till they are plump, with the edges ruffled, but no longer. Place to a
heated dish, with butter, pepper, and salt, and serve.

_Baltimore Style_

STEAMED OYSTERS IN THE SHELL.

Wash and place them in an air-tight vessel, laying them the upper
shell downward, so that the liquor will not run out when they open.
Place this dish or vessel over a pot of boiling water where they will
get the steam. Boil them rapidly until the shells open, about fifteen
to twenty minutes. Serve at once while hot, seasoned with butter, salt
and pepper.

PAN OYSTERS. No. 1.

Cut some stale bread into thin slices, taking off all the crust, round
the slices to fit patty-pans; toast, butter, place them in the pans
and moisten with three or four teaspoonfuls of oyster liquor; place on
the toast a layer of oysters, sprinkle with pepper, and put a small
piece of butter on top of each pan; place all the pans in a
baking-pan, and place in the oven, covering tightly. They will cook in
seven or eight minutes if the oven is hot; or, cook till the beards
are ruffled; remove the cover, sprinkle lightly with salt, replace,
and cook one minute longer. Serve in patty pans. They are delicious.

_New York Style._

PAN OYSTERS. No. 2.

Lay in a thin pie tin or dripping-pan, half a pint of large oysters,
or more if required; have the pan large enough so that each oyster
will lie flat on the bottom; put in over them a little oyster liquor,
but not enough to float; place them carefully in a hot oven and just
heat them through thoroughly--do not bake them--which will be in three
to five minutes, according to fire; take them up and place on toast;
first moistened with the hot juice from the pan. Are a very good
substitute for oysters roasted in the shell, the slow cooking bringing
out the flavor.

_French Restaurant, New Orleans, La._

OYSTER FRITTERS.

Select plump, good-sized oysters; drain off the juice, and to a cup of
this juice add a cup of milk, a little salt, four well-beaten eggs,
and flour enough to make batter like griddle-cakes.

Envelope an oyster in a spoonful of this batter (some cut them in
halves or chop them fine), then fry in butter and lard, mixed in a
frying pan the same as we fry eggs, turning to fry brown on both
sides. Send to the table very hot.

_Delmonico._

Most cooks fry oyster fritters the same as crullers, in a quantity of
hot lard, but this is not always convenient; either way they are
excellent.

OYSTER