To Make Oyster Pyes

This oyster pie recipe was written by Ann Goodenough sometime between 1700 and 1775, a period in England when oysters were plentiful, affordable, and often seen as peasant food—very different from today! Savoury pies were a staple, and the blending of sweet (grapes, lemons) and savoury (seafood, spices, eggs) ingredients in rich pastry was entirely in vogue among both gentry and upwardly-aspiring households. The inclusion of bone marrow (or butter) is a nod to the era’s fascination with enriching dishes for texture and caloric density, while the instruction to 'fill up with beaten butter' at the end reflects both opulence and a practical desire to preserve the filling’s moistness. Ann Goodenough’s manuscript is typical of female householders recording and passing on the culinary wisdom and taste of the age.

Cooks in the early 18th century would use a coal- or wood-fired oven, a copper or tin pie plate, a heavy mortar and pestle for grinding spices, and a paring knife. The oysters were likely opened using a robust oyster knife, then parboiled in a copper pot or sturdy pan. Pastry would be rolled out with a wooden rolling pin, and the marrow or butter cut into the filling with a paring knife or spoon. To beat or clarify butter, a cook might use a small pan over the fire and a wooden spoon or whisk.