[This essay was put together after Emerson's death from a number of commencement and similar addresses he had made. It appears in The Complete Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson, edited by Edward Emerson].
Freshly shucked oysters can be immersed in water and placed in shallow, air-tight containers in the freezer. Freezer temperatures should be below zero degrees Fahrenheit. Oysters can be frozen for up to three months.
Store live oysters in the shell, large shell-side down, in a mesh bag or in an open container covered with a damp cloth in the refrigerator (no lower than 33 degrees F.) up to five days. 1  Do not seal live oysters in an airtight container -- they will not be able to breathe and will die. Never freeze unshelled oysters.