Oysters : A Culinary Celebration

From the author of M.F.K. Fisher, Julia Child, and Alice Waters: Celebrating the Pleasures of the Table: The two hundred delectable herein are just the appetizer. Rarely has a cookbook so thoroughly addressed a subject in such charming detail. Joan Reardon has uncovered not only every creative recipe, but every elusive fact and helpful hint. These tidbits make Oysters much more than a cookbook, but a true cooking companion to be savored cover-to-cover. The recipes concentrate on traditional American cuisine but also include adventurous side trips to the Caribbean, Europe and Asia. Appetizers: Beyond nine sauces for the half shell, such classics as Rockefeller and Casino, as well as canapes and finger foods. Soups: A classic bisque, four chowders and twenty others. Salads and Sides: From an intriguing Nicoise update or a traditional mousse to five ways to pair oysters with potatoes. Breads and Pastries: For breakfast, lunch and light dinners, three dozen sandwiches, pancakes, crepes, breads and pastries. Entrees: Croquettes and fritters, stir-fries and sautees; but also dozens of dishes with oyster highlights.