Oyster Stew for the Firemen
In the winter months The firemen would enjoy a special oyster stew meal with their monthly fire meetings. I think they must have used the old story about when oysters were available in Iowa. All or the months that had an "r" in them where the oyster months when oysters were available in the grocery markets. September, November, December, January, February, March and April. Seven months of the year. Below is the story as I remember it and the recipe as it was prepared:
The delicious oyster stew recipe by
Uncle Cliff and Uncle George
Ingredients (reduced to a 4 bowl serving)
4 tablespoons butter
3 cups whole milk
1 1/2 pints oysters with liquor
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Cooking Directions
Heat four bowls and add a tablespoon of butter to each bowl; keep hot. Heat milk to hot but not boiling, and heat oysters and liquor just to the boiling point (ends of the oysters begin to curl); add oysters and bring to almost boiling point once again. Season with salt, and pepper. Ladle into hot bowls and top with chopped parsley, if desired.Serves 4 large bowls.
I remember that every time there was going to be a fire meeting in the those winter months I was always anxiously waiting for the firemen that always prepared the meal to arrive to begin their preparation.
I remember a fireman named Cliff Hodges was always there and the other one I remember was George Franklin. Cliff and George let me help set the tables with them and get the oyster stew cooking on the large commercial stove in the kitchen of the club room. In addition to the stew, they always had ring bologna, cheese and oyster crackers. I guess they also had coffee available, but I never had coffee there at the dinner meeting.
I remember when we opened the large containers of oysters; they search through them for these little red crab-like creatures that would come with the oysters many times. Also George and Cliff would say, “Dave, look at this as they would take and uncooked oyster and with a cracker eat the oyster and cracker at the same time.
All this preparation started about 4:30 in the afternoon. Milk was put on to warm and the oysters were placed in a large pan to warm also. I remember that butter and salt and pepper were added to the oysters as they warmed.
George always told me that you would know when it is time to add the oysters to the warm milk when the oysters start to curl around the edges. While the oysters and milk warmed, we cut the cheese into small bite size chunks and also cut the baloney into pieces.
We placed the plates of cheese and baloney into the refrigerator covered and also placed the oyster crackers on the tables. I would help set the table with spoons, knives and forks. I also helped place the drinking glasses out in a buffet-type fashion.
In the winter months The firemen would enjoy a special oyster stew meal with their monthly fire meetings. I think they must have used the old story about when oysters were available in Iowa. All or the months that had an "r" in them where the oyster months when oysters were available in the grocery markets. September, November, December, January, February, March and April. Seven months of the year. Below is the story as I remember it and the recipe as it was prepared:
The delicious oyster stew recipe by
Uncle Cliff and Uncle George
Ingredients (reduced to a 4 bowl serving)
4 tablespoons butter
3 cups whole milk
1 1/2 pints oysters with liquor
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Cooking Directions
Heat four bowls and add a tablespoon of butter to each bowl; keep hot. Heat milk to hot but not boiling, and heat oysters and liquor just to the boiling point (ends of the oysters begin to curl); add oysters and bring to almost boiling point once again. Season with salt, and pepper. Ladle into hot bowls and top with chopped parsley, if desired.Serves 4 large bowls.
I remember that every time there was going to be a fire meeting in the those winter months I was always anxiously waiting for the firemen that always prepared the meal to arrive to begin their preparation.
I remember a fireman named Cliff Hodges was always there and the other one I remember was George Franklin. Cliff and George let me help set the tables with them and get the oyster stew cooking on the large commercial stove in the kitchen of the club room. In addition to the stew, they always had ring bologna, cheese and oyster crackers. I guess they also had coffee available, but I never had coffee there at the dinner meeting.
I remember when we opened the large containers of oysters; they search through them for these little red crab-like creatures that would come with the oysters many times. Also George and Cliff would say, “Dave, look at this as they would take and uncooked oyster and with a cracker eat the oyster and cracker at the same time.
All this preparation started about 4:30 in the afternoon. Milk was put on to warm and the oysters were placed in a large pan to warm also. I remember that butter and salt and pepper were added to the oysters as they warmed.
George always told me that you would know when it is time to add the oysters to the warm milk when the oysters start to curl around the edges. While the oysters and milk warmed, we cut the cheese into small bite size chunks and also cut the baloney into pieces.
We placed the plates of cheese and baloney into the refrigerator covered and also placed the oyster crackers on the tables. I would help set the table with spoons, knives and forks. I also helped place the drinking glasses out in a buffet-type fashion.
No comments:
Post a Comment