OSTREADiE. OYSTER. 
85 
Take off the beard, — as quick as thought, 
The pointed knife divides the flesh ; 
What plates are laden ! Loads are brought, 
Are eaten raw, and cold, and fresh.” * 
The oddest way of cooking an oyster, of which w^e 
have any mention, is that recorded by Evelyn, f who, in 
the year 1672, saw Eichardson, ‘^the famous fire-eater,^^ 
perform wondrous feats, one of which was, taking a 
live coal on his tongue, he put on it a raw oyster ; the 
coal was blown on with bellows, till it flamM and sparkFd 
in his mouth, and so remain^ till the oyster gaped, and 
was quite boiPd.^^ Who ate the oyster thus cooked, we 
are not informed. 
Oyster Soup . — Take 50 oysters ; blanch them, but 
do not let them boil ; strain them through a sieve, and 
save the liquor. Put J lb. of butter into a stewpan ; 
when it is melted, add 6 oz. of flour ; stir it over the 
Are for a few minutes, add the liquor from the oysters, 
2 quarts of veal stock, 1 quart of new milk ; season 
with salt, peppercorns, a little cayenne pepper, a blade 
of mace, Harvey^s sauce, and essence of anchovy, a table- 
spoonful each; strain it through a tammy, let it boil 
ten minutes; put the oysters into the tureen, with a 
gill of cream, and pour the boiling soup upon them.^^J 
Gower Recipe for Oyster Soup . — Boil 4 sheep^s feet 
in 2 quarts of water, till reduced to 1 quart; it will 
then be a stifl* jelly ; put in it, while boiling, a small 
blade of mace; take off the fat, and thicken it with 
14 tablespoonful of ground rice; add from 20 to 50 
oysters ; boil it till thick enough, and add a teacupful 
of cream. 
* Hone’s ‘ Everyday Book,’ voL ii. p. 1071. 
t ‘ Memoirs,’ vol. i. p. 438. X Murray’s ‘ Modern Cookery.’ 
