Oyster Pan Roast & Seafood Pan Roast & Olympia Pan Roast (1899)

[Bapopik at AOL.COM]

Someone forwarded me the following. "Seafood pan roast" was invented in New York City?

Let's get our pan roasts straight.

There is "Olympia Pan Roast" that the OED ("miserable on food") says dates from 1907 but a quick check shows 1899. This is from Washington State.

There is "Oyster Pan Roast," made famous by the Oyster Bar in Grand Central Terminal. However, the dish pre-dates even the Oyster Bar and probably was served in Coney Island hotels in the late 1800s.

Then there is "Seafood Pan Roast," which is later and I'm too lazy to work on right now.


(FACTIVA)
SEAFOOD PAN ROAST IN BELLTOWN

299 words
19 November 2004
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
FINAL
5
English
Copyright (c) 2004 Bell & Howell Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved.

Q: I just got back from Reno, where I discovered "seafood pan roast." We were told this dish had come from New York City and was adopted by quite a few of the casino oyster bars. Is there any place in the Seattle area that serves this type of seafood stew?

- Sherwin, a pan roast fan

A: You are one lucky devil, Sherwin. Alexandria's on 2nd (2020 Second Ave.; 206-374-3700), a new Southern-cuisine restaurant, offers a delicious, generous-sized seafood pan roast featuring lobster tail, shrimp and bay scallops atop a mound of fresh peas, corn, mushrooms and cherry tomatoes in a fish stock-based sauce made with heavy cream ($26.95). Chef Michael Franklin's seafood pan roast is similar to one made famous at Justin's, the New York and Atlanta white-tablecloth soul food restaurants opened by Sean "P. Diddy" Combs. Franklin once worked as a chef at Justin's. I'm not sure how either of these seafood pan roasts compares to what you tried in Reno, where, I've read, the Silver Legacy Hotel Casino sets the standard for this dish. Having spent some 20-plus days in Reno during each of the 1999 and 2000 holiday seasons, gift-wrapping Amazon.com purchases in its Fernley warehouse, I never had the opportunity, much less the energy, to survey the seafood pan roast casino phenomenon. Maybe next time, when I'm not working the night shift.

- Penelope Corcoran


(FACTIVA)
FOOD
NY SEAFOOD HOUSE CONTINUES TRADITION Series: NEW YORK'S MASTER CHEFS

928 words
23 May 1985
The Dallas Morning News
HOME FINAL
14E
English
(Copyright 1985)

Since the Grand Central Oyster Bar opened its doors in 1913, smart commuters and diners have filled the enormous rooms of this landmark institution to sample the best in fresh seafood. The team that maintains the restaurant's fine reputation, Chef Stanley Kramer, Pastry Chef Peter Roggensinger and George Morfogen, seafood buyer, share their secrets when they appear on New York's Master Chefs at noon Saturday on Channel 13/KERA.

Kramer prepared his famous Oyster Pan Roast, fresh oysters simmered in their own juices with cream, a favorite among many New Yorkers, and Mako Shark Steak au Poivre. The show is then turned over to Roggensinger, who is responsible for The Oyster Bar's picture-perfect dessert buffet which boasts some 15 selections daily.

Roggensinger's desserts include such down-home American treats as rice pudding, fruit pies and cheesecake, in addition to his daily specials -- Strawberry-Almond Galette, various mousses and sorbets, and Raspberry Honey-Almond Parfait, which he created during his segment of the program.

The series' visit to The Oyster Bar wouldn't be complete without a visit with Morfogen, the restaurant's seafood buyer who is an expert on freshness.

"No matter what kind of fish you buy,' says Morfogen, "the best way to keep it fresh is to place it on a bed of ice in the refrigerator. Just refrigerating it can dry it out.'

New York's Master Chefs is a co-production of KQED/Golden State Productions and Exploration Television in association with WNET/Thirteen in New York. Bon Appetit, one of America's leading food magazines, is the series' culinary consultant.

Here are recipes from the show. OYSTER PAN ROAST

Prepare each serving separately.

2 tablespoons clam broth or juice

2 tablespoons ( 1/4 stick) butter, divided

1/4 teaspoon paprika, plus some for garnish

Pinch of celery salt

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

9 shucked oysters with their liquor

1 to 2 tablespoons chili sauce

1/2 cup half and half

1 slice toast

In top of double boiler, place clam broth, 1 tablespoon of the butter, 1/4 teaspoon paprika, celery salt and Worcestershire sauce; stir gently. Add oysters and simmer just until their edges start to curl, about 1 minute. Stir in chili sauce and half and half and heat through.

Place slice of toast in warm bowl, pour oyster pan roast over toast, and float remaining tablespoon butter on top. Sprinkle with a pinch of paprika. Serve immediately. Makes 1 serving.


(FACTIVA)
FEATURES - FOOD
Cook's Corner

OYSTER PAN ROAST

207 words
10 November 1999
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Home Final
02F
English
(c) 1999 Columbus Dispatch. All Rights Reserved.

For R.B., Newark, Ohio. This is the recipe from the Oyster Bar at Grand Central. Molly O'Neill included it in her New York Cookbook (Workman Publishing, $17.95).

6-8 large fresh oysters

1 tablespoon butter

3 tablespoons bottled clam juice, divided

1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Dash celery salt

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 slice white bread, toasted

Dash sweet paprika

Shuck the oysters. Strain and reserve their liquor.

Melt butter in a nonreactive skillet over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and add the oysters, their liquor and 2 tablespoons clam juice.

Cook until oysters just begin to curl around the edges, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.

In a small nonreactive saucepan over high heat, whisk together hot pepper and Worcestershire sauces, celery salt and the remaining 1 tablespoon clam juice.

Whisk in the heavy cream and continue whisking until the mixture comes to a boil.

Add the warm oysters and their cooking liquids; stir gently 1 minute.

Place the toast in a wide soup bowl. Pour the pan roast over the toast and sprinkle with paprika. Serve immediately. Makes 1 serving.

Cindy Moran

Westerville


(PROQUEST HISTORICAL NEWSPAPERS)
New York, N. Y.; HIS MAJESTY, THE OYSTER
Clementine Paddleford. Los Angeles Times (1886-Current File). Los Angeles, Calif.: Dec 18, 1949. p. H21 (1 page):
_Nothing, New Yorkers insist,_
_can beat the bivalve dishes_
_in Grand Central Oyster Bar_
(...) The bar opened in 1913 as the first Union News restaurant.
(...)
_Oyster Pan Roast_
4 dozen oysters
1/2 pound butter or margarine
6 tablespoons chili sauce
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 cups oyster liquor
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup light cream
Salt to taste

Place oysters in a deep pan. Dot over butter or margarine, add sauces, lemon juice and oyster liquor and seasonings; bring to boiling point and cook one minute, stirring constantly. Add cream and bring to boiling point. Salt to taste. Serve over toast square in soup plates. Yield: 6 portions.


(PROQUEST HISTORICAL NEWSPAPERS)
Grand Central Oyster Bar Shut, but May Reopen Soon; OYSTER PAN ROAST
By JOHN L. HESS. New York Times (1857-Current file). New York, N.Y.: Aug 1, 1974. p. 32 (1 page)
Nick Petter, the 76-year-old head cook, who came to work there in 1919, said the bar had never changed. With a sad smile, he gave permission to publish the recipe for its famous oyster stew:

OYSTER PAN ROAST
8 freshly opened oysters
1 pat of butter
1 tablespoon chili sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
A few drops of lemon juice
1/4 cup oyster liquor
Celery salt, a dash
Paprika
4 ounces cream
1 piece of dry toast (if desired)

Place all but the cream in a deep pan and cook briskly for a minute, stirring constantly. Add cream. When it comes to boil, pour over toast in a soup plate and serve.


(WWW.NEWSPAPERARCHIVE.COM)
   Indianapolis Star  Saturday, November 17, 1917 Indianapolis, Indiana
...with Bacon.... 60c New York OYSTER PAN ROAST 40c ROAST Goose, OYSTER.....Dressing ROAST Leg of Lamb, with Jelly....'. 45c..
Pg. 20, col. 5: HOFBRAU CAFE.

   Bismarck Tribune  Tuesday, March 11, 1930 Bismarck, North Dakota
...40c Ovster Pepper ROAST 50c OYSTER PAN ROAST 50c SOUP Cream of Fresh Mushroom.....of Capon Creamed Mushrooms 60c ROAST ROAST young torn turkey, ROAST young..

   Indianapolis Star  Monday, November 12, 1917 Indianapolis, Indiana
...Stuffed White Pish, Egg Sauce OYSTER PAN ROAST, a la Budweiser Fried' Smelts.....Enamel Douche PAN. White Enam. Douche PAN. Perfection Douche PAN. Zinc Douche..
Pg. 14, col. 2: BUDWEISER CAFE.


(OED)
    2. Olympia pan roast, a dish of oysters served in a savoury sauce, originating in Olympia.

  1907 Overland Monthly Dec. p. xvi/2 (advt.) Hotel Donnelly... The only restaurant in the city that makes Oyster Pan Roasts from the recipe of the originator of the famous Doane Olympia Pan Roast. 1961 Spectator 8 Dec. 879/1 American ingredients and American cooking..have always to me seemed most mysterious... Olympia pan roast (olympia is an oyster) and Green Goddess dressing..turn out to be entirely local [i.e. West Coast] inventions.


(PROQUEST HISTORICAL NEWSPAPERS)
PACIFIC COAST PROSPERITY.
New York Times (1857-Current file). New York, N.Y.: Mar 12, 1899. p. 23 (1 page):
"Oystermen of the East will certainly find many points of interest and profit to them by studying the oyster of the State of Washington. You may not have heard of the Olympia oyster. He is little, but he is a wonder. A good Olympia pan roast is the most delicious dish I know of. Cultivation of Eastern oysters is also in progress in our State."


(BROOKLYN DAILY EAGLE)
13 May 1900, BROOKLYN DAILY EAGLE, pg. 14:
15c.--Pan roast of Oysters on Toast.

16 September 1900, BROOKLYN DAILY EAGLE, pg. 12:
OYSTER PAN ROAST, toast  15