THE LADIES’ WORLD.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2521, 7 June 1909, Page 7

THE LADIES’ WORLD.

THE TABLE

CHOICE WAYS WITH OYSTERS

It is quite certain the oyster was held in as high esteem by the ancients as it is with us ; and when we show pur partiality tor it. as a first course wo only follow the fashion of such illus-

trious epicures as Horace, Pliny, and Cicero. "Wo are, however, content to ;--Tuso it in greater moderation, and the custom of serving it not only as a first, hut as an intermediate and last course as well (as was usual at the banquets of ancient Rome), is not at all likely to attain with us. Although' very easily digested in its raw state, prolonged cooking renders the oyster tough and indigestible, as well as to a certain extent, detracting from its fine delicate flavor, and for these reasons it requires to be carefully cooked when it cannot bo enjoyed ail natnrel. The following are choice ways of serving this delicate bivalve:— Creamed Oysters: Make ' a white sauce by stirring one and a half tablespoonfuls of flour into two tablespoonfuls melted butter in a saucepan. Stir and cook until smooth and bubbling. Pour in gradually one and a half cupfuls of milk, and salt and white pepper to taste, and continue to stir and cook until smooth and creamy. Cook the oysters in their own juice until the edges begin to curl, then drain off all the liquor and add thorn to the white sauce with a pinch of celery salt. Creamed Oyster Puffs: Make a rather •stiff cream Muff bat ter, and . drop in spoonfuls of fine bread crumbs; shape them oblong, then cover with a beaten egg and again roll them in breadcrumbs, keeping them very cold all the time. When all are done, set them on ice until well-chilled, then dron them, one by one, into hot fat. and until they are puffed up and a delicate •brown. Take them out, and with a sharp-pointed knife cut and slit on one side, and fill each with creamed oysters. Fried Oysters: For frying large oyster's should be selected. Parboil them just enough to plum]) them, but not enough to curl the edges much. Drain carefully, and lay the oysters -in the folds of a towety to absord all the moisture. Season each oyster with salt and white pepper, dip in line breacl-/-crumbs, then in egg beaten in one ■Litablespoonful of water, and again in crumbs, being careful to coat every protion of each oyster thoroughly. Fry in deep, hot fat and drain on unglazed paper. Oyster Cocktail: For each cocktail into each glass put one and a half tablespoonfuls tomato catsup, one teaspoonfu.l Worcestershire sauce, one teaspoonful lemon juice, three drops tobasco .sauce, and five small oysters. Serve very cold. To serve them at their best, oyster cocktails must be prepared individually. Oysters a la Poulette: Scald two dozen large oysters in their own liquor 1 until plump. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Remove the oysters, skim the liquor, and add one tablespoonful butter, one cupful rich milk, .and one tablcspoonful flour, rubbed smoothly in a little cold milk. Let come to' al boil, stirring until smooth and slightly thickened, and just before removing it from the fire stir in two wellbeaten eggs and a little chopped parsley. Pour over the oysters and serve at- once. Oyster Omelette: To one half cupful cream add six eggs beaten light, and salt and pepper to season nicely. Pour into i'ryingpan in which a tablespoonful butter has been melted. Drop in a dozen large oysters which have been cut dn halves, and fry ito a delicate brown. Double the omelette over and serve at once. Shirred Oysters: Chop fine 25 large ovsters. add the beaten yolks of two eggs, two tablespooni'uls cream, dry breadcrumbs to thicken, and salt and peeper to taste. Fill the cleaned shells with the mixture and bake until lightly browned. ■ Panned Oysters: Cover the bottom ox a baking dish with oysters and a very little of their own liquor—not enough to float them. Cover tightly, and Jjake five minutes in a quick oven. \ V Oysters a I’Anglais: Select large, 'choice, oysters, season with salt and cayenne, turn into a colander, and set aside to drain over a bowl. .Boil the liqnor down by half, thicken with one tablcspoonful each of butter and flour rubbed smoothly together, and cook until smooth. Have ready a nice putt paste rolled thiu and cut into rounds. Dip the oysters in the sauce, then lay one on each piece of paste, gather up the paste' with the fingers, fasten with thin strip, flatten the bottom and fry in hot fat. , , Devilled Oysters: Drain, clean, and chop fine 25 large oysters; add half a cup fine breadcrumbs, one cup cream, one tablespoon melted butter, two tablespoonfuls Worcester sauce, and aslt and cayenne pepper to taste. Butter fane- baking dishes or clean oyster shells, and fill with the devilled oysters. Bake until nicely browned, about 20 minutes DO YOU POP-IN-TAW? We are threatened with another craze, like that for ping-pong. The new game is called 4 ‘Pop-in-Taw, and is played by four persons. Each lias a flat wooden spade and five hollow steel balls. In front of each player is placed a cone with a hole at the top, .into which a ball can be dropped. Ihe four players start together and the game is to pick up the balls with a spade, as one picks! tip.a tennis bai with a racket, balance them, and drop them into the cone. The player who first gets the five balls into Ins cone wins the game. There is a knack m picking up the balls which a lawn tenuis player soon discovers Simple though it is, the attraction of Pop In-Taw” is said to he irresistible. De monstrations in the art of popping are taking place in the large .shops a over England. In many of the London West' End shopping establishments tables have been set apart where ; , ices may practise the game. Themam. ' Das puzzled many ‘.-pop-m-law enthusiasts. “Pop-in,” requires no explanation, “Taw” is a north of England word for marbles.