[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.
Microwave for another 3 to 4 minutes, or until the shells pop open. If you are cooking just a few oysters, the total cooking time will be around 3 minutes. To thaw frozen oysters, follow step 1 and then cook for 1 to 2 minutes on defrost. They can then be shucked and used as uncooked oysters.