Happy Homarus americanus Day!
Paste celebrates National Lobster Day with love and lore
Photo by Keystone / Getty Images
Monkfish, because of its somewhat similar flavor and mouthfeel, is sometimes referred to as “poor man’s lobster”.
The poor man’s lobster used to be…lobster. Indeed, until the mid-19th century eating lobster was a sure sign that you were in very bad straits.
Things have changed.
Maine lobster has gone from “aquatic cockroach” to uberdelicacy in the last few decades, and the lobster fishing industry brings in revenues in the hundreds of millions. Though lobsters are long-lived, they do not suffer as much from the conservation woes of long-lived swimming fish such as Bluefin tuna or salmon—lobster fisheries are relatively well-regulated and carefully monitored, so they’re a fairly conscientious seafood choice. Maine lobsters are 100 percent caught by hand from day-boats, one trap at a time. This helps to control overfishing, bycatch, and other destructive practices.
Lobster is commercially available all year but peak season begins in June—hence the June 15th designation of Lobster Day. (for the reasoning behind National Doughnut Day, consult your local doughnut expert, I cannot help you there.) In honor of Le Jour D’Homard, here are some fun facts and handy suggestions.
Maine Lobsters moult in late spring, so early season lobsters (like now) often have softer carapaces than in winter. These are referred to as New Shell lobsters. For some, these are coveted in the same way as the much fetishized soft-shell crab. Others will tell you hard-shelled lobsters are better. But there’s pretty much a lobster for everyone.
The Maine lobster fishery is one of the oldest continuously operated industries in the US, dating back to the 1600s and so predating the United States by close to a century. To my knowledge there is no mention of lobster in the Bill of Rights, but of course it all depends on how the document is construed.
