into a suitable vessel and discard
the shells. Before using the oysters, remove them from the liquid, look
them over carefully to see that no small particles of shells cling to
them, and wash them in clean, cold water to remove any sand that may be
present. Also, strain the liquid through a cloth, so that it will be
free from sand when used in the preparation of the dish for which the
oysters are to be used or for the making of soup or broth.
Oysters that are to be eaten raw are frequently served on the half
shell. Therefore, if they are to be used in this way, place each oyster,
as it is loosened in the process of opening, into the deeper shell, as
Fig. 27 shows, and discard the other one. Very often good-looking oyster
shells are saved in order that they may be used from time to time in
serving raw oysters that are bought already opened.
[Illustration: FIG. 27]
90. RAW OYSTERS.--When an appetizer is desired in a meal that is to
consist of several courses, raw oysters are often used for the first
course. Oysters that are to be eaten raw may be served in the shells or
removed from them. They are bland in flavor, however, and require some
sharp, highly seasoned sauce in order to give them sufficient snap. The
sauces commonly used for this purpose include cocktail sauce, chilli
sauce, catsup, horseradish, and tobasco sauce. Sometimes, though, lemon
juice or vinegar and pepper and salt are preferred to sauce. As a rule,
crisp crackers, small squares of toast, or wafers and butter accompany
raw oysters in any form, and sometimes celery and radishes are
served, too.
91. When a cocktail sauce is served with raw oysters, they are generally
referred to as OYSTER COCKTAILS. Two methods of serving these are in
practice. In one, as shown in Fig. 28, the cocktail sauce is put into a
small glass placed in the center of a soup plate filled with cracked
ice, and the oysters, usually six in half shells, are arranged around
the glass, on the ice. In the other, as shown in Fig. 29, the desired
number of oysters that have been removed from the shells are dropped
into a stemmed glass containing the cocktail sauce, and the glass is
placed in a bowl of cracked ice. An _oyster fork_, which is a small,
three-pronged fork, is always served with raw oysters, and usually a
piece of lemon is supplied in addition to the cocktail sauce.
[Illustration: FIG. 28]
[Illustration: FIG. 29]
92. OYSTER STEW.--If an extremely nutritious way of preparing oysters is
desired, oyster stew should be selected. This is perhaps the simplest
way in which to cook oysters, and yet care must be exercised in making
this dish, for the oysters should not be cooked too long and the milk,
which must be brought to the boiling point, should not be allowed to
burn. Oyster stew makes an excellent dish for lunch. It should not be
served as the first course of a heavy meal because of the large amount
of nutriment it contains.
OYSTER STEW
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
1 qt. oysters
1 qt. milk
2 Tb. butter
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
Pour 1 cupful of water over the oysters, look them over carefully, and
remove any pieces of shell that may cling to the oysters, making sure
that any particles of sand are washed off. Heat this liquid to the
boiling point and then strain it through a cloth. Put the milk on the
fire to heat, and when hot, add the butter, salt, and pepper, and
strained liquid. After the whole mixture has come to the boiling point,
pour in the oysters and cook until they look plump and the edges begin
to curl. Remove from the heat and serve with crisp crackers.
93. CREAMED OYSTERS.--Another nutritious way in which to prepare oysters
and at the same time produce a dish that is pleasing to most persons is
to cream them. After being creamed, oysters may be served over toast or
in timbale cases.
CREAMED OYSTERS
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
2 Tb. butter
24 oysters
1-1/2 c. medium white sauce
Salt and pepper
6 slices toast or 6 timbale cases
Melt the butter in a frying pan, add the oysters, and heat them in the
butter until the edges begin to curl slightly. Pour the hot oysters into
the hot white sauce, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve
over toast or in timbale cases.
94. SCALLOPED OYSTERS.--No food makes a more palatable scalloped dish
than oysters. Oysters so prepared are liked by nearly every one, and the
ingredients with which they are combined help to give such a dish
balance so far as the food substances are concerned. Care should be
taken, however, in the baking of scalloped oysters, for they are likely
to become tough if they are cooked too long.
SCALLOPED OYSTERS
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
1 c. bread crumbs
2 Tb. butter
1 c. cracker crumbs
1 pt. oysters
Salt and pepper
1 c. milk
Butter the bread crumbs with the butter, and then mix them with the
cracker crumbs. Sprinkle the bottom of a greased baking dish with
one-fourth of the crumbs, and over this put a layer of oysters that have
been previously cleaned. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and add
one-fourth more of the crumbs. Add another layer of oysters, sprinkle
with salt and pepper, and place the remainder of the crumbs on top.
Strain the liquid from the oysters through a piece of cloth, mix this
with the milk, and pour over the dish thus prepared. Place in a hot
oven, and bake until the mixture is thoroughly heated and the top
is brown.
95. FRIED OYSTERS.--Of all the dishes prepared from oysters, fried
oysters undoubtedly find favor with the greatest number of persons.
However, unless care is taken in frying the oysters, they are likely to
be somewhat indigestible. Deep fat should be used for this purpose, and
it should be hot enough to brown a 1-inch cube of bread a golden brown
in 40 seconds.
FRIED OYSTERS
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
24 large oysters
1 egg
1/4 c. milk
Fine cracker crumbs
Salt
Pepper
Thoroughly dry the oysters by laying them on one end of a soft cloth and
patting them with the other. Beat the egg and add the milk to it. Dip
the oysters into the cracker crumbs, then into the egg-and-milk mixture,
and again into the crumbs. Fry in deep fat until brown. Remove from the
fat, drain well, and place on oiled paper. Sprinkle with salt and pepper
and serve hot.
96. OYSTER PIE.--Baking oysters into a pie is another means of combining
a protein food with foods that are high in other food substances. As
oyster pie is somewhat hearty, it may be used as the main dish of a
heavy meal.
OYSTER PIE
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
1 pt. oysters
1 c. medium white sauce
Salt and pepper
Baking-powder biscuit dough
Cut each of the oysters into three or four pieces, and place them in a
greased baking dish. Pour over them the hot white sauce and the juice
from the oysters. Season with salt and pepper. Over the top, place a
layer of the biscuit dough rolled about 1/4 inch thick. Set in a hot
oven and bake until the crust is brown.
97. PIGS IN BLANKETS.--When something entirely different in the way of
oysters is desired, pigs in blankets should be tried. This is a very
good name for the dish given in the accompanying recipe, for the oysters
are rolled up in a strip of bacon, which serves as a blanket. They are
especially suitable for a light meal, such as luncheon or a dainty lunch
that is to be served to company.
PIGS IN BLANKETS
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
18 large oysters
18 thin strips of bacon
After the oysters have been cleaned, roll each one in a strip of bacon.
Fasten the bacon where the edges meet by running a toothpick through at
this point. Place in a broiler and broil on one side until brown; then
turn them and broil until the other side is brown. Serve hot.
98. OYSTER FRITTERS.--Variety may also be secured in the use of oysters
by making oyster fritters. When such fritters are nicely browned and
served with an appetizing sauce, an attractive as well as a tasty dish
is the result.
OYSTER FRITTERS
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
1 pt. oysters
1 egg muffin batter
Clean the oysters and cut each into four or five pieces. Make a one-egg
muffin batter and to it add the cut oysters. Drop the mixture by
spoonfuls into deep fat and fry until brown. Remove from the fat, drain,
and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve with a desired sauce.