Mountain Oysters (1862)

[Douglas G. Wilson]

>It might (or might not) also be worth mentioning that besides
>referring to sheep's/calves' testicles and, arguably here, to nothing
>at all (as in the "ad calendas graecas" type of locution), mountain
>and prairie oysters are sometimes raw eggs yolks doused with
>worcestershire and/or hot sauce and swallowed whole.  Presumably the
>taste and texture of these, like those of the testicles, are
>reminiscent of oysters (with similar seasonings).  I wouldn't know,
>not having grown up in the mountains or on the prairie...

I wonder whether the terms were once distinct and later became confused.

I find "prairie oyster" from 1878 in the "egg" sense, with some indication
that it was something meant to simulate an oyster cocktail. This "prairie
oyster" and its synonym "prairie cocktail" appear in the Century Dictionary
of 1889. "Prairie oyster" in the "testicle" sense I don't find until much
later (at a quick glance).

I note that the singular "mountain oyster" = "[a single] testicle" is
nonexistent or very infrequent in early texts. I don't know whether the
testicle itself was really likened to an oyster. I've seen silly remarks to
the effect that these testicles are eaten raw, swallowed whole, etc. (like
oysters), but AFAIK they are generally cooked in various ways and eaten
with knife and fork. I never ate any but IIRC they were a not-too-rare menu
item in downstate Illinois where I once resided.

-- Doug Wilson