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How Rich Is Your Lobster Knowledge?

YumSugar — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 05:30:47 -0700

Like caviar, lobster is a food that's synonymous with luxury. Who among us hasn't joked about ordering the lobster when someone else is paying for dinner? But lobster isn't always hoity-toity: the shellfish has also inspired lobster bibs and Red Lobster restaurants.

In honor of National Lobster Day today (Friday the 13th!), take my quiz to see how much you know about this delicious dish.

Source

Take the quiz

Get Cracking! It's National Lobster Day!

YumSugar — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 01:10:19 -0700

I have a vivid junior high memory of not going out to eat dinner with my family. At the time I was okay with it, but when I found out they went for a lobster dinner, I was devastated! From that point on I vowed to eat lobster whenever I could. Unfortunately lobster is one of those foods that taste great, but are tricky to prepare. Lucky for us, there are a lot of resources to teach us how to correctly pick and cook fresh lobster. To learn a few tips I've picked up along the way, read more

The four classic ways to cook a lobster are:

Boiling - Bring a large pot 3/4 full of salt water to boil. Put lobsters in and submerge, boil for 18-20 minutes.
Steaming - Put lobsters in a large pot with about 2" of water, cover tightly and steam for about 20 minutes.
Grilling - Either boil first and finish on grill (backside down) or split lobster in half and grill shell side down.
Roasting - Quarter lobsters and saute on high heat. Put them in the oven for 2-3 minutes to finish off.

When choosing a lobster you should look for:

One that is alive and kicking. You want to make sure it is fresh.
The tender lobsters tend to be under 2 pounds.
Females have a more delicate flesh and are lighter. The males have larger claws and narrower tails.
A hard shell and long antennae.

And if you're looking for tips on how to eat it, be sure to check out this 7 step picture tutorial!

Know any great lobster tips? Let us know below!

Source: 911 Chef Eric, Criehaven and iVillage

Noteworthy Nibbles - July 28-Aug. 4

YumSugar — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 14:00:27 -0700

Although I can't make it to the official celebration in Wisconsin, I'll be observing National Mustard Day this weekend. But I'm really salivating over the photos from the Maine Lobster Festival, and I'm curious to try a so-called Rocky Mountain oyster at the appropriately-dubbed Testy Festy. What looks most appetizing to you? Here's what's going on between now and next Tuesday in the food festival world.

Rockland, ME: Maine Lobster Festival - July 29-Aug. 2
Clinton, MT: Rock Creek Lodge Testicle Festival - July 29-Aug. 2
Seattle, WA: Taste of the Nation Seattle - July 30
Miami, FL: Taste of the Nation Miami - July 30
Atlantic City, NJ: Atlantic City Food and Wine Festival - July 30-Aug. 2
Norfolk, VA: 20th Annual Bayou Boogaloo & Cajun Food Festival - July 31-Aug. 2
Mammoth Lakes, CA: Mammoth Festival of Beers and Bluesapalooza - July 31-Aug. 2

To see the rest, read more.

Natchez, MS: Natchez Food and Wine Festival - July 31-Aug. 2
Deerfield Valley, VT: Deerfield Valley Blueberry Festival - July 31-Aug. 9
Mt. Horeb, WI: National Mustard Day Festival - Aug. 1
Vincennes, IN: Watermelon Festival & Jack Daniels Great American Grill-Off - Aug. 1
Loveland, CA: Gnarly Barley Brew Festival - Aug. 1
Cortland, NY: Cortland Arts and Wine Festival - Aug. 1
Penn Yan, NY: Fox Run Garlic Festival - Aug. 1-2
San Pedro, CA: Taste in San Pedro - Aug. 1-2
Kenosha, WI: Taste of Wisconsin - Aug. 1-2
Boulder, CO: Rocky Mountain Tea Festival - Aug. 1-2
New Orleans, LA: Taste of the Nation New Orleans - Aug. 2
Salt Lake City, UT: Taste of the Nation Utah - Aug. 2

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A Taste of the Ocean State

YumSugar — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 05:50:12 -0700

While Rhode Island is the smallest state in the nation, there is no shortage of great food. It's known as the Ocean State and after spending a few days exploring it, I can say it definitely lives up to its name! There's a never ending supply of fresh lobster, succulent clams, and much more. The selection from under the sea is out of this world, but that's not all Rhode Island has to offer. There are plenty of other interesting foods, like pizza bread and coffee milk. Take a dip into the Ocean State's fare and check out some of my favorites here.

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What's on Obama's Pre-Presidential Dinner Plate

YumSugar — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 11:15:08 -0800

We've got our hands on the menu for Obama's last supper before the big day, and it ain't Southern-style johnnycakes or Hawaiian pizza.

The Hilton Washington Hotel in Washington, DC, one of three venues hosting an official candlelight dinner on the eve of the presidential inauguration, has revealed an elaborate menu. This is the last meal the Obamas will have before they spend the next four years under the discerning palate of Cristeta Comerford, the current White House executive chef. To see the menu, read more.

New England Lobster Bisque en Croute
Porcini Dusted Petit Fillet, Port Wine Demi, Complemented with Seared Sundried Tomato Scented Escolar Basil Emulsion
Sea Salt Roasted Tricolor Fingerling Potatoes
Winter Baby Vegetables
Warm Sticky Toffee Pudding with Vanilla Ice Cream

What do you think of the menu? Does it sound like something that the president-elect would enjoy as a last meal before being sworn in as the nation's leader?

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TV Dinners: Goodfellas - Meatballs & Garlic

YumSugar — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 16:04:58 -0700

Since today is National Garlic Day I naturally had to point out one of the most famous garlic scenes in movie history. Do you remember the prison dinner scene in Goodfellas? You know the one where Paul Sorvino is slicing ridiculously thin pieces of garlic with a razor blade?

"He was in a year for contempt and he had this wonderful system for doing the garlic. He used a razor and he used to slice it so thin that it used to liquefy in the pan with just a little oil. It was a very good system."

It's hard not to think of that scene whenever I chop up garlic. Same goes for making spaghetti sauce with meatballs. Also, I love how even though they're in prison, they have access to everything including bread, cheese, prosciutto, steak, salami and lobster.

To check out the full dinner scene (which, is accompanied by one of my favorite songs, "Beyond the Sea," by Bobby Darin), and get a great recipe for a three-meat meatball (just like Goodfellas "Veal, beef and pork... you gotta have the pork."), read more

Meatballs a la Goodfellas
With a tiny adaption from The Best Meatballs at All Recipes

1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground veal
1 pound ground pork
2 cloves garlic, sliced razor thin then minced
2 eggs
1 cup freshly grated Romano cheese
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 cups stale Italian bread, crumbled
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1 cup olive oil

Combine beef, veal, and pork in a large bowl. Add garlic, eggs, cheese, parsley, salt and pepper.
Blend bread crumbs into meat mixture. Slowly add the water 1/2 cup at a time. The mixture should be very moist but still hold it's shape if rolled into meatballs. (I usually use about 1 1/4 cups of water). Shape into meatballs.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Fry meatballs in batches. When the meatball is very brown and slightly crisp remove from the heat and drain on a paper towel. (If your mixture is too wet, cover the meatballs while they are cooking so that they hold their shape better.)
Place cooked meatballs into Marinara Sauce and cook for 15 more minutes.

Print recipe with images | without images

And if you're interested in more, here's a critique of Goodfellas - this is where I got the fantastic screencaps.