Are lobsters only for special occasions? And what exactly is a special occasion, anyway?

Does it have to be tied to a date on the calendar? Or can a special occasion be any time we get the luxury of being with those we love… unencumbered by deadlines or other demands?

The lobsterfest we had with GP’s dad, (the kids call him “Papa”), a few weeks ago was one of those occasions. Nothing to celebrate, per se, except for the fact that Papa is 87 years-old (soon to be 88!) and still kicking. Making it to 87 is worthy of a celebration, don’t you think? And there’s nothing he likes to eat more than lobster! (OK, maybe Chinese food.)

Cooking up a live lobster can be intimidating, so first, let me dispel a popular myth:

• Lobsters don’t scream when you drop them in boiling water. The sound you hear is air expanding the shell.

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, here are a few buying tips:
• Buy lobsters that are 3 lbs. or less. While there’s novelty in a 10 lb. lobster, the bigger they are, the tougher they are.
• The lobster should spread out its claws and flail around a bit when you pick it up (and eventually, you are going to have to pick it up).

Once you’ve got the lobster home, here a few cooking tips:
• Drop the lobster head first into a pot of seasoned boiling water. It’s more humane and there will be less splashing.
• Drop the lobsters in one at a time so the water can then return to a full boil.

Okay, so here’s how to cook lobster … so what’s your special occasion? You don’t need one! (Papa would certainly agree!)

 

 

 

 

We fancy! Lobster is cheap right now, so we’re whipping up Lobster Deviled Eggs!

Cheap lobster you say? Yep, you bet. For a variety of reasons, there’s an overabundance of lobsters, so prices are falling. Costco, Sam’s Club and Walmart are selling frozen lobster tails and cooked claws at amazingly low prices.

And… if you really want to indulge yourself, pick up some live lobsters. Scared to try? Don’t be… here’s what you need to know.

So splurge this weekend and give it a shot! I’ve got a step-by-step how-to-do-it below the recipe. If Lobster Deviled Eggs aren’t your thing, buy the lobster tails anyway, prepare as directed in the recipe below and just dip them into warm melted butter.

Look who’s fancy now!

Step-by-Step Lobster Deviled Eggs

1. Gather your ingredients: 8 eggs; 1 8-ounce lobster tail, thawed; 1 teaspoon seasoning (like Old Bay); 3 tablespoons mayonnaise;  1 teaspoons Dijon mustard; 2 teaspoons lemon juice; ½ teaspoon salt (or more to taste); 3 tablespoons finely chopped celery; 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives (plus a little extra for garnish).

2. Boil the eggs. If you’re not sure how to do it, click here. Cool, peel and set aside.

3. Cut lengthwise through the top of the lobster tail all the way down to the tail with a pair of kitchen shears.

4. Reach inside the shell and loosen and pull the meat away from the shell (don’t remove the meat… the shell is the little oven that gives the lobster flavor); set aside.

5. Fill a saucepan with about ½ inch water and add the seasoning.

6. Place a steamer into the pan and bring to a boil. Place lobster tail on the steamer in the saucepan.

7. Cover and steam for 12 to 15 minutes or until the meat is no longer opaque.

8. Remove lobster tail from pan and cool completely. Pull meat from the shell and chop into ½-inch pieces (you’ll get about 5 ounces of meat); set aside.

9. Carefully slice the boiled eggs lengthwise. Wipe your knife off on a damp paper towel in between eggs so you don’t get yolk all over the egg halves. Place the yolks in a large bowl.

10. Slice off a tiny sliver on the bottom of each egg white so they don’t wobble on the plate; set aside.

11. Add mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice and salt. Mash the mixture with a potato masher. Taste and adjust the seasonings. I don’t add a lot of mustard because I don’t like to lose the lobster flavor.

12. Gently fold in the celery, chives and lobster. Taste the mixture and adjust the seasonings. Sometimes a shake of Old Bay is needed.

Spoon the Deviled Lobster mixture evenly into each egg white half. Sprinkle on the remaining chives (or get creative). Cover carefully with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Here’s a smattering of some of the more interesting food news this week… as well as an image of a frighteningly realistic cake!

 There’s a huge war raging right now… that I bet you didn’t even know about!

Food culture is really seeping into our consciousness. As proof, check out some of the new words added to the Oxford Dictionaries Online. I’m surprised that “red velvet cake” wasn’t already in there!

 

Starbucks is going cashless. This is either very good… or very dangerous.

 

The ongoing drought is going to make you worry about how food gets to your table. Thirty million dollars in federal aid will help… but it won’t be enough.

Finally… this is easily the most incredible cake I’ve ever seen. It is an Amelanistic Burmese Python made by North Star Cakes in Kent, England. Check out what other enchantment they create!

This week was National Farmer’s Market week… find a market and go shopping! Have a great weekend!

 

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!