Note: This story originally appeared on Maine Lobster Festival's blog.
The 2021 battle of the pigskin will be held on Sunday, Feb. 7. Even though there may not be many big parties for the big game, it will still be a time to celebrate with close family and friends in your pod. If you want to go all out and wow your guests, here are some of our favorite game day party food recipes. The Classic Lobster Roll Nothing reminds us more of summer in the midst of a cold February day than sweet, tender chunks of fresh Maine lobster inside a warm, grilled split-top hot dog bun. Mainers are quite particular about how the “proper” lobster roll is done (as was hotly debated in one of our past blogs). A hearty portion of claw, tail and knuckle meat is mixed with mayonnaise, celery, and a dash of salt and pepper. Get the Classic Lobster Roll recipe. Lobster Salad Cups This version of a mini lobster roll is nestled in a Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry. Combine the same ingredients as the lobster roll above, but in smaller portions. Serve the cold lobster mixture atop the warm, golden puff pastry. One of the simplest, yet fancy snacks to make, these delicious appetizers are not going to last long on the platter. Get the Lobster Salad Cups recipe. Lobster Street Tacos Street-style tacos (traditionally served from carts or stands) have made a roaring comeback on the culinary scene. To give them an extra special Maine twist, use pre-cooked and picked lobster meat. With corn tortillas (three to a plate) as the carrier, top with traditional fillings such as pickled cabbage, radish, cilantro and a kick of fresh lime and avocado crema. Get the Lobster Street Tacos recipe. Lobster Bisque Fondue Think cheese and lobster don’t go together? (Lobster mac and cheese lovers will fight you on that). This delicious Game Day recipe takes a bit of work but presents an attractive platter when done. The key to the flavor is the lobster stock, so keep that leftover boiled water after the lobster is cooked. Use a 1-1/2 pounds or two small one-pound lobsters and combine with gruyere cheese, garlic, dry white wine, a little brandy and lemon. Keep warm in a crockpot or use a Sterno fuel can underneath and serve with cubed bread, colorful veggies and cold, cooked shrimp. Get the Lobster Bisque Fondue recipe. Fresh, live lobster is the only way to make these crowd-pleasing dishes. Buy local whenever possible. Here’s a list of reputable and trusted suppliers of Maine’s most famous crustacean. For more delicious Maine lobster recipes, our blogs are your go-to source for Maine’s most iconic dish. Be sure to keep this year’s Maine Lobster Festival Aug. 4-8 in your 2021 plans.
0 Comments
THOMASTON—On Thursday, Dec. 24, a crowd of 30-40 people gathered in a line at noon, plastic bags in hand, in an empty parking lot off New County Road. Standing at the back of his pick up truck, Matinicus lobsterman Noah Ames played the proverbial role of Santa, giving away crates of live lobster for free that he and about six other Midcoast lobstermen caught, banded, and transported so that people in the area could have a good Christmas Eve dinner. During an unprecedented Christmas season, with Americans across the nation suffering economically awaiting a long-delayed $900 billion coronavirus relief package that has still yet to be signed by President Trump and with unemployment benefits set to expire in a matter of days, many people have had to choose between buying food and paying bills. Ames, with his friend, assisting, chatted with folks as they stepped up to the truck, bag in hand. Given how many people were standing in line, he announced he could only give away four lobsters to each family, with extra to veterans, in the form of a Hannaford gift card he additionally handed out. Ames started this tradition in 2014. In former stories Pen Bay Pilot has written about Ames over the years, he said, “It’s about teaching my sons the spirit of Christmas. It’s important to learn how to give back.” Many grateful people left with their bags of lobster, parting with sentiments of “Merry Christmas” and “You’re doing a wonderful thing.” At a time when every bit of kindness and generosity is coming from Mainers helping Mainers, Ames and his lobstermen friends are an example to the leaders in this country. This story originally appeared on www.penbaypilot.com As a reporter for a local newspaper, I often cover lobstering stories in Maine and occasionally come across some very cool things that Maine crafters and artists are making around the lobster theme. I really strive to put a spotlight on the creatives. Here is my 2020 Shop Local Gift Guide for the person in your life who loves Maine lobster and our beautiful state. The original Lobstah Beer Caddy and Dog Food Station Joe Hamilton is the artist behind these lobster trap creations and the first in the state to create the lobster trap caddy, perfect for six of Maine's best craft beers. You can find these on Etsy for $39.99 The pet stand, also made from the same galvanized wire that lobstermen use to construct traps are custom made. Made for small, medium and large dogs ($60/$85/$150). Contact tsswindow1@hotmail.com for orders. Maine Snowflake Ornaments Tenley is a self-taught jewlery designer who also once worked as a sternman on her boyfriend's lobster boat, (now husband!) Hating to see lobster shells thrown away after consumption, she got the idea to make beautiful ornaments and jewelry from discarded shells from lobsters, mussels and oysters--and tell the back story to each one as it related to area lobstermen. To find her creations ($25/ornaments and vibrant red jewelry visit her Etsy store, Lobster Designs. Rugged Lives of Female Lobstermen Camden author Ali Farell's second book, showcases the strength of Maine’s female fishermen, titled Pretty Rugged: True Stories From Women of the Sea. “Fishing is a lifestyle, not a job,” Farrell commented in a Penobscot Bay Pilot article. “To be a successful fisherman, you must devote your life to working extremely hard in very dangerous conditions.” The book is finally available for preorder on Amazon ($32.99) with shipments anticipated in time for Christmas. FMI: Facebook. Gourmet Lobster Crackers In 2012, Pat Havener and her husband, Friendship lobsterman Greg Havener, were trying to brainstorm ways to make up lost income from the plummeting price of lobster. They came up with two ideas: lobster crackers for dogs and lobster crackers for people. The crackers, which are the only type of its kind in the U.S., were named “Best New Product—Specialty Food” in spring of 2015 at the New England Made Giftware Specialty Food Show. See my story on at Penobscot Bay Pilot You can buy a box ($10) on their website Note: this story was originally published on Maine Lobster Festival's blog This Thanksgiving will look different for many people around the country, but one thing is constant: hard shell Maine lobster is plentiful in November and prices are very reasonable leading up to Christmas. Plus, lobster is one of the most historically traditional food sources other than turkey in New England. So choose one of the four following lobster dishes to bring as a guest, or serve them all for your own Thanksgiving meal. Soup Pumpkin Soup With Creole Lobster This recipe by Food and Wine Magazine promises a balance of deep, earthy flavor using produce in season (sugar pumpkins or butternut squash) as the base. A 1-pound lobster is all you need, along with dry white wine and 1/2-cup crème fraîche, complete with herbs and spices such as cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cumin and cayenne to give this dish its spicy Creole tang. This is a hearty, comfort-food opener to the rest of the meal. Get the Pumpkin Soup With Creole Lobster recipe. Appetizer Mini Brioche Lobster Rolls This easy hors d’oeuvre is simply an open-faced slider crossed with Maine’s most iconic lobster roll, so make plenty, because they will be scooped off the tray as soon as you put it down. Using 3/4-pound of chopped, cooked lobster meat, with a bit of mayonnaise, tarragon and lemon zest, this recipe needs nothing more than 12 mini brioche or Parker House rolls with the tops cut off to make a stunning presentation. Get the Mini Brioche Lobster Rolls recipe Entrée Stuffed Lobster Tails Native Americans and Pilgrims were most certainly dining on Maine lobster for the first Thanksgiving, namely because it was so easy to catch by wading into the shore. But you can gussy it up with this Cooking Light recipe by serving lobster tails stuffed with herbed breadcrumbs and a white wine reduction. This entrée is perfectly portioned for each person at the table. And even though it’s drizzled with a delicious wine, thyme and shallot sauce right at the end, this dish only tops out at 234 calories per tail. Get the Stuff Lobster Tails recipe. Side Dish Buttery Lobster and Bacon Stuffing For die-hard turkey lovers this November, you can still slip in the taste of Maine lobster with this stuffing recipe. With Jones Dairy Farm dry-aged cherrywood smoked bacon providing the salt, pan-seared onion and garlic giving off the savory, and 7 ounces of sweet, tender Maine lobster rounding it out, all you need is a piping hot baking dish of semolina bread cubes smothered in butter and the above ingredients to take center stage over that turkey at the table. Guaranteed. Get the Buttery Lobster and Bacon Stuffing recipe. Deer Isle native is a viral hit...and hoot...about all things lobster |
Author
Columns and news about the subculture of Maine lobstering. Archives
November 2020
Categories
All
|