The Maine Lobster Book

by Virginia M. Wright
Publisher: Down East
$14.95

“A truly destitute man is not one without riches, but the poor wretch who has never partaken of lobster.” — Anonymous

 

Get out the Lobster Pots! Tomorrow is National Lobster Day!

Maine lobsters are plentiful and relatively cheap these days so it’s not really that crazy to think about joining the celebration (especially with Father’s Day around the corner… hint, hint).

Speaking of Father’s Day, if you’ve got a lobster lover in the family, I’ve got the perfect gift: “The Maine Lobster Book”… 96 pages of lore, traps, festivals, recipes and even lobster lovemaking (lobster ladies like their mates tough,strong and feared, but respected, by other male lobsters in the ‘hood).

If you like books about food, and the history and nuances of its journey to our plates, author Virginia M. Wright has done a fantastic job digging up fascinating facts and humorous asides about these arthropods. For example: did you know that lobster shells are used to make biodegradable golf balls (could this spark the revival of driving ranges on cruise ships?), dog treats and calcium rich plant pots.

And then there’s all that sex… who knew? She writes this about the females reaching sexual maturity: “They get…PMS—pre-molt syndrome—when, like their mother before them, they tidy up their shelters and walk the watery streets in search of the toughest guy in the neighborhood.”

But we all know that the best part about lobster is eating it.The recipes are a perfect mix of the basic (Boiled and Steamed Lobster) and the more complex (Herb Grilled Maine Lobster Tail on Arugula with Chive Ricotta Gnocchi & Corn Milk).

For dessert, Wright says you simply have to visit Ben & Bill’s Chocolate Emporium on Main Street in Bar Harbor. There you can get a butter-based vanilla ice cream studded with butter marinated lobster chunks.

Alright, get crackin’… this Father’s Day, it’s lobster all around!

 

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