304 OYSTERS, AND ALL ABOUT THEM. 



dered mace two drachms, pepper one drachm. Boil up, 

 skim, strain ; add to each pint two teaspoonfuls of brandy, 

 then bottle, to flavour sauces when oysters are out of 

 season." (b) 



" Oysters au Gralin. Set a little cream in a pipkin, 

 with a piece of butter (the quantities to be judged accord- 

 ing to the size of the dish), and mingle them gradually ; 

 add to this a little anchovy sauce, cayenne, wine, and 

 grated lemon-peel. Pour half of this in a dish, lay in the 

 oysters, and grate over them a little Parmesan cheese and 

 bread-crumbs (not too thick a layer), seasoned in the usual 

 way ; then pour over the rest of the cream and butter, and 

 grate another thin layer of Parmesan and bread-crumbs. 

 Set it in a quick oven or in a Dutch oven." (c] 



In the Mediterranean, a species of oyster, viz., Spondy- 

 lus gcedaropus, is eaten both in Spain and in Italy. The 

 Spanish names for it are Ostra vermella, or Ostra vermeya, 

 and the Italian, Spuonnolo and Copiza. 



In closing this chapter, let me remind all cooks that 

 the success in preparing the above-mentioned dishes 

 depends on the goodness and freshness of the oysters 

 used for this purpose. Very erroneous is the opinion that 

 oysters which are not fresh are yet good enough to be 

 fried and to be used for sauces. The greatest delicacy is 

 a fresh oyster, but a stale one is a source of the greatest 

 disgust, and only fit to regale the ghost of that Royal 

 George who, when living, never relished a raw oyster 

 unless the shell was self-opened on the dish. 



(b] "Dictionary of Practical Receipts," by G. W. Francis. 



(c) Maitre Jacques. 



