Carol wrote:

> What I do is wash (scrub) then steam them open (ones that dont open are
> tossed but I don't have that often as my market is a good one). Then, I
> add them to dashi soup with miso, spinach and a little knob of ginger.
> Shell and all, it looks rather pretty.

The only cookbook I have with me here is _Frank Stitt's Southern Table_. In
that book, he tells of a lowcountry oyster "roast." He writes, "the oysters
were dumped onto a sheet of tin perched over a wood fire, covered with a wet
burlap sack, and steamed until the shells open."

I think that sounds like a good way to to cook oysters. Stitt goes on to say
that the steamed oysters were accompanied by melted butter, but I think I'd
prefer any number of alternates. If I wanted butter in there, I'd make the
classic buffalo-wing sauce of Frank's hot sauce mixed with melted butter.
But lemon juice and black pepper would be my first choices.

Bob