Choose small natives for this purpose; don't open them till you want them.

Save their liquor, shave them, and put them into a stewpan over the fire with the beards and liquor; as soon as they begin to look plump and white, take them out one at a time with a fork, then put to the liquor a spoonful of veal gravy or milk; some add six berries of black pepper, a piece of lemon peel, a blade of mace, and a tablespoonful of sherry: let this simmer for ten minutes, then strain it through a fine sieve, let it stand till cold, then put two ounces of butter into a stew-pan with a teaspoonful of fine flour, mix your liquor by degrees with it, put milk or cream, to make the quantity you wish, give it a boil up, and put in your oysters; set them by the side of the fire to keep hot, but take care they do not boil, or they will become hard.

Pickled Oyster Sauce

Open a hundred fine large oysters into a pan with all their liquor with them; wash them clean with their liquor, one by one; put the liquor into a stewpan, give it a boil, then strain it through a sieve, and let it stand half an hour to settle; pour it from the settlings into a stewpan, and put in half a pint of white wine, the like quantity of vinegar, a teaspoonful of salt, half an ounce of cloves and mace, and a quarter of an ounce of allspice and black pepper bruised; boil up for five minutes; then put in your oysters, and give them a boil up for a minute, put them into small jars, and tie them down as close as possible with a wet bladder and leather; keep them in a cool dry place.

When you want oyster sauce, put some of the oysters, with a spoonful of the pickle, into good melted butter.

Bottled Oyster Sauce

To make half a pint of sauce, put two ounces of butter into a stewpan, with three drachms of oysters, two drachms of flour, and half a pint of new milk; set it on a slow fire, stir it till it boils, and season it with salt.

Milton oysters, prepared by a peculiar process, which preserves the flavour of the fish in as delicate perfection as when just opened. If closely corked, and kept in a dry place, they will remain good for years.

Made by E. Stevenson, Cook to Sir Simon Clark, Bart., near East Barnet, Middlesex; and sold by the Publisher of this Work, and by Messrs. Balls, 81, New Bond Street.

Observations

This is a most incomparable succedaneum while oysters are out of season, and in such inland parts as seldom have any, is an invaluable addition to the list of fish sauces: it is also equally good with boiled fowl or rump steak. It is especially worthy the notice of country housekeepers.