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Why would anybody eat lobster in public?
By adamg on Mon, 09/20/2010 - 6:55am
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Comments
Reason to eat a whole lobster
The taste of the meat on its own. Most other ways it's colored by the flavor of breading, or in a bisque, etc. If you want to relish its flavor, whole lobster is the way to go. As far as I've ever seen, even "lazy man's" is always in a casserole, no? All that being said, I think lobster's highly overrated. Give me scallops any day, SO much more flavor.
seconding scallops
If you go to a restaurant with a dock and luck into a "special today", you might never ever get scallops like them again. New England scallops rock.
Mark this day down
Swirly said something nice about New England.
Like coffee and beer
Seafood is generally best consumed near the source. Goes for fresh-picked apples, too.
Lobster Cocktail
You could order lobster cocktail and thus have the meat on its own.
Nancy needs to grow a
Nancy needs to grow a pair.
Isn't because "It's New England tradition" good enough?
Nope
No, that is not a sufficient enough reason to order it in a restaurant. You can just as easily follow NE tradition and have whole lobsters at home. And the tradition originated with outside clam bakes, not in restaurants.
you're dead to me Richard!
you're dead to me Richard!
Lobster snob
I had whole lobster up in Portland, ME recently. It was at the bar (the tables were all full) and I didn't get a hint of spray on anyone. I didn't even wear a bib (actually I don't even recall being given one).
Someone who has the basic knowledge of what they're doing with steamed crustaceans (lobster, crab, crawdad, etc.) is going to do fine in public and not be a menace to any other diners. Growing up in Maryland means I can open a whole crab or lobster without even needing the crackers or mallet in most cases. When I do, I know just where to use them to avoid the disasters mentioned by this blogger. Anyone can learn these things, but few people do. It's also why most people get their lobster "prepared" meaning "pre-cracked" by the restaurant in the kitchen.
There's nothing wrong with whole lobster in public. It's just a matter of making sure you know what you're doing. Something this "Passionate Foodie" should learn is that sometimes the taste of the food comes with the experience (see: BOURDAIN or ZIMMERN).
Would that make you a
Would that make you a "snobster"?
Routine
After eating lobsters for many years, it is no longer a special experience to do so in a restaurant. It may still be special for those who infrequently eat lobsters, but for others, it becomes routine. To me, it is a far better experience to have such lobsters at home, rather than a restaurant.
And even if you know how to crack open a lobster without spraying anyone, that doesn't necessarily mean your dining companions can do the same. One of them could easily squirt you. Or, and I have seen it happen, even a person at an adjoining table could spray you.
And if you are a tourist?
Can you just boil one up in your hotel room?
Fresh seafood
For anyone that likes deliciously fresh seafood, try the Causeway in Gloucester. Hole in the wall, but you won't regret it.
I just had this conversation
With a group of tourists at Mount Vernon. They had bibs, and extra crackers and were managing to spray themselves and anyone who got near the table.
Me I have been cracking open lobsters since I was a kid. I learned a long time ago how to eat a lobster properly. Wish I had known about an all you can eat lobster in the park event before it happened.
Crustacean Demolition
The basic principles don't vary much. My parents didn't much know from lobstah until they visited me and I took them to Newick's. But they had been pulling Dungeness Crab from pots and dropping them straight into the kettle since they could toddle, so they needed little instruction in dismemberment technique. They only put on the bibs for photo time.
People from the plains states might need a little coaching. That doesn't mean that they shouldn't spend good money on local food just because things can get messy and offend a few special people.
Better question
Why would someone eat a dead animal?
Because they're a part of PeTA?
You know...PeTA.
For most of them
You have to kill them, cut them up and cook them first; a whole pig or lobster won't fit in a human mouth.
What a silly question.
Because
They're fuckin' TASTY.
Plus it would be cruel to eat them alive.
I'm vegetarian. People
I'm vegetarian. People talking about eating lobster sounds to me something it would sound to them if other people were talking about eating cats (barbaric) and snails (gross).
However, humans evolved to be omnivores, most people in our culture eat animals, and I can't think of a sufficiently compelling argument that they shouldn't.
Huh?
What's so gross about eating snails? Those are tasty little gastropods.
Now, if you had said mushrooms...yeah, totally gross.