# Lobster & price question



## BigAL (Feb 11, 2011)

On sale is 8-10oz whole cooked lobster for $4/each.  Haven't seen them yet, but I'm guess'n they look like big crawfish or very small lobsters.  Anyway, for out here it kinda sounds like a good price, about $8/#.  I don't know if they are hard or soft shell.  

Not have'n lobster very much, maybe once every 5yrs(?), I'm wonder'n if this is something to consider or just skip this "loss leader"?  Or should I buy as many as I can get my hands on and have lobster rolls on the cheap?   I was think'n 2/person would be ok.  Just talk'n wife and kids. 

Just wanted your opinion.

Thanks


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## CraigC (Feb 11, 2011)

That seems like a low weight for a whole cooked lobster, if it is a Maine. I don't buy Maine lobster, but I do know that folks down here sell stone crab claws called "lights". The meat inside does not fill the shell. The price is about 1/2 of the market price for that size. Your getting twice the number of claws, but only 1/4 to 1/2 the actual meat of market priced claws.

I also know that you sometimes run into the same thing with live blue crab. That is why I always want to feel the weigh, since the places I generally buy from sell by the dozen.

Craig


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## Andy M. (Feb 11, 2011)

If it's an American lobster (Homarus Americanus) 8-10 ounces is well below legal weight.

If it's a clawless lobster, that's another story.  That's about $8 a pound for whole cooked lobster.  That's not a great price in MA but may be in W.KS.


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## CraigC (Feb 11, 2011)

Andy M. said:


> If it's an American lobster (Homarus Americanus) 8-10 ounces is well below legal weight.
> 
> If it's a clawless lobster, that's another story. That's about $8 a pound for whole cooked lobster. That's not a great price in MA but may be in W.KS.


 
What if that sucker had been sitting in a tank for several weeks with no food intake or was a "light"? I believe, like panulirus argus (Florida/Caribbean lobster) legal size is determined by measurment, not weight. 

Craig


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## Andy M. (Feb 11, 2011)

CraigC said:


> ...legal size is determined by measurment, not weight.
> 
> Craig




Exactly right.  The length of the shell between two specified points determines the legality of the lobster's size.  As to whether they were starved or are spiny lobsters, I cannot say.


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## spork (Feb 11, 2011)

Just a week ago, I also took a rare look at lobster.  Still $14/lb live, plus the store'll steam cook your pick.  They looked scrawny, not much more than a pound each.  Pre-cooked, I'd probably buy a meal's worth at $8.  But, a Red Lobster restaurant doesn't charge much more than that either, I figure.  Can I ask 2 questions:  1) is lobster seasonal? when is the best time to buy? 2) frozen tails, either raw or cooked, does lobster hold up well compared to fresh?


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## Zhizara (Feb 11, 2011)

I've had frozen raw spiney lobster tails.  They were wonderful!


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## CraigC (Feb 11, 2011)

spork said:


> Just a week ago, I also took a rare look at lobster. Still $14/lb live, plus the store'll steam cook your pick. They looked scrawny, not much more than a pound each. Pre-cooked, I'd probably buy a meal's worth at $8. But, a Red Lobster restaurant doesn't charge much more than that either, I figure. Can I ask 2 questions: 1) is lobster seasonal? when is the best time to buy? 2) frozen tails, either raw or cooked, does lobster hold up well compared to fresh?


 
Lobster, both the Maine and Florida/ Caribbean have seasons. I don't know the season for Maine lobster, but do know that it is still going around Thanksgiving. The regular season, in Florida and US, starts August 6th and ends March 31 of the following year. However, a lot of the Florida/Caribbean lobster is imported. Much from South America. If it is below the Equator, the seasons are different (our winter = their summer etc.), so we can probably get that type of lobster year round in frozen form.

In some recipes, I prefer frozen to fresh. That being said, I know my lobster is frozen fresh because we have caught them.

Craig


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## Andy M. (Feb 11, 2011)

spork said:


> Just a week ago, I also took a rare look at lobster.  Still $14/lb live, plus the store'll steam cook your pick.  They looked scrawny, not much more than a pound each.  Pre-cooked, I'd probably buy a meal's worth at $8.  But, a Red Lobster restaurant doesn't charge much more than that either, I figure.  Can I ask 2 questions:  1) is lobster seasonal? when is the best time to buy? 2) frozen tails, either raw or cooked, does lobster hold up well compared to fresh?




Maine lobsters molt in the warm weather months.  They outgrow their shells (hard shell lobsters at this point), cast them off and grow a new bigger shell to grow into (soft shelled lobsters).  

A hard shell lobster's shell is thicker and heavier and it's tightly packed with flesh just before it is discarded.

A soft shell lobster has a thinner, lighter and oversized shell that the lobster will grow into so there is a lot of space between the meat and the inside of the shell.

Soft shelled lobsters are much less expensive in the summer around here.  Supermarkets sell them for as low as $4.99 a pound.  This is considered off season for lobsters.

Hard shells sell for more in the cold weather months.  

It's not clear to me what percent of the weight of a live lobster is meat when comparing a soft shell to a hard shell.  In one case the shell weighs more because it's thicker but it's full of meat.  In the other case, the shell weighs less because it's new but the meat doesn't fill the shell.

I don't hesitate to buy soft shells in the warm weather months because I can readily enjoy them at a lower cost.

I don't freeze lobster meat though you certainly can.


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## Bigjim68 (Feb 11, 2011)

Costco lobster is now coming from Brazil.  It is anybodies guess where they are getting 10 oz whole lobsters, but I don't think they would not have a lot of meat.


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## FrankZ (Feb 11, 2011)

Andy M. said:


> Maine lobsters molt in the warm weather months.  They outgrow their shells (hard shell lobsters at this point), cast them off and grow a new bigger shell to grow into (soft shelled lobsters).




Thanks for all that Andy.

Do you still have to deshell with the softshells?

We get soft shell crab round here and they dress them but removing the face then pulling the gills and entrails out.  You then cook and consume them (shell and all) and they are some fine eating.


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## Andy M. (Feb 11, 2011)

You still have to remove the shell but you can often do it without tools.  The shells are thin enough that I can break them apart with just my fingers.


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## FrankZ (Feb 11, 2011)

Thanks.

We were out one night with some friends and had a walk down the water front.  On the rocks were hundreds of soft shell crabs.  Once they molt they are soft for 3-4 days and are defenseless as they can't move.  I just wish I had had a bucket, though that area it is illegal to take crabs and since it is highly public I likely would have ended up in the pokey, so likely a good thing I didn't have the bucket.

Some people take crabs as they are molting, called peelers, and use them for fishing.

Ok.. back to the lobster now.  I think it is getting close to time to order some delivered again.


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## CraigC (Feb 11, 2011)

Bigjim68 said:


> Costco lobster is now coming from Brazil. It is anybodies guess where they are getting 10 oz whole lobsters, but I don't think they would not have a lot of meat.


 
I work on breathing gas systems. I'm also an avid underwater hunter that believes in proper fisheries management.

I was working on a clients compressors in Kingston, Jamaica back in the early '90's. This company harvested conch and lobster for export. At that time, they were already working 40 miles off their coast because they had wiped out everything closer to the point of nolonger being profitable. Most of their lobster harvest was cooked on site, frozen and sent to Japan. They had a few local independants that still fished the close to shore areas. They would buy these folks catch for a pittance. I was working close to the area where they cooked the lobster before it went into the freezer. I watched in horror as they started dropping the local "catch" into the pot. Everything went in, 2"-3" (bodys) lobster and females with eggs. Our legal size in Florida requires a minimum 3" carapice! Jamaica, at that time, had no fisheries management. They probably still don't. Haiti is the same way.

Now we are seeing a greater influx from South America as the Caribbean countries are seeing their "catch" dwindle. The Bahamas, have probably created their fisheries management in time to avoid total disaster, but they are dealing with a major invasive species from the Indian ocean (pet trade), which we are beginning to see in our waters. Mexico, maybe. The Caymans are in good shape. Cuba has a great fisheries management system. Too bad we have to "cater" to a small population of exiles, so Cuba is off limits for imports. 

Ok, I'm off the soapbox now!

Craig


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## Andy M. (Feb 11, 2011)

Bigjim68 said:


> Costco lobster is now coming from Brazil.  It is anybodies guess where they are getting 10 oz whole lobsters, but I don't think they would not have a lot of meat.




The lobsters I see at Costco are spiny lobsters, not Maine lobsters.  Just tail, no claws.


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## Bigjim68 (Feb 11, 2011)

Andy M. said:


> The lobsters I see at Costco are spiny lobsters, not Maine lobsters.  Just tail, no claws.


I think that has to be the case.  I can't imagine a cold water lobster from Brazil.  I hadn't noticed the Brazil label until recently at Costco.  Didn't buy them.


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## BigAL (Feb 11, 2011)

I've never seen a whole spiny out here.  They have all been cold/main look'n lobsters.  The pic in the flyer(not that it matters) looks like a main/cold, two claws anyway.  It doesn't say they are frozen, but out here it is assumed.  So lobster season could easily be thrown out.  I'm guess'n they got a hot deal and are use'n it to get people in the door, hence "loss leader".  

BTW, next page shows lobster tail, frozen 3-4 oz for $6/ea.  They look like main(no spots), but I'm guess'n there are all kinds in the freezer.

Kinda interesting.  Get some claw/knuckle meat for $2 less.  No brainer, buy the bologna for $.88/12oz.    Better get some toilet paper then.


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## CraigC (Feb 11, 2011)

Florida has several other species of lobster that aren't harvested commercially or are extremely rare. Three actually resemble roachs more than what people associate with lobster. I borrowed some pics.






















The others, 2 clawed and another type of spiney are very rare.

Craig


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## Zhizara (Feb 11, 2011)

CraigC said:


> Florida has several other species of lobster that aren't harvested commercially or are extremely rare. Three actually resemble roaches.
> 
> Craig



On one of my commercial fishing trips we hooked up for dinner with some shrimpers.  They had bulldozers.  Nothing but a walking lobster tail - about 6" of solid lobster meat.


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## CraigC (Feb 11, 2011)

Zhizara said:


> On one of my commercial fishing trips we hooked up for dinner with some shrimpers. They had bulldozers. Nothing but a walking lobster tail - about 6" of solid lobster meat.


 
If they were shovel nosed lobbies, they were probably the ones in the top picture. the meat is sooooo much sweeter than the spineys.

Craig


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## Zhizara (Feb 11, 2011)

CraigC said:


> If they were shovel nosed lobbies, they were probably the ones in the top picture. the meat is sooooo much sweeter than the spineys.
> 
> Craig



I do remember hearing "shovelnose" so I guess so.  The picture looks about right.  It was a wonderful seafood stew.  We bought a case of oysters to bring to the feast, they supplied the lobster and shrimp and it was cooked like a Manhattan chowder.  Sumptuous!  

When we left, we traded them some more of the oysters for a quart size baggie apiece full of shrimp and another bulldozer each.  Good eating that trip.


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## babetoo (Feb 11, 2011)

i bought a lobster tail today for 6.99 it is a five oz. looks pretty full of meat. the last time i bought them, two didn't even make a meal. have no clue where this is from. i am certain it was frozen and thawed. i love lobster and once in awhile am willing to pay the price. a fast food burger costs that much these days.


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## Somebunny (Feb 12, 2011)

Big Al, any chance they are tails only and not whole lobsters?  This would make more sense.


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## Bolas De Fraile (Feb 12, 2011)

When I am in Kendal Miami I buy live "lobsters" from Garcia Bros Fish Market on the river. To Craig C I'm a Brit and I have visited Cuba the best Island in the Carrib many times, the EU even funds certain projects over there, as we are brothers in arms how daft is it that its out of bounds for you. I live near the Menai straights, there is a Lobster breeding facility that grows thousands up to the age that they are safe from most natural dangers when released.
Seafood that is from cold water is by far the best because it takes longer to mature. I think it is funded by the EU and the Welsh Assembly.
The Menai is between mainland Wales and the Island of Anglesey, the currents are wicked so the water is cold clean also the fish and shellfish have to work hard to stay there, this produces "muscle" which is good texture and taste.
Price over here a big lobster costs less than a restaurant portion size.


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## BigAL (Feb 12, 2011)

Somebunny said:


> Big Al, any chance they are tails only and not whole lobsters? This would make more sense.


 
I've reread it at least a dozen times, not much to read.  I looked over the flyer from back to front, middle has the "Lobster Tail frozen, 3-4oz $5.99/ea".  So I thought, ah those are just big crawfish tails.  Front page "Sweetheart of a 4 Day Sale"   "Whole Cooked Lobster 8-10oz $3.99/ea".  The 8-10 oz is what gets me, so small.  But, I guess it would be the biggest lobster I've had in a few yrs.

Its Dillons(ks Kroger).


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## LAJ (Feb 13, 2011)

I would stay away from cooked lobster. I only buy Florida lobster. (Tails are edible only). NO Maine lobsters in tanks. They are around $23.00 per pound, fresh. And, well worth it. Fresh is the key. No rock lobster either. (Red Lobster sells those.) They are garbage.


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## LAJ (Feb 13, 2011)

Theya re usually rock lobster. Low quality.


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## CraigC (Feb 13, 2011)

LAJ said:


> (Tails are edible only)


 
That isn't quite true. Although the tails are most often seen frozen outside of the local market, the head and legs (especially on larger ones) have good meat in them. BTW, this species extends north into the Carolinas. Although in lesser numbers they tend to be on the large size.

Craig


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## CraigC (Feb 13, 2011)

Bolas De Fraile said:


> When I am in Kendal Miami I buy live "lobsters" from Garcia Bros Fish Market on the river. To Craig C I'm a Brit and I have visited Cuba the best Island in the Carrib many times, the EU even funds certain projects over there, as we are brothers in arms how daft is it that its out of bounds for you. I live near the Menai straights, there is a Lobster breeding facility that grows thousands up to the age that they are safe from most natural dangers when released.
> Seafood that is from cold water is by far the best because it takes longer to mature. I think it is funded by the EU and the Welsh Assembly.
> The Menai is between mainland Wales and the Island of Anglesey, the currents are wicked so the water is cold clean also the fish and shellfish have to work hard to stay there, this produces "muscle" which is good texture and taste.
> Price over here a big lobster costs less than a restaurant portion size.


 
The only time I have been to "Cuba", it didn't count. Gitmo really isn't Cuba. Kendal is a about 30 miles from me and I'm not a fan of Dade County. The traffic is horrible. However, we sometimes travel down to the Redlands via Krome Ave. If you are ever there during stone crab season, take a trip to Everglades City and visit Grimm's Stone Crabs. They have the freshest. Their boats harvest everyday and the prices are the best. They supply local markets.

I've also been to the UK and spent about 9 hours there (layover). Which included a bus ride between Heathrow and Gatwick. So, I guess I can't say I just spent time in the airport.

Craig


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## buckytom (Feb 14, 2011)

8 ozs does seem way too small. but it is lobster, afterall, so go for it!!! 


we buy lobsters about once every month or two, whenever one of the local supermarkets has them on sale for uner $6 per pound.

i kinda prefer soft shells because it's that much easier to get to the delicious meat. also, it's pretty cool to be able to extract the clawmeat intact.

i heard a report on a business news radio station last fall that lobster populations are doing really well off the coast of maine so that the price could really go lower. i guess the regulations that were enacted years ago to re-establish maine lobsters worked. maybe too well.

the fishing industry is keeping the price "artificially" high because if it went too low it would remove some of the mystique that lobsters are a luxurious food item.


i cook maine lobsters either by steaming, or boiling with potatoes and corn. i've made caribbean lobster meat before in a sort of spicy alfredo sauce with linguini, but not in a long time.

mmmmmm, lobsters:


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## Zhizara (Feb 14, 2011)

Pass the butter, please...*drooooool*


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## pacanis (Feb 14, 2011)

I haven't cooked whole lobsters in a long time... since the Browns beat the Patriots in a playoff game, if that tells you anything  I won a bet from someone in Worcester and my pay off was two lobsters. I much prefer the tails. I guess I've got something against having food on my plate where certain parts, read innards, are inedible. Not that I would turn down a whole lobster 
I just cooked a tail a few nights ago using this method I love cooking tails this way. Sorry about the poor pic. I had one pic left before the battery died and this was it.


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## LAJ (Feb 17, 2011)

They are probably coming from a laboratory.  just kidding. I love my Florida lobster not the rock lobsters from south America. Big difference. Recently, Florida lobsters were selling for $23.00 a pound at a local fish market in Pompano Fla. They are fresh, daily when in season. And, they have frozen in stock when out of season. They buy right off the boats. It's great. But, not as plentiful as in years past.


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## BigAL (Feb 17, 2011)

I wanted to try them but my wife and daughter where in the town w/the groc store and they said "if your buy'n for us, don't cause we don't like lobster."  So I said not to buy them.  No fun eating something "fun" alone.  Takes all the "fun" out of it.

Wish I would have had them grab 1 or 2, though.  Just to see what the deal was.


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## BigAL (Feb 17, 2011)

pacanis said:


> I haven't cooked whole lobsters in a long time... since the Browns beat the Patriots in a playoff game, if that tells you anything  I won a bet from someone in Worcester and my pay off was two lobsters. I much prefer the tails. I guess I've got something against having food on my plate where certain parts, read innards, are inedible. Not that I would turn down a whole lobster
> I just cooked a tail a few nights ago using this method I love cooking tails this way. Sorry about the poor pic. I had one pic left before the battery died and this was it.


 
That plate has all kinds of goodness on it!  Very NICE!!!  Get more batteries, for us at least! 

I haven't check out Hill's site for a while.  Nice guy, such a dork, too.

I like him, "cooking for dads", "food wishes", and jb 007.  Good info and a bit funny too.


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## pacanis (Feb 17, 2011)

BigAL said:


> ...I haven't check out Hill's site for a while. Nice guy, such a dork, too.


 
I like watching dorks cook. They don't bore me, so I tend to retain what they are doing better


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## LAJ (Feb 17, 2011)

BigAL you should try some lobster next time. Melted butter. Thats all u need.


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## Barbara L (Feb 18, 2011)

buckytom said:


> 8 ozs does seem way too small. but it is lobster, afterall, so go for it!!!
> 
> 
> we buy lobsters about once every month or two, whenever one of the local supermarkets has them on sale for uner $6 per pound.
> ...


It's funny when you think about it because according to a few things I have read, during the colonial days prisoners were served lobster because they were plentiful and no one else wanted them. 

I'm one of the handful of people who don't like lobster or crab--too sweet for me. I was watching a cooking show on PBS recently. They were in the Caribbean, grilling lobsters. He said that the lobsters there tasted a lot different than what most people in the U.S. were used to. Just as I was thinking, "Well then, maybe I would like it," he went on to say that they were much sweeter than most lobster.   Nope, I wouldn't like it!

Barbara


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## BigAL (Feb 18, 2011)

LAJ said:


> BigAL you should try some lobster next time. Melted butter. Thats all u need.


 
I bought a live one from the groc store.  Did it the "Alton Brown" way using the leg meat w/ritz as a stuffing in the thorax.  Did it in the oven, was good.  That is the only fresh I've had.

I've wanted to order fresh from Maine, but since nobody else cares for it, I have a hard time spending the money.


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## FrankZ (Feb 18, 2011)

BigAL said:


> I've wanted to order fresh from Maine, but since nobody else cares for it, I have a hard time spending the money.



If you decide to order we have had great service from The Lobster Net.

Kathleen even got me the lobster of the month club one year.  Umm.. lobsters once a month for 3 months... yum.


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## taxlady (Feb 18, 2011)

All this talk of lobster, especially live lobster, reminded me of buying a dozen live lobsters in New Brunswick many years ago. I lived in a very large flat with a couple of very long corridors. We had lobster races  The cats were fascinated.

Served the lobster plain with melted butter. Yummm.


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## LAJ (Feb 18, 2011)

My husband and son used to do alot of diving in Florida. We always had  alot of Florida lobsters. (You can eat tails only). I grilled them or steamed them. (In beer and water mix). I miss that! These days, the guys prefer to take pictures only and not disturb the lobsters.


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## Zhizara (Feb 18, 2011)

LAJ said:


> My husband and son used to do alot of diving in Florida. We always had  alot of Florida lobsters. (You can eat tails only). I grilled them or steamed them. (In beer and water mix). I miss that! These days, the guys prefer to take pictures only and not disturb the lobsters.



I get along fine with most catch and release, except for one fishing show I watched where they threw back a large Halibut.  Years of flounder fishing with my Mom and they threw back the biggest flounder I'd ever seen.


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## buckytom (Feb 19, 2011)

taxlady said:


> All this talk of lobster, especially live lobster, reminded me of buying a dozen live lobsters in New Brunswick many years ago. I lived in a very large flat with a couple of very long corridors. We had lobster races  The cats were fascinated.
> 
> Served the lobster plain with melted butter. Yummm.


 
lol, wow taxy, you just reminded me of one of my sister's weddings. she married a good ol' boy from iowa, so the reception was a real "katie bar the door" kind of party. after the people ath reception hall threw us out, we ended up, drunk as skunks, at a red lobster.

it didn't take long before we raided the lobster tank and were having races, complete with little napkins with numbers on them for their "silks".

good times.


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## Zhizara (Feb 19, 2011)

buckytom said:


> lol, wow taxy, you just reminded me of one of my sister's weddings. she married a good ol' boy from iowa, so the reception was a real "katie bar the door" kind of party. after the people ath reception hall threw us out, we ended up, drunk as skunks, at a red lobster.
> 
> it didn't take long before we raided the lobster tank and were having races, complete with little napkins with numbers on them for their "silks".
> 
> good times.



Did they end up kicking you out of there too?


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## Claire (Feb 19, 2011)

I would try it, probably not a Maine lobster, but also probably pretty good.  Around here (i.e., the Midwest) the going price is what the market will bear.  The nearest lobster tank is in Chicago (three hours away).  My mom has sent me "lobster-grams" for special occasions over the years since I moved to the Midwest.  Once the FedEx guy looked at me funny and asked me, "There really isn't a live lobster in there??????"  Yup.  Watch.  Opened and he was rather shocked!  Live lobsters and clams.  

I like all forms of the lobsters.  I like the claw meat of Maine type lobsters best (the tail is good, but the claws more tender!)(and getting the claws out whole is a challenge that we do for fun), but I like the Pacific lobsters we ate in Hawaii equally as well.

The rock shrimp we ate a lot in Florida (and I've never seen here frozen) has a lobster-ish flavor as well.


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## LAJ (Feb 19, 2011)

I never cared for rock lobster. I like Maine but love Florida lobster, by far. Rock lobster is often skimpy on size and flavor.


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## LAJ (Feb 19, 2011)

The mention of lobster races scaring the cats reminded me of years in Florida bringing lobsters home from a dive. My beagle would howl at them as we unloaded and sat them down on the carport for her to view. It was hilarious! She would back up and howl and her fur would stick up on her back. And, she always refused a piece of the meat after I grilled it.


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