Is Maine Lobster the Best?

[andyzee]

Maine is known for their lobster and the assumption is that it's the best. However, I've vacationed in Cape Cod on and off for the last 32 years. One of the things I've always enjoyed up there is the local lobster. Back in the day, I use to do a 3 pounder for lunch and then 3-5 for dinner.

Anyway, I found that although it comes from basically the same waters, the lobster in Maine doesn't compare to Cape Cod lobster. I've had Maine lobster here in NJ as well as purchased lobster in Maine, in either case, I always like Cape lobster better. As a note, I'm talking about lobster that I purchase at the store and cook myself.

 

[wa-loaf]

Maine is known for their lobster and the assumption is that it's the best. However, I've vacationed in Cape Cod on and off for the last 32 years. One of the things I've always enjoyed up there is the local lobster. Back in the day, I use to do a 3 pounder for lunch and then 3-5 for dinner.

Anyway, I found that although it comes from basically the same waters, the lobster in Maine doesn't compare to Cape Cod lobster. I've had Maine lobster here in NJ as well as purchased lobster in Maine, in either case, I always like Cape lobster better. As a note, I'm talking about lobster that I purchase at the store and cook myself.

I'd bet a lot of that lobster you buy at Cape Cod is brought down from Maine. That said there can be a lot of differences in lobster depending on the time of the year you purchase them. Hard shells have a lot of meat in them, but it's really packed in and can be a real challenge to crack. Soft shells have a little less meat per pound (cause that new big shell is filled with fluid), but are much more tender and tasty.

 

[snoseek]

time of year really depends. Summer (when most people are eating lobster) is not the best time of year. imo colder water generally means better lobster, but there are lot's and lots of other variables.

 

[bill2ski]

In fact, the majority of lobster available from Jan-July comes from as far away as the Madeleine Island's off the coast of Newfoundland. New import/export regulations deemed post 9/11 require all individual live lobster to bear a country of origin on it's bands IE. Product of Canada / Product of U.S.A. The effectiveness of this method of identification is at best an honor system at worst a prosecutable offense for misrepresentation.
The law does not differentiate between the state of origin.
Lobster can also be held in storage for long periods of time and may be up to several months from it's harvested date when it reaches the customer.
Many factors can effect the taste of lobster. The most common cause is over boiling with the use of unsalted tap water. The use of sea water is best.Otherwise heavily salted tap water that has been brought to a boil long enough to remove any chlorine, fluoride etc. Steaming not boiling will ensure a more tender tastefull meat.

Soft Shell ( shedder ) lobster have long been regarded to have a tender ,sweater meat and are generally only available from June till around the beginning of November, they are only harvested in the waters south of the Canadian border as the fisheries is closed during those months in Canada.

 

[ajl50]

French Normandy Coast Lobster is pretty sweet and tender though I think it lacks some of the saltiness/ocean taste that I makes Northern Atlantic coast lobsters so good.
(drooling now)

 

[bill2ski]

What I like best about lobster is you get to eat what they ate last ..... mmmm

You gotta remove the poop tube from the tail firstuke:

 

[bill2ski]

:lol: I was referring to the "green tomalley" .. I have read you shouldn't eat it but where else will I get my daily requirement of heavy metals. Sometimes I make the effort to remove the "vein" other times, well it wouldn't be the first time people said I eat sh*t .. I know a little bit about lobsters as I grew up in the "Lobster Capitol of the World" Rockland, Maine.

I eat it all the time. It's just the lobsters liver. In the past few years there has been an increase in demand by chefs who use it as a base for sauces. I have heard it said that the amount of mercury contained in a lobster tomalley is so small you would have to consume a ridiculously large quantity to have traceable amounts in your bloodstream. The average consumers don't have access to the kind of quantity it takes to cause any health concern , besides you'd get sick of eating it long before you'd get sick from eating it.
ENJOY

 

[bigbog]

All I know is from the restaurant industry.......

where the "Maine" lobster is simply another name for the Atlantic native...and the "Rock" lobster is either the Pacific/Southern Atlantic Ocean cousin....
Scientifically.....I bet there a number of other types of lobster scattered around the planet that qualify as different cousins.......

 

[bill2ski]

where the "Maine" lobster is simply another name for the Atlantic native...and the "Rock" lobster is either the Pacific/Southern Atlantic Ocean cousin....
Scientifically.....I bet there a number of other types of lobster scattered around the planet that qualify as different cousins.......

None as tasty and abundent as ours MAINE LOBSTER RULES SUPREME !!!!!