Strain the juice from two quarts of oysters, add to it a teacupful of water, and heat slowly in a covered vessel. When near boiling, season with salt and pepper, add the oysters, and let them stew for about five minutes. Heat in a separate vessel a quart of milk with two tablespoon-fuls of butter, pour in, and stir well for two minutes.

Be very careful that the soup is cooked just enough. Too much cooking ruins the oysters, while they are equally ruined for the taste by being underdone. The plumpness of the body and the ruffling of the edge are indications of their being in the right condition. Serve with sliced lemon and oyster or cream crackers. Mace and nutmeg may be used for seasoning.