What's the deal with lobster?

[seodoa]

While reading a recent GQ thread, I got to wondering...

I love seafood. I love all kinds of seafood, including many of our tasty shellfish cousins.

That being said, what's the big deal with lobster? People regularly pay beaucoup bucks for this "delicacy." My issue? It's surprisingly mediocre. It's almost always served basted in fats and seasonings. What's the point? If it is worth the price, it should be delectable, more or less, on its own.

Do people only like it because it is expensive? Or am I just some bumpkin whose tastes are merely too provincial?

[Oakminster]

They're edible, but not high on my list of favorite seafood. I'd rather have shrimp, oysters or various types of fish.

[Interconnected Series of Tubes]

I'm not sure what lobster you're eating. Mine is always frigging delicious.

[Darryl Lict]

It's about my favorite food of all time. Just dipped in clarified butter, lobster bisque, lobster rolls, stir fried lobster with ginger and scallions, I love it all. I mentioned in another thread that I've started fishing for lobster by kayak, which is a pain in the ass, but pretty friggin' awesome which you catch one.

[jovan]

It's almost always served basted in fats and seasonings. What's the point? If it is worth the price, it should be delectable, more or less, on its own.
And it is! Seriously, if it's "basted in fats and seasonings", you're not having it at the right place.

[levdrakon]

I love lobster. There's something unique about the texture, flavor, color etc. It's viscerally satisfying in ripping that carapace apart. It doesn't help that a good garlic, lemon butter sauce is like heroin to me.

[Mesquite-oh]

Lobster has a slightly bitter taste to me. I don't really see lobster as the ultimate or tastiest non-fish seafood. Shrimp, prawns, and sea scallops all have a cleaner and sweeter taste to me.

[seodoa]

And it is! Seriously, if it's "basted in fats and seasonings", you're not having it at the right place.

I'm referring to dishes like lobster thermidor, lobster newberg, lobster bisque, and many of the other classic recipes that all seem to involve either tons of butter/cream or cheese or both. Also in indirect reference to the fact that it is often served with a bowl of butter in which one is meant to dunk it.


Lobster has a slightly bitter taste to me. I don't really see lobster as the ultimate or tastiest non-fish seafood. Shrimp, prawns, and sea scallops all have a cleaner and sweeter taste to me.

I agree. I would much rather have shrimp over lobster. If the restaurant is good, I will have scallops, but many less expensive restaurants tend to cook those into inedible rubber. As far as non-piscine seafood goes, though, I'm a larger fan of clams, oysters, and mussels. Although those are molluscs, not decapods.

As far as the decapods go, I would say my favorite is crab (tastes good to me even with very little or no seasoning), which is another expensive meat and again, it is not so overwhelmingly delicious as to justify the (usually) high price. Luckily, the town where I live now specializes in crab so, if I get a jonesin, I can find it for pretty cheap.

I know this is one of those deals that boils down to personal preference, hence placing it in IMHO. I really appreciate hearing what others have to say about it.

ETA: Those of you who like/love/can't-live-without lobster, would you say the happiness/good juju derived from tasting lobster is sufficient to justify paying top dollar? Does shrimp just not do it for you?

[Darryl Lict]

I hardly ever pay for it because I'm on a limited budget, but I'll splurge occasionally. Even if I can't catch the damn things, I can still buy them freshly caught and live at the fisherman's market. I also forgot to mention lobster burritos from Puerto Nuevo (http://www.puertonuevolobster.com/)!

[bouv]

You people do realize you're basically eating giant, underwater cockroaches, right? :eek:

[Napier]

I love lobster, boiled and broken open and eaten as is or maybe dipped in a little drawn butter. Can't imagine seasoning it.

One of my most memorable meals was when a friend and I dropped in on her parents, who lived on the waterfront in Marblehead, Massachusetts. They said they didn't have anything to offer us except maybe some canned soup, and then Mom thought, Why don't you go check the pots? Dad says, Aw, not lobster again. Mom says, Well go look, and the kids can have lobster and we'll have soup. Dad says, Hey, great, goes out in a rowboar and in ten minutes comes back with a dozen lobsters. I had three, and they were wonderful. Mom and Dad had the Campbell's.

Another memorable meal was while traveling on business in Boston. A three pound lobster. Mmmmmm.

And an amusement. A friend and I ate at a local "Allison's" franchise - sort of a fern bar, not very fancy. The waitress said the special was "three to four pound lobsters". We were amazed, asking if they brought it out on a leash, etc etc. Waitress didn't see what the big deal was but went back to check. On returning she says she's supposed to call it "a three quarter pound lobster". Apparently the distinction between "3 - 4" and "3/4" was lost on her.

[Shark Sandwich]

To me, shrimp and lobster taste nothing alike (rock shrimp comes close). A fresh, properly cooked (I like mine just past rare) lobster is way more better than any shrimp I've ever had. Grilled or steamed in wine, it don't get much better.

I dive though, and have had them water to plate in about 45 minutes. If your only experience with lobster is from chain restaurants or frozen, it's just not the same.

[norinew]

I love lobster. IMHO, drowning them in drawn butter is a waste, as the flavor of the fat overwhelms the lovely, mild sweetness of the lobster meat. Very (and I mean very) lightly seasoned, and then just a squeeze of lemon juice, and I'm good to go.

Of course, if said lobster is stuffed with crab imperial, all the better!

This is not to say I don't enjoy a good lobster bisque or lobster thermidor, but the best lobster is steamed, and just spritzed with fresh lemon.

By the by, I've never been able to bring myself to try the "Lobster Bites" at Long John Silver's. Anyone?

[FinnAgain]

You people do realize you're basically eating giant, underwater cockroaches, right? :eek:

If cockroaches tasted that good, I'd eat them, too.

As it is, I'm allergic to shellfish and have been for more than half of my life. The last time I ate lobster, in fact, was when I was 13 or so and visiting family friends in Maine. Now, just being in the same room as those hibachi tables at Japanese restaurants, if they're cooking shrimp, will have me wheezing in no time flat.
~sigh~

I hate all you lobster eaters.
Don't even get me started on how much I miss soft shelled crab.

[Hi, Neighbor!]

Lobster is a status symbol. It's delicious, but yes, I think it is overpriced. However, didn't Long John Silver's sell fried lobster bites or something a little while back? Your guess is as good as mine if they were using real lobster.

EDIT: Sorry, norinew, you mentioned the lobster bites first!

[Hi, Neighbor!]

You people do realize you're basically eating giant, underwater cockroaches, right? :eek:

This is why I hate having to crack them open at some restaurants. It's just a hard carapace that reminds me of eating an insect. But then again I'm squeamish to ugly little bugs.

I feel the same way about shrimp.

These creatures are UGLY, man.

[Jack Batty]

Love shrimp.

Hate lobster.

I only state this because I think it's possible I'm the only Doper currently residing in Maine, so by law, I'm forced to offer a lobster opinion.

Lobster makes me gag.

[FinnAgain]

Lobster is a status symbol.

Interestingly enough, lobster used to be "poor person food".

[Hi, Neighbor!]

Interestingly enough, lobster used to be "poor person food".

My dad was telling me that when he was younger, pasta used to be a "poor person food" as well. Now we see that most pasta dishes, like a simple chicken and linguine dinner at, say, the Olive Garden, are in the upper echelon of meal prices. Eating pasta is "dainty" I suppose, because it takes a level of dexterity and elegance to twirl and eventually place a bite into your mouth.

I was reading an article on tips to get the most out of your money at buffets, and the number one tip was to avoid the pasta bar. Pasta costs virtually nothing in bulk, something around $0.27/pound. So eating pasta fills you up faster and also provides the restaurant with the widest profit margin. It's sick.

[LavenderBlue]

You people do realize you're basically eating giant, underwater cockroaches, right? :eek:

I've never been able to eat one again since learning this.

[norinew]

You people do realize you're basically eating giant, underwater cockroaches, right? :eek:
Totally! This makes me absolutely convinced that the first poor bastard to ever attempt to eat one must have been mighty damned hungry! However, it was brilliant!

[levdrakon]

I would happily eat cockroaches if they were filled with lobster meat.

Genetic engineers: get on that! Make 'em lobster sized, and grow on trees, too.

[Hi, Neighbor!]

I would happily eat cockroaches if they were filled with lobster meat.

Genetic engineers: get on that! Make 'em lobster sized, and grow on trees, too.

I would totally welcome a roach infestation (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=493652) then.

[maladroit]

You people do realize you're basically eating giant, underwater cockroaches, right? :eek:

I do actually have that exact thought every time I eat lobster/shrimp, but it's so good I manage to get it down anyway. I think about my love of seafood every time I see someone eat bugs/grubs whatever on tv and get grossed out - a little voice says "you eat seafood and that's just giant bugs"

[Influential Panda]

I had some Lobster in Maine this summer. Steamed and served on a plain white hotdog bun with french fries and a lemon. No salt, no pepper. Overall, it was pretty good, but nothing I'd pay $20 for again.

[MacTech]

Love shrimp.

Hate lobster.

I only state this because I think it's possible I'm the only Doper currently residing in Maine, so by law, I'm forced to offer a lobster opinion.

Lobster makes me gag.

Nope, you're not the only Mainer on SDMB, I'm a Mainer too

as far as lobstah goes, I LOVE it, I wonder if the people who dislike it have ever had one fresh off the boat, minutes out of the ocean, lobster does not travel well

If you want the best lobster experience possible, find a small coastal resturant that gets their critters daily, fresh off the boat is the only way to truly enjoy them

I've had lobster fresh off the boat, and some from the megaconglomerate grocer, there *IS* a difference, lobster shipped in from a central vendor is bland and slightly rubbery, fresh off the boat, it has a flakier consistency and delicate sweetness

[Rhythmdvl]

Lobster = cockroach

Shrimp = silverfish

Oysters/Clams = water filters

Crabs = well, crabs... duh.



Is there any truth to the idea that "Interestingly enough, lobster used to be poor person food" ?

Is Chilean seabass really just pattagonia toothfish remarketed?

[mswas]

I heard that in the early days of the American colonies Lobster was considered a common man's food. No cite on that though.

I don't like it. Love shrimp, find Lobster kind of dull.

[levdrakon]

I've had lobster fresh off the boat, and some from the megaconglomerate grocer, there *IS* a difference, lobster shipped in from a central vendor is bland and slightly rubbery, fresh off the boat, it has a flakier consistency and delicate sweetnessWhen I lived in San Diego, I had a friend with a boat. He said you could sail down to Mexico and a fisherman would come up and trade you fresh lobster for a carton of Marlboros or something. Living on a boat and trading things to fisherman for fresh lobster became my vision of heaven.

[Magiver]

While reading a recent GQ thread, I got to wondering...

I love seafood. I love all kinds of seafood, including many of our tasty shellfish cousins.

That being said, what's the big deal with lobster? People regularly pay beaucoup bucks for this "delicacy." My issue? It's surprisingly mediocre. It's almost always served basted in fats and seasonings. What's the point? If it is worth the price, it should be delectable, more or less, on its own.

Do people only like it because it is expensive? Or am I just some bumpkin whose tastes are merely too provincial? I would agree that it requires seasoning but if done right is wonderful. If I just was drowning it in butter I would rank king crab higher but Lobster is still great.

[guizot]

I also forgot to mention lobster burritos from Puerto Nuevo (http://www.puertonuevolobster.com/)!Did you know that Puerto Nuevo was once just a couple of houses where you ate in their dining rooms?

Anyway, there's another place in the area that offers all kinds of seafood for a good price, and it isn't trampled by tourists. You have to take a long dirt road from the highway, and I'm not even sure if the place has a name.

[RealityChuck]

I love lobster. Last summer, I was introduce to it Bay of Fundy style -- cold with just a little bit of butter. Amazing.

Of course, it helps that they caught it earlier that day.

When I was a kid, our birthday treat was a lobster dinner. Only the birthday boy could have it, though; the other two of us had to watch enviously. :)

[Kyrie Eleison]

Is there any truth to the idea that "Interestingly enough, lobster used to be poor person food" ?Yup: (http://www.gma.org/lobsters/allaboutlobsters/lobsterhistory.html)

Long ago, lobsters were so plentiful that Native Americans used them to fertilize their fields and to bait their hooks for fishing. In colonial times, lobsters were considered "poverty food." They were harvested from tidal pools and served to children, to prisoners, and to indentured servants, who exchanged their passage to America for seven years of service to their sponsors. In Massachusetts, some of the servants finally rebelled. They had it put into their contracts that they would not be forced to eat lobster more than three times a week.

[Knorf]

I <3 lobster. But I agree it's usually way overpriced.

[Qadgop the Mercotan]

I <3 lobster. But I agree it's usually way overpriced.
You teabag lobster? :confused:


I like lobster, but not that much.

[Furious_Marmot]

You people do realize you're basically eating giant, underwater cockroaches, right? :eek:

I realize this was meant in jest, but my inner pedant cannot let it go.

The subphyla into which lobsters and roaches are classed (crustacea and hexapoda, respectively) are within the same phylum (arthropoda). The system is admittedly imperfect but it is used by biologists and paleontologists all over the world, so it's what we've got.
So, it is roughly equivalent to say, in a discussion about eating elephants: "You realize you are eating giant, terrestrial tunicates, right?". Phylum chordata, subphylum craniata and urochordata, respectively. Less preposterously, you could say elephants and rats (order mammalia).

[Furious_Marmot]

Dang it! Mammalia is a class, not an order.

[Creaky]

When I was a kid I was expected to eat what was in front of me.

One night we had lobster, and I didn't like it. I was six years old and it tasted too rich and buttery and totally gagged me.

My parents were like, stay at the table til you eat it.

So I sat at the table for a long time, probably an hour or more after dinner. I really didn't WANT to eat that lobster.

Finally I did eat it. By the time I did it was ice cold and rubbery and clotted with cold congealed butter, but I ate it because I knew I'd spend the night sitting up at the table if I didn't.

Later that night I threw it up all over my bedroom.

I haven't been able to eat it since, except once, many years later, when an old boyfriend made lobster. It still wasn't good. Thank God he was a cheap-ass and had bought small ones.

[Quercus]

[Lobster = cockroaches]
I realize this was meant in jest, but my inner pedant cannot let it go.

The subphyla into which lobsters and roaches are classed (crustacea and hexapoda, respectively) are within the same phylum (arthropoda). The system is admittedly imperfect but it is used by biologists and paleontologists all over the world, so it's what we've got.
So, it is roughly equivalent to say, in a discussion about eating elephants: "You realize you are eating giant, terrestrial tunicates, right?". Phylum chordata, subphylum craniata and urochordata, respectively. Less preposterously, you could say elephants and rats (order mammalia). Well, lobsters are closer to cockroaches than pretty much any other (North American) human food (aside from crabs, shrimp and the occasional novelty chocolate-covered mealworm). Plus, the comparison is also based on the idea that lobsters are, like roaches, scavenging bottom-feeders eating whatever rotting stuff they stumble across (partially true, though lobsters also prey on live shellfish and anything else they can catch). Though in practice, a significant amount of lobster diet in the NE comes from bait in lobster traps (I was told by a researcher that the mass of bait put into traps each year is a little more than the mass of lobsters caught). So maybe free-range farmed pigs are the better comparison.



On lobsters being poor food of old, the -- completely unverified-- story I heard was of families in financial reverses a generation or so ago carefully making sure the shells weren't visible in their garbage, so they could avoid the shame of having their neighbors know that the family was reduced to eating lobster.

[Darryl Lict]

You people do realize you're basically eating giant, underwater cockroaches, right? :eek:
I heard that giant tarantulas (http://www.extremescience.com/BiggestSpider.htm) taste like crab. I'd eat one, but I'm nuts.
Did you know that Puerto Nuevo was once just a couple of houses where you ate in their dining rooms?

Anyway, there's another place in the area that offers all kinds of seafood for a good price, and it isn't trampled by tourists. You have to take a long dirt road from the highway, and I'm not even sure if the place has a name.
You're not talking about that old hotel in San Quintin, are you? Delicious crab claws and margaritas! Is this place somewhere near Rosarito?

[Earl Snake-Hips Tucker]

You people do realize you're basically eating giant, underwater cockroaches, right? :eek:

That's one way of looking at it.

But you and I are probably more closely related to a chicken than a cockroach is to a lobster.

[guizot]

You're not talking about that old hotel in San Quintin, are you? Delicious crab claws and margaritas! Is this place somewhere near Rosarito?It's near Rosarito, I think between Rosarito and Puerto Nuevo. I'm not sure if there's a hotel there, and I don't think it's called San Quintin.

[Constant Reader]

I grew up in Marblehead, Massachusetts. When I was young, 6-7 years old, I would go out with my neighbor on his boat to help pull in the traps/pots. I was always sent home with bucket of fresh, pinchy lobster.

I never did like it though, along with the Mussels and crabs that were brought home. I much preferred the Flounder I often caught myself.

I'm a vegetarian now, who doesn't eat fish, but I miss a good Flounder.

[lobotomyboy63]

I would happily eat cockroaches if they were filled with lobster meat.

Genetic engineers: get on that! Make 'em lobster sized, and grow on trees, too.

And don't forget Lobster Motels for the kitchen floor! Woo hoo!

I don't dislike shrimp but I don't see what the fuss is about. Lobster's got that nice slightly sweet taste.

I heard once (sorry, no cite) that in the pilgrim era, they were catching lobsters 5 feet long. Dayum! I could make that last for two meals, maybe!

I dated a girl in high school whose family was so rich that when she slept around she didn't get the crabs...she got the lobsters! (Paraphrased) Robin Williams.

[Vinyl Turnip]

Add me to the list of those underwhelmed by lobster. It isn't bad, but I was expecting a religious experience. IMO the flavor is inferior to that of King Crab legs.

[levdrakon]

Add me to the list of those underwhelmed by lobster. It isn't bad, but I was expecting a religious experience. IMO the flavor is inferior to that of King Crab legs.King Crab is expensive too, though. I love it just as much as lobster.

[Hazle Weatherfield]

I think that fresh lobster is the tastiest thing there is (ok, crab legs, too!) DO NOT PUT ANYTHING ON IT! Not even butter! How many foods are there that are perfection without ANY seasonings whatsoever? Lobster and Crab legs and fruit are the only things I can come up with.

[Cervaise]

Fresh New England lobster, an hour out of the water, simply prepared, with tomalley intact, is a very good thing.

However, as far as Edible Oceangoing Bugs are concerned, lobster places a distant second to Dungeness crab, which is a thousand simultaneous blowjobs in your mouth.

[nashiitashii]

You people do realize you're basically eating giant, underwater cockroaches, right? :eek:

But that's what makes them so tasty! There's a sushi bar in this area that makes a really awesome lobster sushi; it isn't, however, in any way traditional.

Sadly enough, before I opened it, I thought this thread was going to be about that urban legend with the girl, the lobster, and the cigarette lighter. :smack:

[gravitycrash]

It's all about perception for me. If a great medium-rare steak looked like a lobster I still wouldn't eat it. My brother orders a huge lobster seemingly everytime we eat with the family at a restaurant . I know the bastard does it on purpose just as I will have heaps of Brussels Sprouts or Broccoli at Thanksgiving or other holidays with the family just so the kitchen will smell just right for bro.

Can you tell that we have a love/hate type of relationship?

[Fear Itself]

If you are jonesing for lobster, or have been waiting to try it, now is the time, because prices are at 20 year lows. Here in New England, live lobster is $2.99/lb off the boat, and $3.50 to $3.99 in stores. If it's not at those prices in your area, it will be soon, because prices have just recently dropped (http://news.mainetoday.com/updates/035753.html) as demand for such luxury items has plummetted with the economy.

[Bam Boo Gut]

It's got to be fresh - that's the main thing. The tail has to snap. It doesn't take much cooking either.

http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=155 Here's our little fella. Guests sometimes think we're nicking the claws!

http://www.lobsterfrommaine.com/ The northern type

[seodoa]

Lobster is a status symbol. It's delicious, but yes, I think it is overpriced. However, didn't Long John Silver's sell fried lobster bites or something a little while back? Your guess is as good as mine if they were using real lobster.

EDIT: Sorry, norinew, you mentioned the lobster bites first!

If you notice, LJS always seemed to proudly proclaim that they used real "Langostino Lobster." Langostino, in Spanish, refers to a number of varieties of prawn, depending on the region. In English, it is restaurant code for another decapod, the Squat Lobster (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squat_lobster), which is not actually a lobster at all, having more in common with crabs (although it isn't a true crab, either).

So, no, it is not true lobster. But it is a meat that comes from something commonly called a lobster. Biggest difference? Apparently flavor and price (much much cheaper than the Real Thing). As mentioned in Wikipedia, the lobster fisheries aren't terribly pleased with the fact that much of what is called lobster in the US is this ugly little cuss. If the meat is chopped up, fried, etc, it's difficult to tell the difference, visually.

[norinew]

If you notice, LJS always seemed to proudly proclaim that they used real "Langostino Lobster." Langostino, in Spanish, refers to a number of varieties of prawn, depending on the region. In English, it is restaurant code for another decapod, the Squat Lobster, which is not actually a lobster at all, having more in common with crabs (although it isn't a true crab, either).
Ahhhh, thanks for the clarification! (No pun on butter intended!)
Hubby and I have actually purchased Squat Lobster before, frozen, at Wal Mart. It is, indeed, much less expensive than other "lobsters", but works fine in, say, egg foo yung, if you combine it with onion, bell pepper, fresh or frozen peas, etc., add it to egg, and add a brown curry sauce! :)

Still, the "Lobster Bites" at LJS are cheap enough that I may just have to try them anyway! They may not be "real" lobster, but that is not to say they won't be tasty, and heck, they're cheap!

[Knorf]

You teabag lobster? :confused:


I like lobster, but not that much.

I've only ever seen <3 mean "heart." As in, I heart lobster. With most IM software, <3 turns into a little heart graphic.

Where did you get that <3 means "teabag." That's pretty ridiculous.

[seodoa]

I don't know if they operate in Maryland or not, but given a choice between the two fast food chains, I'll take Captain D's over LJS everytime. Unfortunately, being more of a Southeastern, chain, it was difficult to find them in Ohio, I wouldn't be surprised if they were non-existant in Maryland. I have seen them in Virginia, though. The quality of the food compared to LJS is considerable. They also avoid the unfortunate moniker of "fish plank." I'm sorry, but that just doesn't appealing to me at all.

Of course, at my new address I have no Capt D's (or any fast food chain for that matter), but I have more fresh seafood than I know what to do with. (Nevermind, I think I know what to do with it.)

Oh, and, yeah, the Egg Foo Young idea would be perfect for Squat Lobster. From what I can tell (again, never been a huge lobster fan), Squat Lobster cannot compare with real lobster as a dish in itself, but makes a passable substitute in dishes where lobster is merely one ingredient among many, rather than the main attraction.

I say go for the lobster bites. If they were absolutely horrible they probably wouldn't be selling them for as long as they have been. Of course, it's hard to tell with Yum Brands these days. Seems to me like they're terribly confused WRT what is worth selling and what should be quietly discontinued.

ETA: The whole <3 = teabag not "heart" joke is pretty old. I've seen it used more than a few times. Of course, that doesn't mean it's stopped being funny. ;) I think I know a couple people who have, in fact, teabagged New York.

(Yay, hijacking my own thread)

[Rhythmdvl]

Any other bleeding hearts (or drooping teabags, depending on your emoticon of choice) get sad any time they walk past the lobster tank at the supermarket? I have for as long as I can remember -- poor lobsters, forced to walk over each other, struggling to find some free space, no idea of their fate. Sure, I was anthropomorphizing, but I was only four or five. :(

Then I learned you cook them alive. :eek:

[Little Nemo]

I love lobster. IMHO, drowning them in drawn butter is a waste, as the flavor of the fat overwhelms the lovely, mild sweetness of the lobster meat. Very (and I mean very) lightly seasoned, and then just a squeeze of lemon juice, and I'm good to go.I completely agree. Good seafood like lobster, crab, or shrimp should be eaten so you can taste it. If you're going to batter-fry it or dunk it in melted butter or cocktail sauce, you should just go with the imitation stuff - it's cheaper and you won't be able to spot the difference.

[seodoa]

Any other bleeding hearts (or drooping teabags, depending on your emoticon of choice) get sad any time they walk past the lobster tank at the supermarket? I have for as long as I can remember -- poor lobsters, forced to walk over each other, struggling to find some free space, no idea of their fate. Sure, I was anthropomorphizing, but I was only four or five. :(

Then I learned you cook them alive. :eek:

Yeah, I've always felt bad for them. But then, I feel bad for all the food I eat. Chickens, pigs, cattle, etc are mostly raised and sold in similar awful conditions. And whether you are dunked into a tub of boiling water, shot in the face, electrocuted, decapitated, whatever, it's still not quite as peaceful as dying in your sleep or whatever (of course, I imagine most animals living in the wild don't get that pleasure, either). I know I initially felt worse for the lobsters because you get to see their living conditions. In fact, they are prominently and proudly displayed! Tyson isn't exactly selling live chickens in cramped, shit-filled coops at your local Kroger. They give us a nice sterile, plastic-wrapped package so that the more guilt-laden among us can pretend that the stuff inside came off a chicken breast tree.

I wouldn't eat pork, chicken, or seafood if they weren't so tasty.

[kambuckta]

Interestingly enough, lobster used to be "poor person food".

I'm not au fait with US mores, but in Australia, any produce that could be harvested by the householder was considered 'poor person food', and that included oysters, mussels, prawns (shrimp) and lobster of course. They're all mostly out of my price range these days: as much as I like to eat seafood regularly, I have to stick to el-cheap fresh fish.

Hey, I was talking to a coworker just the other day (a lady in her 60's) and she was reflecting on her childhood where EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. she had to endure lobster and mayonnaise sandwiches for her school lunch. Nowadays a medium sized lobster would cost upward of $60 AUD, and that price skyrockets around Xmas too.

I'd happily put up with lobster sammies for lunch for a while. :D

[don't ask]

Interestingly enough, lobster used to be "poor person food".

Farley Mowat, the Canadian environmentalist and author, in Sea of Slaughter tells of the vast supplies of Newfoundland lobster that allowed it to be used in fodder for farm animals. Colonists wouldn't eat lobster because it was "poor man's meat" but used them as fertilizer for potato crops. In some regions lobster was still being used to fatten pigs in the 1940s.

[Flipshod]

I think crawfish (the smaller, freshwater lobster-like things that are popular in cajun cooking) taste similar enough to lobster. I think they're generally much cheaper, indeed seem to still be in the "poor man's food" status.

The taste and texture of the meat is similar, but being smaller and fresh-water, they seem more like insects (if that part grosses you out) which may be why they are still cheap.

Of course I don't know how available they are the further away from Louisiana you are.

[seodoa]

Of course I don't know how available they are the further away from Louisiana you are.

You kiddin'? Growing up in Central Ohio, we caught crayfish all the time. Some people called them crawdads. All the same kind of critter.

That being said, there are literally hundreds of species of cra(w/y)(fish/dad) [I don't much care how you say it, still tasty]. I'm sure the little snappers that we caught in Ohio aren't the same as those in Louisiana. Cook the same, though.

[pulykamell]

Yeah, I have yet to have a lobster I really found exquisite (all the preparations I've had were straightforward: no battering or spices or anything, just pure lobster.) I'm certain it's just a matter of freshness, and next time I'm on the East Coast, I'll try to find a decent, fresh lobster to compare. I mean, it's okay, but there's so much other seafood I prefer: mussels, shrimp, Dublin Bay prawns/langoustines, crawfish, etc. that I would never pay a premium for lobster that tastes like the ones I've sampled thus far.

[MeanJoe]

While reading a recent GQ thread, I got to wondering...

I love seafood. I love all kinds of seafood, including many of our tasty shellfish cousins.

That being said, what's the big deal with lobster? People regularly pay beaucoup bucks for this "delicacy." My issue? It's surprisingly mediocre. It's almost always served basted in fats and seasonings. What's the point? If it is worth the price, it should be delectable, more or less, on its own.

Do people only like it because it is expensive? Or am I just some bumpkin whose tastes are merely too provincial?


If you're eating it basted in fats and seasonings you should take a look at the menu in the restaurant you are eating this lobster in. If it says "Red Lobster" I think you are on to the first clue why. :p

[Jeep's Phoenix]

Has anyone here ever sampled a lobster roll from a Maine McDonald's? *shudder*

I love lobster! I've only eaten it in Maine though. I don't really care for lobster chowder (that particular cooking process isn't kind to the meat), but I do enjoy real lobster rolls and, of course, whole lobster. It's already been mentioned, but nothing beats a freshly caught lobster. I also love watching tourists trying lobster for the first time -- especially when they try to remove the meat from the tail.

[flodnak]

A darn good reason to keep eating lobster. (http://www.gocomics.com/nonsequitur/2008/11/24) (Story continues over several days; use "Next day" to continue, if it wasn't obvious enough.)

Personally, I think it's okay but I don't get the fuss either.

[Shodan]

You people do realize you're basically eating giant, underwater cockroaches, right? :eek:Yes - giant, scuttling cockroaches, with squirmy legs and big, nasty claws.

I would be glad to assist any Doper in exterminating them from their immediate presence, on thirty minutes notice. I will bring my own drawn butter, even.

[Clothahump]

Lobster isn't my favorite, either. Way too much work for far too little reward and wayyyyyy too damn expensive.

[Shagnasty]

However, as far as Edible Oceangoing Bugs are concerned, lobster places a distant second to Dungeness crab, which is a thousand simultaneous blowjobs in your mouth.

I don't think that means what you meant to say.

[Jack Batty]

Did I ever tell you about this Japanese Dungeness crab video I found on the internet?

[Labrador Deceiver]

I don't really care for lobster chowder (that particular cooking process isn't kind to the meat),

To what cooking process are you referring?

[Little Nemo]

Way too much work for far too little reward and wayyyyyy too damn expensive.I was once at a lobster restaurant with some friends and one of them had an unusual method of eating his lobster. While the rest of us were picking apart our lobsters and eating the meat as we acquired it, he disassembled his whole lobster and set the accumulated meat aside. The result was that he spent twenty minutes preparing his meal and when he was done he had an amount of food he was able to eat in under two minutes.

[Jeep's Phoenix]

To what cooking process are you referring?
I honestly don't know how that particular chowder was prepared; the lobster just felt and tasted way too overdone.

[teela brown]

As Shark Sandwich mentioned above, the difference between frozen and fresh lobster is enormous. The first time or two I ate lobster, it was frozen, and I wondered what all the hoopla was about. I preferred just about any other shellfish.

Then I had some fresh (as in it was still living when it went into the pot) lobster and I became a convert. We have it once a year now, on New Year's Eve. A little butter, some wedges of lemon, and it's heaven in a red shell.

[Telemark]

(as in it was still living when it went into the pot)
It had better be, I wouldn't eat one that wasn't.

[Autolycus]

And what's the deal with scalloped potatoes? They don't even have any scallops in them! Yet everyone accepts it. If I ordered lobstered potatoes and there was no lobster, I would be upset.

My Seinfeld needs work.

[seodoa]

And what's the deal with scalloped potatoes? They don't even have any scallops in them! Yet everyone accepts it. If I ordered lobstered potatoes and there was no lobster, I would be upset.

My Seinfeld needs work.

I know, I know! As soon as I posted this thread I realized that the title sounded like some worse-than-usual Seinfeld routine.

[Cicero]

I read the title as "What's The Deal with Lobsang?"

That said, I think lobster is overrated when compared to a mud crab or only on a par with a Moreton Bay Bug.

[BoBettie]

To me, shrimp and lobster taste nothing alike (rock shrimp comes close). A fresh, properly cooked (I like mine just past rare) lobster is way more better than any shrimp I've ever had. Grilled or steamed in wine, it don't get much better.

I dive though, and have had them water to plate in about 45 minutes. If your only experience with lobster is from chain restaurants or frozen, it's just not the same.

Same here- we eat a LOT of lobster here in the Keys and there is something amazingly delicious about yanking them out of the water and dropping them on a plate within the hour. I usually just split my tails and grill them to JUST JUST done, not a moment longer. Tender, delicious and awesome. No need for butter if you don't want, it's great on it's own. Same goes for fresh caught and pan seared tuna. If you've only had it in a restaurant, you're missing out.

[Least Original User Name Ever]

Fresh New England lobster, an hour out of the water, simply prepared, with tomalley intact, is a very good thing.

However, as far as Edible Oceangoing Bugs are concerned, lobster places a distant second to Dungeness crab, which is a thousand simultaneous blowjobs in your mouth.

Um. You're doing it wrong.

[Apocalypso]

Once I found out lobsters are dropped live into a pot of boiling water, and will scream and try to climb out, I lost all interest in eating them.

[lobotomyboy63]

Once I found out lobsters are dropped live into a pot of boiling water, and will scream and try to climb out, I lost all interest in eating them.

I thought the screaming thing was an UL...something about the escaping steam from the shell. Ever scream underwater? I don't know why they would be able to do it. But trying to climb out? Prolly.

I saw a cooking program once---Julia Child, IIRC---where a particular recipe called for fresh lobster cut while it was alive. They used a very sharp knife and cut it along the length of the body, right through the shell...said it was really a quick death. How sad, I thought; and how right there I would be if they offered me some of the prepared dish.

[criminey.jicket]

The Secret Life of Lobsters Mosquitoes (http://secretlifeoflobsters.com/blog/2005_12_18_archive.asp)? Apparently chill, then kill is the most humane way to prep a live lobster.

I always get the "It's a bug" thought pop into my head just before I drop a crab in. Same with just before I eat a lobster. Thankfully we get clean, frozen raw shrimp and prawns quite cheaply here. I hate having to peel and devein shrimp.