Have your own ‘prairie oyster’ party

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 29/03/2021 (1953 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Years ago I had a sales job covering southeastern Saskatchewan. In those days there were sales reps representing most major companies. 

There were reps selling meat, baked goods, paper products, shoes, clothing, fruit and vegetables, distilled liquor, beer, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, paint, hardware, dry goods, canned goods, tobacco, soap, and many others. The most unusual product I cam across was mud that was sold  to oil companies, which I believe was used in the drilling or well-capping process. I had a territory which I covered every six weeks, as did many of the other reps. We often stayed in the same towns and frequently had meals together where we often drove out hosts to distraction with our insatiable craving for “prairie oysters.”

Don’t know what a “prairie oyster” is? Let me explain. 

The daily lunch special at most places we ate included soup, a package of crackers, and a pat of butter. On every table there were the usual condiments, including ketchup, HP or Worcestershire sauce. We would take a cracker and build a dam of butter around the edges. In the centre we would put a good glob of ketchup, and in the middle a dab of H. P. or Worcestershire  and voila, you had a prairie oyster.

This treat was so good we had waitresses scurrying back and forth replenishing our cracker, butter, ketchup, and sauce supply. We tried not be too demanding lest we wore out our welcome. No doubt some parsimonious restaurant owners told their staff to limit  our cracker and butter supply but as there were many restaurants to eat at, and a high turnover of staff, we enjoyed many fine feeds of prairie oysters.

It’s been many years since I had a prairie oyster but,  housebound right now, twiddling my thumbs, and needing a diversion, I realized I had all the ingredients and proceeded to create some, finding them as good as those of the past. It’s too enjoyable,creative, and unusual, an  experience to keep to myself and I hope other shut-ins follow suit with their own prairie oyster parties. 

It’s easily done. All  you need are a platter of crackers, a dish of butter, a bottle of ketchup, HP or Worcestershire sauce, a butter knife, napkins and you’re all set to dine, and add a bit of zest to your COVID isolation. 

Ron Buffie is a community correspondent for Transcona. Email him at ronbuffie@shaw.ca

Ron Buffie
Transcona community correspondent

Ron Buffie was a community correspondent for Transcona.

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