Democratic Sentinel, Volume 6, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 December 1882 — Condensed Wisdom About Oysters. [ARTICLE]

Condensed Wisdom About Oysters.

Half the people that eat raw oysters don’t like them. They only do it because it’s a nice dish to order and smacks of good living. Now, when a man orders half a dozen of the largest oysters it certainly can’t be because he likes the flavor, as a big oyster has riot the choice flavor that epicures pretend to like. Big oysters ought only to be cooked, and small ones reserved for raws; but if you venture to serve a dozen small oyster on the shell, people think you are cheating them. What do I consider the best oyster? Well, the Sorewsbury. They have a different color, and a sweet, delicate taste that seems to me better than that of any other. But there isn’t one man in 500 that can tell the difference between Shrewsburys, Long Island, Mill Ponds, East Rivers, Providence Rivers, etc. They think they can, so its all right. At a good many eating 'houses you can get any kind of an oyster, in season or out, but they all come from some scrub bed. The largest are labled Saddle Rocks, an other size and shape Blue Points, and so on. Blue Points are perhaps the most in demand now; they cost from $4-50 to $6.50 per barrel. East Rivers are estimated the best by a good many, as they are only placed in the market late. They range in price from $4.00 to $9 a thousand, according to the demand and the supply. The consumers don’t feel the rise and fall. It is felt only by the wholesalers. Some of the largest oysters come from Old Point, Fortress Monroe. From there they reach Baltimore, and so travel north. Baltimore is the big oyster depot, and they put up immense quantities in cans. It’s a great sight to see 50 or 100 darkies shucking aysters as fast as the smacks unload them. A smart man ought to open from 4,000 to 5,000 a day. I understand a team of four men have shucked 25,000 oysters in a day. That would give them about $23, Baltimore prices. Oysters are eaten here, of course, all Summer, but Summer is their breeding time, and ought to be let alone. They’re not up to the mark until the water gets cold.— Interview with Restauratneur, in New York Sun.