A Lobster Meets You at the Door

Steaming and boiling are the most common ways to cook lobsters. Both can be done in any home kitchen.

To steam lobsters, put about two inches of salted water in the bottom of a large pot. Bring the water to a rapid boil and add the lobsters one at a time. Cover the pot and return the water to boiling and begin timing.

Timing for Steamed Lobsters

To boil lobsters, fill a large pot 3/4 full of water and two tablespoons of salt for each quart of water. Allow 2 1/2 quarts of water for each lobster. Bring the water to a boil. Put in the live lobsters, tail first and back side up, one at a time. Return the water to a boil. Cover the pot, reduce to a simmer and begin timing,

Timing for Boiled Lobsters

Use the antennae-test described above for boiled lobsters as well.

Now it's time to eat your lobster. This is a very hands-on activity - no matter where you are - in a three star Parisian restaurant or in a Maine lobster shack. Many establishments hand out paper bibs, but I find them unnecessary. Rolling up your shirt sleeves a tad eliminates most problems.

Here's how the folks in Maine eat lobsters:

1. Twist off the claws.
2. Crack each claw with a nut cracker, pliers, knife or hammer. Remove the meat.
3. Separate the tail from the body by bending the back until it cracks.
4. Bend the flippers back and break them off the tail.
5. Where the flippers are broken off, insert a fork and push out the meat. Discard the black vein which runs the entire length of the tail meat.
6. Unhinge the back from the body.
7. Open the body by cracking the remaining part sideways. The meat lies in four pockets, or joints, where the small walking legs are attached. The small walking legs also contain excellent meat which can be removed by sucking on the ends of the legs.

French fries and cole slaw are perfect accompaniments. Lemons are a great garnish, and they also help remove the slight fish

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