The household (of the Detroit free press)

One hundred large oysters, one pint white wine vinegar, one dozen blades of mace, two dozen whole cloves, two dozen whole black peppers, one large red pepper broken into bits. Put oysters, liquor and all, into a porcelain kettle. Salt to the taste. Heat slowly until the oysters are very hot, but not boiling. Take them out with a perforated skimmer and set aside to cool. To the liquor which remains in the kettle add the vinegar and spices. Boil up fairly, and when the oysters are nearly cold, pour it over them scalding hot. Cover and put away in a cool place. Next day put them into glass cans with tight tops. If you open a can use up the contents as soon as possible. ROASTED OYSTERS. Select the desired quantity of the freshest and best quality of large oysters, such as you would for the finest fry ; wash the shells until they are as clean as polished marble ; place them in a dripping-pan with the round shell down ; put in a hot oven about twenty minutes ; remove one of the shells (the round one) only when you come to eat them, placing on each a small piece of the freshest and sweetest of table butter, a dash of cayenne pepper and a few drops of a fresh, bright lemon. SPICED OYSTERS. For two hundred oysters, take one pint vinegar, one grated nutmeg, eight blades of whole mace, three dozen whole cloves, one teaspoonful salt, two teaspoonfuls whole allspice, and as much red pepper as will lie on the point of a knife ; put the oysters, with their liquor, into a large earthen vessel ; add vinegar and all other ingredients ; stir well together and set over a slow fire ; keep covered ; stir them several times to the bottom ; as soon as they are well scalded they are done ; put into jars ; if a larger quantity is made it can be kept for a long time ; of course these are eaten cold. STEWED OYSTERS. Drain the liquor from two quarts of firm, plump oysters ; mix with it a small teacup of hot water, add salt and pepper, and set over the fire in a saucepan. When it comes to a boil, add a large cup of rich milk (cream is better). Let it boil up once, put in the oysters and let them boil five minutes, no more. When they are " ruffled " add two tablespoonfuls of butter, and the instant it is well stirred in and melted, take the saucepan from the fire, as oysters get tough and tasteless if cooked too long. Serve with oyster or cream crackers. STEWED OYSTERS WITH CELERY. In a large stew-pan put a pint of strong and clear broth, made of the choicest cuts of beef. Instead of milk and water, or milk even, as the prevailing practice is, use only the sweetest and richest of cream. Of this cream add one pint to the same quantity of best of beef broth. Also four ounces of the most excellent table butter, three teaspoonfuls of salt, two of white pepper, as much more of ground mace, and a teaspoonful of extract of celery. If the celery is to be had in stalk chop up fine and throw in. No more delicate or healthy flavor can be added to any stew, soup or broth than this exquisite vegetable. Now set to cooking, and while on the fire dredge in finely powdered cracker dust and a little of the best corn starch flour, until thickened to your taste. Have ready parboiled (not in water, but in their own juice) fifty