In day's gone by, lobsters were not considered a delicacy, but rather a poor man's food. While the tables haven't turned quite that far, falling lobster prices, a result of both a large catch and the poor economy, have made this treat much more accessible.
When we are in the mood for lobster we usually drive to southern Maine for dinner at our favorite lobster pier, Chauncey Creek ( http://www.chaunceycreek.com/ ). Part of the fun of eating at Chauncey Creek is that it allows diners to bring in anything they don't sell. People bring tablecloths, candles, wine, appetizers, salad etc... The spreads are amazing, the scenery gorgeous, and the lobsters delicious! Best of all, the cooking is done by someone else.
This past weekend was my daughter's first home from college, and lobster is one of her favorite foods, but driving to Maine was not in the cards, and she really didn't want to go out to eat. One of the local supermarkets had fresh lobsters for $6.99 lb., but I had never cooked a lobster, and was worried the entire house would end-up smelling like steamed crusteaceans. Plus, I didn't have a pot large enough to steam three lobsters.
Well, for no extra charge the supermarket "steams" the lobsters. In a specially designed microwave, they can steam two lobsters in six minutes! But would they be any good? Would the microwave kill the texture? I'm happy to report the lobsters were delicious, and still steaming hot when I got them home. Accompanied by a home made salad, dessert, and bottle of wine, we had a tasty and festive deal with a minimum of work.
For those of you who want the experience of cooking your own lobster, or don't have access to a market that will do the steaming for you, visit the Lobster Insitute's web site for how-to instructions (http://www.lobster.um.maine.edu/index.php?page=22).
Enjoy!
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
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