pet names for oysters

[George Thompson]

Look out, folks.  Food terms are coming at you from an unexpected angle.  Why should Barry have all the fun?

The OED lists some varieties of oyster.  I noticed bluepoint, Malpeque, Milton and Olympia, for instance.  Chickamora is not in the OED, however, nor the Dictionary of Americanisms.

        OYSTERS. -- Florence, 240 Broadway, has just received a fresh supply of the choicest oysters -- chickamora of the old bed -- also cave and channels.  ***
        NY Herald, April 20, 1842, p. 2, col. 4

The following story, also from the Herald of 1842, shows that New Yorkers then realized that the oyster was more than just a comestible.

        A Mysterious Affair.  ***  [a brawl in a low tavern.]  Turner left a few minutes after to get an oyster to put on Crandall's black eye, and when he returned Black and Purdy were among the missing.
        NY Herald, March 4, 1842, p. 2, cols. 3-4

Also from the Herald, a description of an up-scale restaurant.

        AN HOUR IN THE KREMLIN. -- After sauntering on the sunny side of Broadway, until [he became hungry, JGB begins to think about finding a restaurant; he decides on The Kremlin, because it is] now the "Very's" or Gotham, the El Dorado of "bon vivants."  ***  Upon ascending a flight of marble stairs, of milky whiteness, we found ourself in the Salle a Manger.  ***  Recovering in due course of time our wonted presence of mind, and espying a country acquaintance sipping from his Demi Tasse at one of the tables, we seated ourself opposite him.  In a moment the garçon presented us with a bill of fare, commencing with a potage a la Julienne, and following that, salmon with shrimp sauce, Riz de veau a la financier, and some three or four veritable entrements (sic) Francais, brought us to a pause.  ***  "And who is that tall, self-satisfied looking gentleman with an eye-glass, so gingerly removing his perfumed kid?"  "That is the 'man about town.'"  ***  Dispatching our mocha and maraschino, and walking up to the captain's office, where we were again surprised at the very small charge for our dinner, we bade adieu to these delightful saloons.
        NY Herald, April 29, 1842, p. 2, col. 5.  I do not know how it came about that the proprietor chose the name of "Kremlin" for his place.

For most or all of these terms, this is the earliest U. S. Citation, if the OED has a U. S. cite at all.

THe OED has:

bon vivant: OED: a1695, 1798, 1824, 1862
Salle a Manger: OED: 1762, 1862, 1887
Demi Tasse: OED: 1842, 1870, 1897, &c
garçon: OED: 1788, 1829, 1839, 1850, 1942 -- all clearly refer to use by travellers in France or Italy, except perhaps 1829
potage a la Julienne: OED 1841, 1883 (julienne)
shrimp sauce: OED has citations with this phrase from 1747, 1758, 1855
Riz de veau:  OED: 1820, 1861, 1877, 1927
a la financier:  OED: not found
mocha and maraschino:  OED has mocha from 1773; maraschino from 1791/93; the combination from 1875
man about town: OED: 1734, &c; no U. S. cites, except perhaps 1979

GAT

George A. Thompson
Author of A Documentary History of "The African Theatre", Northwestern Univ. Pr., 1998.