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Oysters, Pickled

Put in a saucepan the oysters which are to be pickled, together with their own liquor, and let them boil gently for ten or twelve minutes. Lift them out, put them into small jars, and cover them. Let the liquid settle, then pour off the clear part, measure it, and put it on to boil, with the same quantity of good vinegar, two blades of mace, a tea-spoonful of peppercorns, and the thin rind of half a small lemon with each pint of vinegar. Boil this pickle for ten minutes, then take it off, and when cold pour it over the oysters, and tie them down carefully, or they will spoil. Pickled oysters will not keep more than a few weeks, and they should be put into small jars, so that the contents of one may be speedily finished after being exposed to the air. They should be served in a small dish, with a little of the pickle strained over them, and a little finely-minced parsley sprinkled on the top. Brown bread and butter may be eaten with them. Probable cost, oysters, 1s. 6d. per dozen.