[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.
Boil oysters in the shell for 3 to 5 minutes after they open. If you use shucked oysters, fry or boil them for at least 3 minutes, or bake them for 10 minutes in a 450 degree F oven. If you order oysters at a restaurant, refuse raw oysters and make sure that cooked oysters have curled edges.