Maine Lobster Report

Lobster is important in Maine. Many people’s livelihood depends on it, from the herring fishermen who catch the bait for lobster traps, to the people who maintain and fix boats, to the lobster people (not just men catch lobsters), to the people who run lobster pounds where lobsters are bought and sold, to the people who ship them and supply them to the world. I am not going to get into any controversy over lobstering because I am unsure of all the issues. What I am going to report on is my own personal, month long enjoyment of all things lobsters and rate each one.

For the record, I have never actually eaten a bad lobster. I have had some lobster stew or bisque that was too salty, but that was purely the hand of the chef and not the fault of the lobster.

My favorite way to enjoy lobster is a Maine style lobster roll, rather than Connecticut way. Maine style is a split topped hotdog roll, grilled in butter until toasted with the meat from a lobster with barley a touch of Hellman’s Mayonnaise. Connecticut style is the same set up without the mayo, but instead with hot butter to pour over the lobster. Really, who could argue with either way, but trust me plenty of people do.

Puritans want to eat a whole lobster, fresh from cooking and pick all the meat themselves. Between the bib and the lobster getting under my fingernails I prefer to just have the roll. I am also quite fond of lobster bisque, a soup with sherry, but usually not hunks of lobster, or lobster stew, a soup with hunks of lobster. Of all the ways we had lobster this month, lobster Mac and cheese was the least favorite, (although it was from a restaurant and not the recipe my sorority sister Janet gave me.)

This year’s best lobster discovery was a lobster grilled cheese. Since the only one we had was from Archie’s lobster on Mount Dessert Island I have comparison, but it was the top dog in all things lobster.

We ate lobster at many different places in Maine, staring in Kittery at Bob’s clam hut on my way up to Owls Head. Our house was not far from the Down East Magazine winner for best lobster roll, McLoon’s. They must do a good job begging people to vote for them because it was my least favorite. Nothing wrong, just a lobster roll. Now if I were in Durham and had McLoon’s nearby I would get a lobster roll any day, but here in Maine the competition is stiff.

After the Lobster grilled cheese at Archie’s, which is a two hour drive from our house, my second favorite lobster is the roll at Claws in Rockland. Claws has been our favorite shack for years and this year it seems their menu has exploded. The roll is still best, but I also enjoyed the lobster tacos.

Our family total for lobster dishes this year was 18. I did not count the lobster’s eaten by guests or friends we were dining with. I think I can say that I have had enough lobster to hold me until next summer, but I probably will want one last roll just before we cross the Maine border into New Hampshire on our drive home. Yes they have lobster rolls there as well as Massachusetts and Connecticut, but I am partial to Maine.