FRIED OYSTERS

For this purpose each and every oyster should be as large, plump, and fat--fresh, of course, not salt--as you can procure. Any small ones will serve for sauces, croquettes, soups, etc. Drain off their juice, put them in a bowl, cover them with ice water, let stand a few minutes, then place them in a colander and drain them. Dry between two thin, soft towels, without pressing them, and lay upon a moulding-board, slightly coated with cracker-dust, finely sifted. Beat up to a thick rich custard as many eggs and an equal measure of cream as you need for moistening all the oysters, adding, at the last, a saltspoonful of salt for every three eggs. Have ready a sufficiency of finely-sifted bread crumbs prepared by rubbing the heart of a stale loaf of white bread in a towel and pressing it through a sieve. Dip the oysters, one by one, into the beaten egg and roll them in the crumbs till covered in every part. By no means flatten them, but keep them as round and plump as possible; lay them on napkins and keep in a cool place for half an hour; again dip, roll in crumbs, and set aside for another half hour. Now lay them on the wire stand, not quite touching each other. Set the stand into a deep frying-pan nearly full of whatever frying mixture you use, which must be boiling hot, and fry quickly to a deep yellow color, but do not brown them, or they will be tough and greasy. Lift the stand out of the pan, drain quickly, and serve the oysters on a hot, white napkin, placed on a hot platter, and garnish with sprigs of parsley or water cress, stuffed olives, and small bits of lemon. The daintiest condiment of all is the French mayonnaise sauce served with lettuce.