Raw Oysters on the half Sheel or Little Neck Clams

Open the oysters carefully by inserting the blade of the knife between the shells and prying them open so as to avoid breaking and leave them in their deep shells with the liquor. Serve six or eight according to their size with a quarter of a lemon for each guest. Crackers or slices of very thin bread and butter can be served at the same time. The clams are to be treated exactly the same. A hot sauce or a shallot sauce made with finely chopped shallots fixed with salt, pepper and vinegar, or else a pimentade sauce (No. 521), can also be eaten with the oysters. They should only be opened when ready to serve and sent to the table on finely broken ice.