Monday, March 09, 2009
Live lobsters on the loose in Roanoke County
Larry Bly
Larry Bly runs an ad agency and does freelance writing in the Roanoke area.
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A few years back I visited an old army buddy up in Boston. It was my first trip there and I got to enjoy the food of the town's Little Italy, visited historical points of interest, and enjoyed the pub that claimed to be "the only pub where you can drink Samuel Adams while looking at his grave." It's true. He is buried in a small cemetery just across the street. But I digress.
While there I enjoyed my first-ever visit to Legal Sea Foods at its original location. Now they're franchised in other large cities, including Washington, D.C., where they're regularly voted best "local" seafood by various magazine reader polls. The original is dark and wonderful and boasts an enormous wine-cellar. The food is fresh, the options impressive, and the service first-rate.
While the memory has faded slightly, I was recently reminded of the Legal Sea Foods experience when a gift certificate arrived in the mail from my old army friend. All I had to do is call the 1-800 number and arrange for delivery of my "live lobsters for two, 1.5 pounds." By the way, that's about a $120 value.
I eagerly punched up the numbers and an affable soul came on the line to assist in this unusual (for me) gift of crawly crustaceans. I had a number of questions, like "If I want to eat them on Saturday night, when do they arrive and do I have to keep these things in my refrigerator, scratching around until the meal-moment arrives?" The representative informed me with a giggle that most people arrange for a day-before delivery, boil them the night before the planned meal, then put them in the frig. Just before serving, finish boiling them and they'll be hot and ready to eat without overdoing it. Lobster tends to get rubbery if cooked too long. So undercooking made sense.
On the appointed Friday morning as I left my Roanoke County home for work, I noticed a large box from Legal Sea Foods had been delivered to my front door. I didn't dare open it. I couldn't bear the thought of facing down these two lobsters first thing. So they were quickly moved to my Florida room where they could spend the day, boxed and in the dark, and hopefully not too anxious to see their new digs.
For the record, Legal Sea Foods gives complete instructions, not only on the phone to nervous customers, but with plenty of written instructions as well: "Our lobsters are packaged in corrugated boxes with styrofoam panels and consumer-safe frozen gel packs. Seaweed is included in our lobster packages because it retains a lot of natural ocean water, which keeps them comfortable during their travel." As they didn't seem to be kicking up a fuss, I figured that they were plenty comfortable and didn't wish to bother them until my return home that night.
Lo and behold, when the box was opened that evening, there they were. Sitting there with their buggy eyes and big antennae, waiting for .... well, you know! I immediately dubbed them Larry and Loretta Lobster. But I really had no desire to get to know them personally. They just sat there while the water bubbled nearby. How's that for cruelty?
Anyway, I sang and tried to be upbeat until the water reached the appropriate roil. There's really no need to go on about it. They suggest gently putting them into the pot "head first" so as to minimize ... you know.
It was all over in minutes. They were then put on a platter and stored in the cold refrigerator until the next evening.
I could have finished cooking them in water, but chose to grill instead. Grilling seafood, be it shrimp or lobster, makes the flavors pop. Paired with some fresh veggies and drawn butter, my first effort at "fresh lobster" was a major hit.
Would I do it again? I'm not sure.
I probably would prefer them flash-frozen and ready to go, making things less stressful ON ME. I find the whole cracking, cutting and picking to be a lot of work, and I'm not particularly good at it. Years ago I attended my first Maryland crab picking fest at a friend's house. My fingers were so sore that I could hardly type for a week. The next time, I let them have all the fun cracking and picking the crabs. I ordered out for crabcakes and was just perfectly happy!!
The Legal Sea Foods catalog is full of fresh (to your house) items: shrimp, littleneck clams, mussels, oysters, smoked salmon, lobsters, crab legs, steaks, chowders, bisques, appetizers, quiche, short ribs, beef brisket with barbeque sauce, and desserts galore -- Boston cream pie (naturally), German chocolate cake, Key lime pie, Legal Indulgence dessert squares, cheesecakes, brownies and chocolate pudding. Complete prep instructions come with every order.
I'll have to admit that receiving live lobsters was interesting and a true adventure. And I also must say that even though we hardly got to know one another, Larry and Loretta lobster sure were sweet!
Bly for now.
Legal Sea Foods
1-800-343-5804
