158 EDIBLE BRITISH MOLLUSC A. 



thicken with a teaspoonful of flour, then add the yolks 

 of two eggs ; when boiling throw in the oysters and 

 liquor, let it boil up again; then pour immediately into 

 six soup plates ; in the bottom of each a round of dry 

 toast must have been previously placed. Some prefer 

 two dozen of oysters to each soup-plate, instead of one 

 dozen, in which case, double the quantity of oysters and 

 their liquor is required, leaving the other ingredients 

 as before."* 



" Oysters Stewed. Wash them in their own liquor, 

 strain them, put them into a saucepan with, some 

 white pepper pounded, a little beaten mace, a little 

 cream, a piece of butter mixed with flour ; stir this till 

 it boils, throw in the oysters, simmer them till enough ; 

 add salt if required ; toasted sippets round the dish."f 



" To Stew Oysters another way. Take a quart of 

 oysters, wash them one by one in their own liquor with 

 a little vinegar and white wine ; then strain the liquor 

 into a saucepan, and put your oysters to it, with a bit 

 of mace, whole pepper, cloves, nutmeg, and a very 

 little thyme and savory, a whole onion, and a little 

 lemon-peel ; cover it close, and let it stew very slowly 

 almost a quarter of an hour ; then make a sauce with 

 six spoonfuls of the liquor, shalot, anchovies, some 

 butter, a little mace, and juice of lemon ; wet sippets 

 in the stewed liquor and lay them upon a plate, lay 

 your oysters on them, the best side upwards, and 

 crumble the yolks of two or three hard-boiled eggs 

 over them, so pour on your sauce. Garnish with lemon 

 and barberries.^" 



* ' All About Oysters.' 



f < The Lady's Assistant,' by Mrs. Charlotte Mason, 1775. 



J 'The Lady's Companion,' 1753, vol. ii. p. 154. 



