The Big Chill

     Lobster rolls are practically synonymous with New England.  They symbolize the culinary essence of the region.  On my recent journey to Rhode Island I had two of them and savored each and every bite.  But what goes into the perfect lobster roll?  That is subject to much debate among locals and visitors alike.  A lobster roll is a lot like ordering a new car: there are plenty of options.

     Purists would decry the addition of anything in the roll, which must be a top split hot dog roll buttered and lightly toasted on the outside, other than just the meat of a freshly cooked lobster.  However, depending on the restaurant (or roadside seafood stand), other ingredients can be included.  Perhaps the most common addition is mayonnaise very lightly blended into the chopped meat.  For added crunch some add finely diced celery and perhaps some sliced scallions.   Onions and their milder relative, shallots, are seldom used for fear they would overwhelm the delicate flavor of the crustacean's meat.  Other additions found in the seaside summer delight are lettuce, herbs, and a spritz of lemon juice.  And a unique twist to the lobster roll is found in Connecticut where vendors sell it warmed in the roll.

     Perry's in Milford, CT is credited with first serving up the lobster roll at their restaurant in 1929 and for several years it was a menu item to a limited number of people along the coastline of that state.  Eventually the popularity grew to where the lobster roll is now routinely served to eager patrons from Long Island to coastal Canada.

 

     But one nagging question remains.  Since it is best to cook the lobster alive to avoid the  possibility of food poisoning that can occur from the bacterial contamination in deceased shellfish, what is the best and most humane way to cook a lobster?  Many theories abound.  Some recommend a cold saltwater bath scented in clove oil (really?), or thrusting a knife through the head.  But unfortunately the lobster's nervous system is not like ours and is distributed throughout the body, so such a method is not instantaneous as we might imagine.  The simplest method seems to work the best.  I call it the "Big Chill."  Place the lobster(s) in the freezer for about 30 minutes.  This renders the lobster motionless and makes the trip into the pot of boiling water a mundane task, devoid of any trauma for the lobster or the cook.