Oysters a la Thorndike

A quick chafing-dish preparation: oysters barely cooked, then bound with an egg-and-cream liaison. The whole thing takes less than ten minutes and depends entirely on heat control.

• The hinge: never let it boilOnce the egg yolks go in, the mixture must stay below a simmer or the sauce will curdle into scrambled egg in oyster liquor. Keep the pan on low heat, or move it off the burner entirely and stir until it thickens to coating consistency, around 170-175F.
• How long to cook the oysters"Until oysters are plump" means the edges just begin to ruffle and the bodies firm slightly, roughly 1 to 2 minutes. Longer than that and they tighten into rubber, and they will continue to cook in the hot sauce afterward.
• A pint of oystersShucked oysters were sold by liquid measure, so a pint is about 16 fl oz of oysters with their liquor, roughly 24 to 30 medium ones. Drain them but reserve the liquor; a spoonful or two can thin the sauce if it tightens.
• Thin creamThis is the old grade between milk and heavy cream, usually reckoned at around 18 to 20 percent fat. Modern light cream is the closest equivalent; half-and-half is thinner and will give a looser sauce, while heavy cream works and gives a richer, more stable one.
• ZephyrettesA very thin, crisp cracker sold in this period; the name has the look of a trade name, though the maker is not documented. Any thin water cracker, or the toast the recipe offers as an alternative, does the same job of catching the sauce.
• Seasoning"Few grains cayenne" is a pinch, less than an eighth of a teaspoon; the nutmeg is a couple of scrapes on a fine grater. Both are meant to be felt rather than identified, so add cautiously -- the recipe puts the seasonings in along with the cream and yolks.
• YieldEnough for four as a first course, or two or three as a light supper on toast. It does not hold or reheat, so serve it straight from the pan.