A July of Lobster

What can I say?

I love lobster, particularly lobster from New England. I didn't always love lobster. As a kid growing up in Massachusetts, there were certain times during the summer that lobster would be abundant and my parents would rush to the supermarket to buy lobster when it went on sale at ridiculously low prices...69 cents a pound is stuck in my memory.

In those days, they'd buy the lobsters live, drop them in a large pot of boiling water, head first (because, as my father pointed out, if you put them in tail first, they would jump out of the pot), and cook them until their color went from black to bright red. Then, they'd sit down at the table and methodically tear their lobsters apart and pick out every morsel of goodness.

To me, this was simply disgusting and I didn't even want to take a taste.

Fast forward about 20 years when my sister married a man from Maine and moved there.  One Sunday, after spending a day in Maine, on our drive back to Boston, I suggested to Jim that, just for the fun of it, we stop for dinner at one of the many Lobster in Rough places along the road.  At such roadside restaurants, you were served your boiled lobster on a wooden picnic table covered with newspaper. You had a nutcracker to crack the shells, your fingers, and maybe a lobster fork and you went at it.

On that fateful Sunday, my life turned around...From years of watching my parents eat lobster, I knew exactly how to "attack" a boiled lobster.  And, surprise of surprises, I LOVED the lobster.  Of course, by this time, lobster had become something of a delicacy and was never on sale for 69 cents a pound.

Since that day, many a year ago, I indulge in lobster only for special occasions and when some of my favorite restaurants have special lobster meals.

This month, July, I managed to enjoy 4 meals that featured lobster.


It started in early July when Il Fornaio's monthly regional menu, which featured the foods of Sicily, included half a lobster on spaghetti.  Of course, I was there to enjoy it.


Then, for my birthday, Dixie and Mary Ann took me to Yankee Pier for a lobster roll lunch. Yankee Pier always has the lobster roll on its menu and they make the lobster salad fresh from lobsters that they boil each day.  We all had lobster rolls at this lunch.  And, I think it was my best lobster meal of July...even their chips and cole slaw, which accompany the lobster roll, are better than those anywhere else that I know.



In mid-July, Jim and I headed to Las Vegas for a 4-day celebration of my birthday.  Each summer (through August 31), The Palm, who have one of their restaurants in Caesar's Palace, offers a lobster dinner for two for $79.95.  The Palm is known for its large lobsters (the smallest they serve weighs 3 pounds).  Their summer lobster dinner for two includes two appetizers and a 4-pound lobster to share, along with two side dishes of your choice.  As soon as I could, I reserved for the lobster dinner for two.




Our appetizer choices were Caesar Salad for Jim and Watermelon and Mozzarella Salad for me.



Sorry that this half lobster looks so pathetic...I had already eaten most of it when I realized I'd forgotten to take a picture.



Our shared sides were Fried Asparagus and Sauteed Mushrooms.


Three days before we headed to Las Vegas, I got an email from The Palm, announcing that Monday, July 15, the day we had our dinner reservation, was a special lobster day. All day long, in the bar, lobster sliders were being offered at $1 each and, in the dining room, a 3-pound lobster was going to be $45. At first, I panicked, fearing that they would sell out of lobster before we got there for dinner...The Palm is also known for its steaks, but I don't eat steak.  I called them to see if they would "save" a lobster for us and was assured that there would be plenty for us.

Once in Las Vegas, on Monday, July 15, after spending the morning at the pool at our hotel, I told Jim that I wanted to go have lobster sliders for lunch at The Palm.

So, off we went, got ourselves seated at the bar, ordered an iced tea for me and a Coke for him, and ordered 4 lobster sliders for our lunch.  Yum!!! Each slider was on a tasty mini bun and was filled with a delicious lobster salad, a slice of pickle, and a piece of lettuce.  Bar patrons could order as many lobster sliders as they wanted, all with just one drink. The two men sitting next to us, each had a beer and ate a dozen (!!!) sliders between them.

Nothing wrong with two lobster meals in one day; I'd do it again, if the chance presented itself.

And, as if by coincidence, at the Bellagio Hotel's Botanical Garden, part of the July floral theme included a working model of a New England lighthouse...just like I remember from my summers on Cape Cod.

Lobster for the Price of Turkey

Three years ago, Jim and I started a new Thanksgiving tradition: Lobster for the Price of Turkey.

Actually, it was Yankee Pier, a New England-style seafood restaurant in Lafayette, California, that started it for us.



For many a year, I've been cooking our Thanksgiving dinner. We like to stay close to home and just celebrate by ourselves, with, of course, Poodle Louie.

But three years ago, we were a bit undecided on what we would do on Thanksgiving. And, when I got the email from Yankee Pier offering Lobster for the Price of Turkey, it was decided...the deal was/is that the restaurant serves a three-course meal on Thanksgiving, with limited choices for each course. Whether you choose Turkey or Maine Lobster or one of the other main courses, the price is the same. This year, the price was $45 per person.


As a former New Englander, I consider any meal that involves Lobster to be a perfect meal.  I imagine the Pilgrims ate a lot of lobster while they were camping in Plymouth...lobster is part of my heritage!!!

And, this year, Yankee Pier's menu was expanded to offer more choices. The main course choices included, in addition to Turkey and Lobster, Steak, Pan-Roasted Petrale Sole, and Scallops.

For First Courses, we chose Fried Calamari and the Yankee Salad, a salad of lettuce, walnuts, apples, and blue cheese. We shared both First Courses.



I, of course had the Lobster, which was wonderful...and fun to play with too...somehow, my lobster seemed to have lost one of his eyes in the process of arriving on my plate, but that did not stop me from menacing Jim with his head from across the table.

Jim had the Sole and was happy with his choice, too.



We both ordered the Cranberry Apple Crisp with Ice Cream for dessert.

I only ate my ice cream at dinner and took the Crisp home for another day...one serving would have been enough for both of us,



but Jim managed to eat his entire serving on his own.

I'm thankful for a beautiful day, good friends, family, and a lovely Thanksgiving Day. Hope you've had a good one too.

Lobster for the price of the year

It's that time of year again at the Walnut Creek Yacht Club: For the entire month of January, the Yacht Club is offering a Lobster entree: Pound and a Half Lobster, boiled or grilled, with coleslaw and French Fries...for the price of this year. There are no substitutions, but for $20.12, who can complain?

Walnut Creek Yacht Club serves the freshest and tastiest seafood that I can find in most of the Bay Area.

For those who want lobster, you must order your lobster at least a day ahead. The Yacht Club does not have a lobster tank and needs to arrange with its supplier to deliver what they need each day.

And, if some in your party do not want lobster in January, the entire menu is being served as well.

The menu changes daily depending of what fresh fish arrives that day.

Five of us dined on lobster at the Yacht Club this weekend.



All but Mary Ann decided to have our lobsters grilled. None of us had ever had grilled lobster before...it's a bit drier and has a smokey flavor. I enjoyed mine but was frustrated that the little tentacles that have tiny morsels of meat in them were too burned to leave any meat. Those who don't dig out every drop of lobster meat actually preferred the grilled lobster.

The Yacht Club is open every day except Sunday for lunch and dinner...remember, January is half over and after that, you will be paying market price for your lobster dinner (still worth it but, this is a very special deal).

A Note on the Photos: Much as I love my iPhone, its camera does not give as good results as my "real" digital camera, particularly for photos in low light. But, that's all I had with me the other evening. My apologies for the grainyness and the greenish hue.

ANNUAL LOBSTER SPECIAL @ WC YACHT CLUB!

January is a traditionally slow month for restaurants.

For many many years (as long as I can remember and I've been a customer since they opened in 1997), the Walnut Creek Yacht Club has offered a lobster dinner for the price of the year. So, this January, a 1 1/4 lb. Lobster, with Regatta Fries (garlic fries), Cole Slaw, and Drawn Butter (no substitutions) is priced at $20.11! Your only choice is whether you want your lobster boiled or broiled.

Drinks, appetizers, other side dishes, and desserts are extra.

Every year we go and this year was no exception.

And, every year, we all have lobster and a lot of fun.





The four of us shared Fried Calamari to start (no photo) and the Commodore's Sundae for dessert.

Sharing the huge sundae for dessert was a good plan; it consists of Chocolate Ice Cream, Vanilla Ice Cream, Chocolate Sauce, Caramel Sauce, Whipped Cream, Toasted Almonds, and two Cherries. Yum!



You are not required to have lobster, even in January, at the Yacht Club. In fact, if you want lobster any time of year, including January, you must request it at least a day before your meal there. All the fish at the Walnut Creek Yacht Club is fresh and the selection varies daily. It's my favorite seafood restaurant in Contra Costa County.

If you do want to take advantage of the January lobster special, you have until January 31. Reservations are a must!

Note: the Yacht Club is closed on Sunday.

Bon Appetit!

LOBSTER RISOTTO, THE REAL THING

As a former New Englander, I get hankerings for Maine lobster or a traditional clam bake.

The other day, while I was shopping at my local Costco, I spotted Hancock Gourmet Lobster Co.'s York Harbor Lobster Risotto on the frozen food shelves. I had to blink twice, not believing my eyes at first.

To back up a bit, over the years, I found that the best gifts I could send my Dad were edible ones. He loved to eat and enjoyed trying new foods. Since he too no longer lived in New England, occasionally I would splurge on a Lobster Stew or Lobster Bisque from Hancock Gourmet. And, it was a splurge. Their frozen foods are high quality, but very expensive. And then, most items require overnight shipping, which further adds to the price. Daddy loved the lobster dishes, but he didn't get them very often from me.

Personally, I never tried their products until tonight when I heated up my 2.5 pound casserole of York Harbor Lobster Risotto.

In anticipation of tonight's dinner, I checked Hancock's web site to find the same size Lobster Risotto selling for $59.00; I paid $19.95 at Costco.

Now, after dinner all I can say is OMG!! This is amazing...large chunks of real Maine lobster, a creamy cheese risotto, lots of mushrooms. It is topped with panko bread crumbs. The 2.5 pound container is said to serve 6 to 8. J and I each had second helpings and there is more than enough for dinner tomorrow. I served ours with oven roasted fresh asparagus...it's asparagus season in Northern California.

To serve 6 to 8 as a main course might be a stretch, but this container can easily satisfy 4 hungry people. And, for a first course, 6 to 8 would get generous servings.

I don't know if Hancock is test marketing this item at Costco, but I sure as heck am going to keep a package in my freezer ready for a scrumptious meal at home.

If you love Maine lobster, get thee to your Costco.

One more warning...if you go to Hancock's web site, you are going to be tempted. My sister, who lived in Maine for many years, still talks wistfully about Whoopie Pies, a traditional Maine dessert "sandwich" of chocolate cake cookies with vanilla cream filling. Hancock's sells them for $18 for 6, plus shipping of almost $24 (!!!).