Oysters

Appears in
Modern Classics
Modern Classics

By Frances Bissell

Published 2000

  • About
In Britain we consume thirty million oysters, some way from the 1, 200 million which the Victorians used to get through. Even that is far from the 2, 000 million oysters, which the French eat every year. There are many things one can do with an oyster, including stews, chowders, omelettes, fritters, and gratins. You can even barbecue them.

Cooked oysters were a great favourite according to early cookery books. Eliza Acton lists 13 recipes using oysters, Hannah Glasse lists 8, and Mrs Beeton lists 37. Oysters can also be used as an ingredient in stuffing for turkeys or chicken, in a carpet-bag steak, or in a steamed steak and kidney pudding. Purists will always prefer oysters raw on the half-shell, with or without a seasoning of lemon juice, hot sauce, or finely chopped shallots in red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar.