[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.
The FDA recommends that shucked oysters be boiled or simmered for at least three minutes, fried in oil for at least ten minutes at 375 degrees F, or baked at 450 degrees F for at least ten minutes. Steam clams, mussels, and oysters in the shell for four to nine minutes after water reaches a full boil.