Notes from a lobster fishing village

Lobster fishing bait

2010-07-26T01:12:00.000-07:00

One of my cousins took these great pictures of my family in the process of "loading lobster bait" which has inspired me to write a short post on lobster bait in general and the Maine lobster bait situation for 2010. These are some of the first really good pictures I've seen of my family loading lobster bait. It's not the most glamorous part of lobster fishing and one that you wouldn't think to photograph - unless, of course, you're a tourist or a "flat lander."

Lobster bait is primarily made up of herring. It's typically delivered to the fishing wharves on a big eighteen wheeler and from there it's loaded into blue plastic totes, which you see in the picture. The bait is then salted (to preserve it) and stored in a shed on the wharf until needed for fishing. Once per week - usually on a Sunday afternoon before the next week's lobster fishing begins - my family and their crew remove the totes of bait from the shed with a forklift, which you can see in one of the pictures. The totes of bait are brought down to the end of the wharf where the lobster boat is docked. The lobster bait is then scooped out into smaller totes (you can see the smaller totes in the top picture) and heisted down onto the boat where it's stored under the stern. When the fishermen go out to traps the next morning, they'll take one tote out at a time and use it to bait their traps.

Last fall I wrote about the possibility of a lobster bait shortage in 2010. Unfortunately, there have been some restrictions around how frequently the herring fishermen are able to fish this year which has driven the price of bait up considerably. In fact, the price for a bushel of bait has gone from $16 to $24 this season. This does not include the price of the salt (needed to preserves the bait) which stands at $2 per bushel. To put this in context, it will take a fisherman roughly 36 bushels of bait to get through 800 traps. Assuming the lobster fisherman is fishing his full 800 traps a week, it means his bait expenses will be over $900. And that's just one of his expenses. You need to add fuel, stern man wages and other costs on top of that before you get to the total lobster fishing expenses for a single week. Thankfully, the lobster fishing thus far this season has been good which means most fishermen are managing to come out ahead after expenses have been paid.

What happens to lobster boats in the winter?

2010-04-27T06:13:00.000-07:00

Today a lady wrote me and asked the question:

"What happens to lobster boats in the winter? Are they dry-docked? I have been trying and trying to find out about this, and I keep coming up short."

I figured I might as well answer the question here on the blog in case any other readers are interested. And the answer is - it depends. My father and brother keep their lobster boats out in the harbor on their moorings all winter, as do many other fishermen. They make sure the moorings are secure in the fall and usually go out and start the engine up once a month or so through the cold winter months to ensure things don't freeze up. Most lobster boats today are built of fiberglass and very sturdy so staying in the water all year round isn't hard on them. Also, it might be worth mentioning that the harbor doesn't freeze over in the winter. The water stays well above freezing so the boats just float there on their moorings through the winter months.

That said, many fishermen do take their boats up in the winter months. Some fishermen have older or smaller lobster boats and they want to protect them from the winter elements. There's also a peace of mind to having your boat out of the water during the winter. One lobster fisherman in our town heads to Florida for several months every winter and I'm sure he doesn't want to worry about other people having to look after his boat, especially if something goes wrong. Even if your boat is sturdy and the mooring is secure, another boat in the harbor may not have been taken good care of. If that other boat comes loose in a storm it can crash into your boat and do significant damage. Finally, some fishermen take their boats out of the water in the winter so they can do work to them. The winter months are ideal for boat repairs and it's much easier to work on a boat on dry land.

In summary, I'd say around 50% of our lobster fishermen take their boats out of the water in the winter months and those boats tend to be the smaller and/or less sturdy boats.

The 2010 Maine Lobster fishing season has begun!

2010-04-15T06:10:00.000-07:00

Well the 2010 Maine lobster fishing season has kicked off. My father and brother started setting off their traps this week, as did many of the other fishermen.

As I've mentioned before, the first few months of fishing are pretty much just "changing the water in the traps" but it's important to get out there and mark your territory.

As my mother mentioned in her last email:

"What you see now are loads and loads of traps going down by or the trucks and trailers loaded up with traps and balloons lined right up on the road by the wharves. Everyone is setting now. Quite a few loads went out from Dean's wharf. This week is the start of setting for the Cate's and from our wharf. Your brother set out two big loads and then loaded the boat for today. Dad did the same. They loaded the trailers for the second load today. I will go down when they come in from the first load and help hook on or whatever so they can get back out there for the second load."

Setting out the traps at the beginning of the lobster fishing season is pretty much the reverse of taking up the traps at the end of the season. The harbor is filled with boats piled high with lobster traps ready to set, the wharves are busy with fishermen winching traps off trailers and down onto their boats and the roads are filled with trucks going back and forth to the harbor with trap trailers.

It's an "all hands on deck" affair, with one person on the wharf operating the winch, one person on the trailer hooking on the traps and one person down on the lobster boat unloading the traps and stacking them. Barrels of rope and bunches of buoys are also loaded onto the boat. Once the boat is piled high with traps (a 45 foot boat can store over 100 traps at a time), the fishermen head out the harbor to set. The fishermen and various folks in town are always really great about stopping what they're doing to help each other load traps. It's nice to see the community come together that way.

Maine Lobster Boat Races - 2010 Schedule

2010-04-09T04:00:00.000-07:00

I'm just noticing that the 2010 Maine Lobster Boat Race schedule has been published. A sure sign that summer is coming! The schedule is as follows:

Lobster Boat Races 2010

JUNE

June 19
Maine Lobster Boat Race
Boothbay Harbor
Info: N. Page (207) 380-5295
Marshall (207) 380-5892

June 20
Maine Lobster Boat Race
Rockland
Info: (207) 354-8763

JULY

July 3
Maine Lobster Boat Race
Moosebec Reach
Beals Island/Jonesport
Info: (207) 598-6681

July 10
Maine Lobster Boat Race
Searsport
Info: (207) 548-6362

July 11
Maine Lobster Boat Race
Stonington
Info: (207) 348-2375

July 24
Maine Lobster Boat Race
Friendship
Info: (207) 832-7807

July 25
Maine Lobster Boat Race
Harpswell
Info: (207) 725-2567

AUGUST

August 14
Maine Lobster Boat Race
Winter Harbor
Info: (207) 963-7139

August 15
Maine Lobster Boat Race
Merritt Bracket Lobster Boat Races, Pemaquid
Info: D. Drisko (207) 677-2432
L. Crane (207) 563-8707

August 22
Maine Lobster Boat Race
MS Society, Portland
Info: (207) 799-6718

OCTOBER

October 16
Maine Lobster Boat Racing Banquet
Trade Inns Motor Inn
Rockland
Info/Dinner Reservations (207) 223-8846
Room Reservations (207) 596-6661

Another Maine Lobster Fishing Season Draws to a close

2010-01-27T00:53:00.001-08:00

It's been ages since I've written. During this time, another Maine lobster fishing season has drawn to a close. Most of the fishermen start taking up their traps in mid-December, with a goal of having them up by the new year. That said, the end of the fishing season is largely driven by how bad the weather is and how good the fishing is. If the weather is good and the lobster fishing is still strong in December, it's worth it leaving the lobster traps out for a bit longer. If the weather turns fowl and/or the lobster fishing dries up, up come the traps.

During this time, the harbor is filled with boats piled high with lobster traps ready to unload, the wharves are busy with fishermen winching traps up from their boats and onto trailers and the roads are filled with trucks going back and forth to the harbor with trap trailers.

My husband and I were back in Maine from the end of December to the beginning of January and witnessed much of this activity. I got a few pictures of my father's trailer loaded with lobster traps but have yet to find the time to post these shots. My husband also spent a few afternoons down on the wharf helping unload traps and was fascinated by the process (he's British so still learning about the Maine lobster fishing business) so I thought it was worth writing about here.

Taking up lobster traps is an "all hands on deck" affair. The first step, getting the lobster traps off bottom and onto the boat, usually takes place in less than ideal weather. You need to haul the traps, pick out the lobsters (as there are usually still some in the traps) and store those, empty the bait out of the bait bags and store those in a separate tote, untie the lobster buoys from the line and store those, pile up and store the lobster trap rope (many lobster fishermen will put all the rope in barrels) then stack the traps on the stern of the boat. It's very important to ensure the lobster trap rope is neatly coiled so it doesn't tangle. It's also important to ensure the traps are secured so they don't get tossed overboard - a very likely scenario during rough winter weather. My father's stern men often tie down the traps on the stern to ensure they stay put.

The whole process can keep three people very busy - one usually focuses on hauling the traps, another picks out the lobsters and bait bags and the third person takes care of the buoys and line then stacks the traps. Two years ago I gave my father a hand taking up traps and captured a bit of it on film - yet another thing I need to post here when I find the time.

Once the boat is piled high with traps (a 45 foot boat can store over 100 traps at a time), the fishermen head into the harbor to unload. They typically tie their boat to the side of the wharf, back their truck down the wharf with a trailer attached and begin the process of transferring the traps from the boat to the trailer. As the tide is often down, they use a hydraulic winch to hoist up the traps. Again, it's an "all hands on deck" operation with one person on the wharf operating the winch, one person on the boat hooking the traps onto the winch and one person on the trailer unhooking the traps from the winch and stacking them.

Once the lobster traps, barrels of rope and bunches of buoys are all off the boat and onto the trailer, the fishermen will haul them home for the winter. During the winter months, the fishermen will spend several months readying their traps for the next fishing season.

I look forward to posting some pictures and videos of this whole process in the not to distant future!

Gordon Ramsay Slams 'Fake' Maine Lobster

2009-11-27T02:04:00.000-08:00

A good friend of mine and fellow Mainer pointed out a great article in the November issue of Portland Monthly magazine in which Gordon Ramsay sings the praises of Maine lobster and bashes restaurants that serve counterfeit Maine lobster (an issue I wrote about in an earlier post). Apparently, Ramsay caught out a New York restaraunt owner for passing off Canadian lobsters as Maine lobsters and went balistic on his TV show, "American Kitchen Nightmares."

I've not been able to find the video footage online, but the Portland Monthly article has a full transcript and I've included that below. In addition to explaining why Maine lobster has such a great reputation, Ramsay also talks about his favorite way to prepare Maine lobster - a clam bake with lobster, clams, mussles and corn on the cob. Enjoy!

Gordon Ramsay

Yes, but is it a Maine lobster?

Interview by Colin S. Sargent

Gordon Ramsay, dressed in a white chef’s jacket and dark trousers, leans down next to the head chef of the Black Pearl in New York City to have a peek at the struggling lobster shack’s inventory.

“They’re all from Maine?” he asks.

“These are, uh…Maine, some from Canada…”

“These look like Canadian lobsters to me,” says Ramsay.

“Yeah, these are Canadian.”

Ramsay looks over at his harried colleague, fresh from a disappointing dinner service, who has been forced into cost-cutting measures by the restaurant owners he doesn’t believe in.

“So the Canadian lobsters–they’re always a lot cheaper. I use the Canadian lobsters for raviolis and tagliatelles and spaghetti. They’re not Maine lobsters.”

Ramsay, star of Fox’s Kitchen Nightmares and Hell’s Kitchen, as well as British television station Channel 4’s The F Word and Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares, has been awarded 16 Michelin stars and has created successful restaurants around the world, including Restaurant Gordon Ramsay at Royal Hospital Road in London and Gordon Ramsay at The London in New York City. A vocal advocate of fresh ingredients and local sourcing, Ramsay needs to confront one of the Black Pearl’s owners on the mislabeling.

“You told me about the passion for Maine lobster. Are you aware that the lobsters in your fridge are Canadian?” Ramsay stands with his arms folded, disgust beginning to well up in him like the lava under Vesuvius.

“Same waters, North Atlantic waters.”

“You’re telling me now that Canadian lobster, half the price of Maine lobster, has the same taste and flavor? There’s a big difference. I can’t get Maine lobsters!”

“That’s right, so they get them from Ca–”

Ramsay interrupts. “I’m using Canadian lobsters!”

The owner is back on his heels. “That’s right, that’s what they d–”

“But I don’t advertise them as Maine.”

“Tell me, is it a different animal?” the owner answers.

Ramsay is incredulous. “Maine…is a Canadian lobster for you?”

“Homarus Americanus–same animal, right?”

Ramsay shakes his head. “Holy f#¢&.”

“I’m asking you a question.”

Ramsay slows his voice, as if he’s speaking to a child. “What you’re trying to dictate to me is that you’re selling Maine lobster. They’re not from Maine.”

“Well, it comes from the same vendors.”

“Holy f#¢&.” Gordon draws out the epithet before he explodes, “The award-winning Maine lobster roll…is Canadian!”

We’re always delighted to speak to anyone whose admiration for Maine lobster matches ours. We got a chance to catch Gordon Ramsay in London, in between managing his 6 currently running television shows (not counting specials) and his 25 restaurants.

In Series Two, Episode Four of American Kitchen Nightmares, you visited the Black Pearl and had a spirited conversation with one of the owners, in which we were very pleased to see you share an appreciation for the magic of a Maine lobster worthy of a Mainer. For you, what’s so special about it?

Maine has a great reputation for lobster. Even though the lobster is in the same family as the Canadian lobster, there is something special about getting them from Maine. They are locally sourced and helping to maintain a tradition within the state.

While we Mainers like to think we’d always be able to tell the difference, is there a particular characteristic that tips you off to when you’re being served counterfeit Maine lobster?

Both the Canadian and Maine lobster are in the same family–they are the same animal–but the most obvious difference is the size and quality of the meat.

Nobody would really take a New York Strip when they’d ordered veal either, and that’s the same animal as well. Why would someone use Canadian lobster in restaurant-scale operations?

The price of the lobster varies with the seasons. Most suppliers will substitute with Canadian lobsters when there is a shortage of Maine lobster. During December and January, few lobsters come out of Maine, and there are more available from Canada.

How often have you suspected you might be getting Canadian lobster dressed as Maine?

It is a common practice, as it can be difficult to tell the difference. Using a good supplier that you have a good working relationship with probably helps prevent this!

As a chef who’s clearly shown how passionate he is about real food and real ingredients, what’s your opinion of food fraud? Does it make a difference if the customer never knows?

Of course! When a customer orders a meal, they expect what they see on the menu. Substituting an ingredient or using a lower-end product is not an option. I use the best ingredients wherever available–it is the basis to a great meal.

We understand you were in Maine for three months in the not-too-distant past. What was the best meal you had in a Maine restaurant while you were here?

It was dinner at a restaurant called One Dock at the Kennebunkport Inn.

Oh, that must have been very recently, since they’ve only had the new menu and the name “One Dock” since the end of June 2009. What were you doing here?

I’d surf, as I love Maine’s coastline. It’s stunning.

Particularly at Gooch’s Beach. What do you think of the lobster advocates who claim it’s morally wrong to put a live lobster into a boiling pot?

Putting a lobster straight into boiling water is one of the fastest and more humane ways of killing it. This may not seem right to some people.

Some ‘lobster virgins’ can be afraid of the appearance of, and the experience of, eating a lobster. Do you have any recommendations for helping them past this?

There are many different ways to cook and eat lobster. Maybe at first not showing them the whole body, encouraging them to help you prepare them, and gradually introducing them to the legs and claws. Avoid the green stuff!

Since I’ve got this opportunity, I’ve got to ask this question. What New England meal would you recommend to cook for a hot date?

You can’t go wrong with a clam bake–with lobster, clams, mussels, and corn on the cob.

Sounds like it would go great with beer and conversation. We’ve seen so many variants on the lobster roll, including lemon juice and curry. Have you got a personal twist on the famous Maine sandwich you’d be willing to share with us?

It has to be simple! Lobster, mayo, celery on grilled hot dog roll with butter…

And the lobster has to be from Maine.

An update on the 2009 lobster fishing season

2009-11-03T05:51:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since my last update on the Maine lobster fishing season. The topline report is that, though the price per pound is down, the volume of lobster being caught in Maine is very good this year. As my mother wrote in an email last week:

"It has been a busy week on the water for the men. The fishing has been really good. They are finishing up on the trawls today and plan to haul back tomorrow and Friday, weather permitting. Yeah, another good thing is the price went UP 15 cents!! We are pleased with the good catches. Yesterday they had a lot to band at the end of the day... It is a lot of work...I'm sure they are all beat at the end of the day."

A true fisherman never discloses how exactly how much lobster he's catching to other fishermen, especially when he's doing well. This is partly because a fisherman needs to protect his fishing territory. While our town's fishermen tend to fish in roughly the same areas, and experience the same fluctuations in catch, there are always certain hot spots throughout the season. If you can discover a hot spot, you try to keep it quiet so other fishermen don't start shifting their gear into that area.

The better the fishing, the less fishermen want to talk about the fishing. When the fishing is poor, most often through the spring and early summer, the fishermen are constantly on the VHF radio, complaining about "changing the water in their traps" (a joke way of saying they're not catching any lobsters). If the fishing is really, really poor, a fisherman may even get specific about his catch, saying he hauled twenty traps for just one counter.

However when the lobster fishing starts to pick up, talk on the VHF starts to die down and when questioned about their catch, lobster fishermen will be very, very vague. For example, if you ask a fisherman how well he did on the North Shoal this week he might say "Oh, a little better than last week" which doesn't mean much, as he'll never say how much he caught last week!.

Beyond basic competitiveness, I think there's an overall sense of modesty amongst fishermen, at least around where I live. You never want to appear like you're doing too well. Even though I don't suppose most people from my town will read this blog, I try to be quite cautious about what I say with regards to the lobster catch. I've actually gone over this post quite a few times, editing out different details and cutting down on the quote from mother's email to ensure I don't disclose anything of which my family and/or town would disapprove.

Lobster fishermen fear bait shortage

2009-10-07T05:15:00.001-07:00

I was just reading today in Forbes that there's a proposal to limit the harvest of herring in the Northeast over the next three years by about a 3rd. This could be another hard blow to lobster fishermen, who have already hit by historically low lobster price s over the past two years. As the article states:

Lobster fishermen fear there could be a shortage of bait for their traps next year under a proposal to sharply cut the herring catch in the Northeast.

A fishery management committee met Tuesday in Portland to review and discuss a proposal to limit the harvest to 90,000 metric tons in each of the next three years. The cap this year is 145,000 tons.

Fishermen say such steep cuts would give herring fishermen less fish to catch, thus reducing supply and driving up the price of herring that lobster fishermen use as bait.

Lobster bait, which often takes the form of herring, is critical to lobster fishing and one of the fishermen's key expenses. Even as far back as 15 to 20 years ago, when I was fishing in the summers with my father, we sometimes struggled to get a healthy supply of bait for a good price.

Back then, we'd go to Lubec to pick up our bait straight from a canning factory. My father built a big fiberglass box which filled the back of our pickup truck and that's how we transported the bait. My mother would drive the pickup down to Lubec and back it under a big shoot that came out of the side of the canning factory. Then the factory workers would open the shoot and the bait would come spilling out into the back of the truck. The seagulls would be circling around like mad and my mother always said it reminded her of Alfred Hitchcock's movie, "The Birds." Once many years ago, when we had difficulty getting bait from Lubec, my father and I took our boat over to Grand Manan, I Canadian island about an hour's boat ride from Cutler and filled the whole stern of the boat up with bait.

In the past 10 years or so, we've arranged to have bait delivered directly to our wharf, which makes things a lot easier. The bait comes on a big eighteen wheeler and is stored in big plastic exactor boxes (the blue box in the picture). We then move the exactor boxes around with a fork lift which saves a lot of heavy lifting on the part of the fishermen. While this approach has saved some of the manual work on our end, price continues to be an issue. I wonder what methods the fishermen will need to resort to in the coming years if there bait shortages become a real issue.

Price of lobster drops

2009-10-02T01:25:00.000-07:00

Well, shortly after writing my last post, the price of lobster has dropped. The price has gone from $3 for soft shell, $4 for hard shell and $5 for selects (larger size lobsters) to just £3 for all of them. It's such a shame.

Some of the fishermen have been worried that they could end up in a situation where they have difficulty selling their catch at all. Most fishermen sell to a lobster dealer who will market their lobsters for them. I guess the demand is there with the dealers still and the catches are up so that helps things out.

Update on the fall fishing

2009-09-29T01:14:00.001-07:00

Just a quick update on how the fall fishing is going - pretty well, from a Downeast Maine standpoint. The lobsters are starting to pick up, triggering some of the fishermen to "haul back" during the week.

Hauling back refers to hauling the same traps or trawls twice in the same week. Typically, lobster fishermen only haul their traps once per week. That's enough time to let the bait sit and attract the lobsters. After about a week the bait is no longer as effective so the fishermen haul their traps, pick out what lobsters they've caught, put in a fresh bait bag and reset the trap.

In the fall however, when the fishing gets really good, it's often worth the investment (fuel, bait and sternman wages) to take your boat out again towards the end of the week and haul back some of the same traps. The reason for this is that once a trap gets a certain number of lobsters in it, it's less likely to attract more lobsters, regardless of how fresh the bait is. Also, sometimes the lobsters in the trap will start fighting with each other - resulting in lost claws and dead lobsters. Hauling back ensures the lobsters are cleared from the trap before they get a chance to tear each other up and that room is freed up to attract more lobsters.

So it's good news that the fishermen are hauling back their traps. The price of lobster also seems to be picking up a wee bit. When I spoke to my father over the weekend, he said the boat price was $3, $4 and $5. I assume that means $3 per pound for soft shell, $4 per pound for hard shell and $5 per pound for selects (selects are usually lobsters over 2 and 1/2 pounds).

Learning about lobster fishing

2009-09-02T14:24:00.000-07:00

Several weeks back, a man named Tom contacted me after reading my blog. As he said in his email:

"I came across your blog "Notes from a Lobster Fishing Village" in my travels up the East Coast to Maine. I live in New Orleans and work as an architect and carpenter, but for the last three weeks I have been traveling from Louisiana along the east coast towards Maine (mostly of the beaten path). I'm in Mass now and headed to Maine in the next couple of days; this will be a foreign land to me as I have always lived in the south. I am very interested in seeing and spending a little time in one or a few small fishing villages in Maine, and was wondering if you could offer any suggestions. I have been mostly camping so far, and working on a couple of farms here and there in exchange for a meal or place to camp. I've never done any lobster fishing, but wouldn't mind exploring that experience if it's possible. Thanks for your time, and thanks for your wonderful blog."

I gave him a few suggestions of places in Southern Maine that were a bit more "off the beaten track" and worth a visit. I also offered to connect him with my family if he felt like making the trek all the way to Downeast Maine, though I warned him it would be quite a journey and suspected he wouldn't make it that far.

Lo and behold, he made it all the way to my home town and last week I got another email from him, as follows:

"I wanted to thank you for introducing me to your wonderful family and town. I had an amazing time meeting everyone and learning about lobster fishing, as well as, boat building, metal fabrication, and wind turbines. Norbert took me out on the boat and we pulled a trap near the light house; two "shorts" is all we caught, but the trap had only been in the water for an hour or so. They had lots of really nice things to say about you..."

Isn't it wonderful how modern technology can make such connections possible.

More reflections on Maine lobster boat racing

2009-08-25T13:52:00.001-07:00

Several weeks ago, I wrote about the summer sport of lobster boat racing. Interestingly, a week later the Wall Street Journal published an article on Maine lobster boat racing. The article gives a nice history of the sport:

"In the old days, when Maine lobstermen sailed schooners, races were usually casual affairs involving fellow townsmen trying to beat each other back to a harbor after a day of fishing. Beginning in the 1920s, individual towns along the coast began holding more organized races. Eventually, working lobstermen found themselves racing against vessels manned by boat builders, seafood merchants, auto mechanics and retired teachers."

The article also touches on the great lobster boat racing rivalry of the 1980s, which brought back many memories for me. As the article mentions, the heated competition was between two boats: the Sopwith Camel and the Red Baron. The Sopwith Camel, owned by the Young Brothers (Colby, Arvid and Arvin) "was named after the famed World War I British biplane, one of which shot down German flying ace Manfred von Richthofen" ( better known as the Red Baron).

My father was not only a good friend of the Young Brothers, he was also good with engines and did a lot of the engine building/repowering for the Sopwith Camel during those racing years. Many summer weekends during my youth were spent travelling up and down the coast with my family, as my father got the Camel's engine in shape for the next race. Mostly I'd watch the races from our boat or from the shore, but once or twice I had the thrill of riding in the Camel when she was going at full steam. She was so fast (around 60 miles an hour if I remember correctly) that my father would make me lay down flat on the floor in the stern of the boat to ensure I wouldn't be thrown overboard if we hit a wave. They even rigged the boat with a seat belt strap so that the driver (often Vid) could strap himself in standing up so he wouldn't be thrown into the engine if the boat jolted sideways (racing boats are so light that they often go airborne when they hit a wave under full speed). I have a collection of vintage t-shirts from my youth and by far my favorite is my Camel Race Crew t-shirt. I still wear it today and will have to upload a picture of me in it when I have a moment.

The rest of the article speaks to the various lobster boat race categories and prizes - a bit of cash (usually $200 or less) and "hat drawings wherein all entrants win some sort freebie donated by local merchants. Drawing prizes range from $100 bills, lobster traps and motor oil to gift certificates for boat-painting services and pizza."

All in all, I thought the Wall Street Journal did an excellent job of bringing to life the unique sport of lobster boat racing. It brought back some wonderful memories for me as well.

Calm After the Storm

2009-08-25T12:29:00.001-07:00

I'm pleased to report that Hurricane Bill did not bring too much damage to the fishermen of Cutler. As my mother wrote today:

"We certainly kept a weather eye out for which track hurricane Bill would take. We were fortunate that it veered off from the coast. We had really high tides this weekend that would have been really bad for us if it had been closer. It did give us quite a storm surge and huge waves on the outer shore... I'm sure that the fishermen that have been fishing on the shore had damage to their traps."

If a hurricane comes during the high tides, it can really do some damage to the lobster fishermen's traps, boats and wharves. Leading up to a big hurricane, the fishermen make sure to check the lines they use to moor their boats, replacing or reinforcing any worn rope or old anchors. If a boat breaks loose from its mooring in a hurricane, it means bad news not only to the boat owner, but also to all the surrounding boats, which it can smash into. I remember various hurricanes growing up and how my father would be up throughout the night, going down to the harbor to check that his boat and the other boats in the harbor were safe.

The fishermen usually haul their skiffs up onto the floats at the end of their wharves and flip the skiffs over so they don't fill up with water. While skiffs are often equipped with scupper plugs at the stern to allow water to drain, the harsh rains of a hurricane can sometimes be too much for a skiff and sink it.

Lobster fishing wharves are another area which must be looked after leading up to a hurricane. Often the fisherman keep extra traps, buoys and rope stored on their wharves and these items must be removed or secured so they don't get blown away. In extreme cases, when strong hurricanes hit during high tides, fishermen will park their trucks on the wharves to keep the strong seas from lifting the planks off.

Finally, many fishermen will shift their traps away from the shore a bit, where the strong seas cause the most damage. If you've ever walked along the shores of Maine and spied a mangled up wire trap or a buoy stuck way up high in some ledges, it was likely the result of a trap being left too close to shore during a hurricane.

lobster and corn bisque recipe

2009-08-24T02:48:00.001-07:00

My husband and I made a delicious lobster and corn bisque last night for a dinner party.  We followed the below recipe, from the Food Network pretty much to a tea besides adding two table spoons of fish oil, an extra tablespoon of vegetable oil and omitting the celery and crab boil (as we didn't have either of these items at home).  
We were also working from previously frozen lobster (that my father had caught earlier in the year). For advice on how to freeze lobster, check here.  We simply took the lobster out of the freezer in the morning to thaw and were cooking with it by 4 in the afternoon.  
I highly recommend this recipe as it's quite easy to make and absolutely delicious (though quite rich)!

Ingredients
3 tablespoons vegetable oil (again, we used 4)
3 tablespoons bleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup minced yellow onions
1 cup corn kernels (from 2 ears corn)
2 tablespoons minced shallots
2 tablespoons minced celery (again, we omitted)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1 cup fish stock or water (again, we added fish oil)
2 bay leaves
2 cups milk
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon crab boil, optional (recommended: Zatarain's Concentrated Crab and Shrimp Boil)
1/2 pound cooked lobster meat, diced (from a 1 1/2 pound lobster)
1/4 cup minced green onions (green part only)
Directions
Heat the oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the flour a tablespoon at a time, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until blended. Continue stirring to make a light brown roux, 5 to 10 minutes.
Add the onions, corn, shallots, celery, garlic, salt, and cayenne and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften, about 4 minutes. Slowly stir in the stock. Add the bay leaves and bring to a boil. Add the milk, cream, and the crab boil, if using. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
Stir in the lobster meat and green onions and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaves.
Ladle into shallow soup cups or bowls and serve hot.

Lobster Boat Races, Winter Harbor, Maine

2009-08-14T01:51:00.001-07:00

Lobster Boat Races, Winter Harbor, Maine
Originally uploaded by Andy Revkin

One of the most unique and spirited sports along the coast of Maine is the annual lobster boat races. The races take place every summer, starting towards the end of June and running through to mid-August at various harbors up and down the coast.

Lobster boat racing is relatively simple - races are categorized by engine size and type (diesel or gas), all the boats race in a straight line down the harbor as crowds line the shore, cheering them on, and the fastest boats wins.

When I was growing up, my father was really into lobster boat racing. Many summer weekends were spend travelling by boat to Searsport, Stonington, Jonesport, Winter Harbor and elsewhere to attend the races. At that time, my father owned a sleek, 33 footer called the Celia Marie. She was fast as a whip and my parents house is now filled with trophies from the many races she won. One of the trophies, from a race in Jonesport, even stated that the Celia Marie was "the fastest lobster boat in the world." Quite a title. I always got a kick out of that trophy.

Eventually my father sold the Celia Marie and upgraded to a 38 footer but before he did, he hauled her up on the steamboat wharf and took a picture of my brother and me sitting on the bow of the boat, surrounded by all the trophies she'd won. I'll have get hold of that photo. I've reflected on that picture and moment various times since and thought of how hard it must have been for my father to sell a boat he was so proud of.

My father has continued to stay involved in lobster boat racing since selling the Celia Marie, though his subsequent boats - larger and more practical for offshore fishing - have not been as competitive in the racing circuit. My brother is also a big lobster boat racer and he's done quite well in the races with his boat, The Phantom.

One of the most popular races, the Winter Harbor race, was last weekend - inspiring me to write about lobster boat racing in this blog entry. Seven boats traveled down from Cutler, including my father and brother's. Two Cutler boats placed first in various races and my brother came fourth in one race. I just checked online to see if I could source any pictures of this years race for my article and came across this photo of my father's boat in full steam at the Winter Harbor races from 2001. The picture was taken by Andy Revkin for a New York Times article on the races. Quite something.

Certified Maine Lobster

2009-08-05T01:38:00.000-07:00

Well there's finally some news on the "Certified Maine Lobster" front. As stated in the Sun Journal:

"Starting Monday, the Maine Lobster Promotion Council began distributing tags that will be affixed to crustaceans declairing them to be "Certified Maine Lobster"...Lobster dealers will be encouraged to attach the plastic ties with the trademarked "Certifed Maine Lobster" logo. And lobstermen will be given rubber bands emblazoned with the phrase to keep the claws clamped together."

There is definitely a need to do something about ensuring lobsters marked as “Maine lobsters” really are from Maine – the article rightly points out that “Maine lobster” has become synonymous with lobster in general in America, and many restaurants market all their lobster dishes as “Maine lobster,” regardless of origin.

That said, I wonder how easy it will be to cheat the system – for non Maine lobster fishermen and dealers to get hold of the bands and tags and for restaurant owners to simply recycle old Certified Maine Lobster tags on new lobsters from various points of origin.

I have yet to speak with my family about the program and look forward to getting their perspective on the initiative. I'll also post some pictures of my father or brother with the certification tags once I get my hands on them.

Lobster Crisis Continues for Maine Fishermen

2009-07-28T06:25:00.000-07:00

Sadly, things have not improved on the Maine lobster fishing front since my first reports from last summer. A recent article in Fortune highlighted that the "boat" price of lobsters has crashed from a peak price of about $10 a pound in the winter of 2006 to a mere $2.25 today.

With the cost of fuel and bait still rising - the price of bait has doubled since 2007 - the fishermen are really struggling. The lobster catches are strong but as supply goes up and demand comes down, the value of lobsters becomes even more diluted.

Most lobster fishermen have been fishing all their lives (my brother got his first boat when he was 12). They don't know any other trade and in the small communities where most Maine fishing takes place, there aren't many other viable employment options. So getting another job isn't an easy option.

The Fortune article also stated that the average age of a Maine lobster fisherman is 54 years old. It's these older fishermen for which I especially feel bad. As they approach retirement, many of them, like my parents, have been investing money in the stock market (there's no 401K program for lobster fishermen!) Now they are being hit with a double whammy - their investment portfolio has been cut in half while their current annual income is shrinking down to nothing.

Hopefully things will return to normal when the economy recovers. For the older fishermen, that day can't come fast enough.

A Cutler Wedding

2009-07-27T12:50:00.000-07:00

It has been quite some time since my last post. This is mostly because I was off getting married...in Downeast Maine, no less! My husband, Anthony, and I tied the knot on June 20th, at the Cutler United Methodist Church, which overlooks Cutler Harbor and is where my parents were married over 30 years ago.

It was a lovely, simple wedding and reception which reflected the local surroundings...from my bouquet of wild lilacs, to the marquee which overlooked the harbor and Little River Island (decorated with old wooden lobster crates and fishermen's lanterns), to the meal of New England clam chowder, lobster newburg and blueberry pie.

The picture at the top of this blog is actually the view from the marquee (though sadly we did not have such a nice view the day of the wedding...but I won't go into that here)! I have also included a picture of the lobster crate bar (nicknamed the Rusty Anchor Pub) being built by my father, the clam shells which were used as place cards and the wild flowers, beach rocks and fishermen's lanterns which decorated the tables. Most of the marquee set up and all of the decorations - from the wild flower place settings to the clam shell place cards - were pulled together with the help of wonderful family and friends. It all came together to create a simple, eclectic ambiance which was fitting for Downeast Maine.

Additionally, the tables at the reception were named after the boats of the fishermen in attendance - the Phantom, Charlene Gail, Grampy's Toy, Joanna Marie, Christina Marie and so on. Anthony and I painted miniature lobster buoys using each fisherman's buoy colors and this served as a place setting guide and a wedding favor. One of my favorite pictures from the wedding is that of my four year old nephew's little hands clutching at his father's buoy (the last in the series of photos).

Maine lobster population at an all time high

2009-05-08T10:00:00.001-07:00

Some good news on the Maine lobster fishing front - a new stock assessment report says the lobster population in the Gulf of Maine is at an all-time high. You have to laugh because for years and years scientists have been harping on with doom and gloom about how the lobster population is declining. All the while, the Maine fisherman have been saying the reverse is true.

Now we have the data to prove it. As the article states:

There is a high abundance of lobsters and strong rates of replenishment in most of the Gulf of Maine and on Georges Bank. But there is low abundance and poor replenishment in southern New England and Massachusetts Bay.

Interestingly, Maine is the only State where fishermen release large lobsters back into the wild to help repopulate the ocean. While other states and Canada have only a small lobster gauge, Maine has both a small and large lobster gauge. This helps ensure larger, healthier lobsters can roam free and help keep the population up.

The good fishing report is consistent with the reports I've been getting from back home. So it's looking to be a good season from that perspective. Now let's just hope the price goes up.

Hopes for a good fishing season

2009-04-16T03:03:00.000-07:00

As mentioned a few days ago, the lobster fishing season is kicking off in Downeast Maine. My brother set out his first load last Friday and and my father will be setting out his first load this week. As my mother mentioned in her email yesterday:

"There were quite a few boats loaded to head out this morning or had already steamed out there."

While the fishermen are hungry to set out and get the season going, I think all are worried about what this year's fishing will hold. Last year was really tough on the fishermen, given the economic downturn. While the catch was good and healthy, the price per pound dropped to lows not seen since 2002. As an article published in Forbes this week states:

"The value of Maine's lobster catch plunged in 2008 along with the global economy...While the harvest was up by about 3 million pounds from 2007, the value of the catch fell $49.7 million.

The resource is still healthy. But economically the industry is in distress. The average price for the lobster catch last year fell to about $3.50 a pound, a 21 percent decline from 2007, when the catch came in at $4.44 a pound. The 2008 price was the lowest since 2002."

It's hard to tell how things will unfold this year. The price per pound is currently lower than it typically is this time of year. Who knows what will happen when the lobsters start to pick up.

The article also mentioned, as I did in a post several weeks back, that a task force is exploring how to promote Maine lobster as a brand. Apparently they're expected to issue a report in the next couple of weeks. I'll be on the look out for that.

The lobster season is starting!

2009-04-14T10:13:00.000-07:00

Well, the Cutler lobster fishermen are ready to start the season! My father and brother's boats are loaded down with traps and they'll be setting as soon as the weather lets up. They loaded over the weekend, I believe, and they would have set yesterday had it not been blowing too hard.

When setting off traps, you need to be quite careful about the weather. It's not wise to be out in high winds and rough seas with a boat loaded down with gear and trap line running all over the place (as you set off).

For the first few months after they set, it's pretty much "changing the water in the traps" as they say. You don't catch much during this time but it's important to get out their and mark your ground.

I feel like I was just blogging about the last of the traps being taken up, and I haven't even posted the photos and video I took while home over Christmas on taking up a load of traps. I guess I am running behind!

That said, it's nice to know there's so much to write about with lobster fishing. When I started this blog, I wasn't quite sure what shape it would take. Would I have enough interesting things to write about? Would people want to read it? The brief I gave myself back then was to just write from the heart, about things I care about and find interesting in the lobster industry and with lobster in general. And I've been so pleased with the warm reception I've gotten from readers to date. Thank you!

How can you be sure it's really Maine lobster?

2009-04-01T01:25:00.000-07:00

I just read this morning that Maine fishermen are continuing discussions on the traceability of Maine lobster - i.e., a certification system so that people can be sure the lobster they're purchasing/being served is from Maine (or elsewhere). I think this is excellent. Various restaurants - in US, UK and Europe- claim the lobster on their menu is "Maine" lobster, but this is not always the case. For example, most of the lobster sold/served in the UK comes from Canada or Cornwall.

Traceability will likely require more paperwork on the part of lobstermen, but it could be a great way to promote Maine lobster as a sustainable, healthy food product. Also, as of next year, the Europe Union will require all imported seafood be traceable to its source.

It will be interesting to see what proposals are put forth to prove a lobster's chain of custody from the time of its catch to its arrival at market. My father and I have been discussing the concept of "certified Maine lobster" for the past 10 years or so and it's really nice to see something being actioned on a broad scale.

Maine Lobster Fishing Trap Tag Discovered on English Shores

2009-03-05T09:27:00.000-08:00

There was a fun little story in the Maine Public Broadcasting Network this week about how a Maine lobster fishing trap tag has been discovered off the coast of Cornwall - three thousand miles from its point of origin.

As the article states:

Simon Bone was out with his wife and two sons, taking the brisk winter air at Perranporth Beach, near the most westerly point of the British Isles, when something caught his eye, his wife Sharon recounts. "As we got to the top of the beach Simon saw a red tag sticking out, and picked it up and saw it was a lobster pot tag, saw some numbers on it, and he just wondered if it could be traced and put it in his pocket."

Maine trap tags, as referenced in my last post, have unique serial numbers per owner and Sharon used the Internet to trace the lobster trap tag to a lobsterman who still lives and works in Jonesport, which is right down the road from Cutler.

The article noted how Maine lobster buoys have also been found on the shores of Cornwall. Apparently if an item gets far enough out in the Gulf of Maine, the Gulf Stream and the North Atlantic Drift will bring it across the Atlantic Ocean to the British Isles.

As Sue said in the article, it's amazing how we're all connected, even though we're three thousand miles apart. Sitting in my office in London this afternoon, I'm feeling a little bit closer to my home town of Cutler : ).

What lobster fishermen do in the winter months

2009-02-15T04:03:00.000-08:00

Things quiet down for lobster fishing in the winter season. Most fishermen take most, if not all, of their traps ashore as the weather is too bad and the lobsters too few to make fishing worth the effort. During this time, they repair and prep their traps for the next fishing season. The process includes addressing any wear and tear to the traps or line and getting the traps "up to code" with Maine's various regulations to ensure lobster conservation.

With regards to conservation, each lobster fisherman in Maine is allowed to fish up to 800 traps per season. The fisherman must mark each of his or her traps with a personalized trap tag for that season. In the above close up picture of the trap, you can see an orange rectangular tag in the center of the trap. This is the trap tag.

Another conservation measure with regards to lobster traps is escape vents. Each trap must be equip with special vents which allow juvenile (small) lobsters to escape from the trap as quickly as possible. Though lobster fishermen will always set free any small lobsters they pull up in their traps (fishermen are not legally allowed to keep lobsters under a certain size) they'd rather small lobsters escape the trap even more quickly, because the longer a small lobster stays in a trap, the lower its chance of survival. Lobsters are cannibals by nature and if small lobster is put in the presence of a large, aggressive lobster (typically a pregnant female) it often leads to a tragic end for the small lobster. The escape vents are sized to let small lobsters pass through while keeping in the large lobsters.

The escape vents serve another conservation measure as well. Each vent must be fixed to the trap with iron hog rings. These hog rings are designed to rust away after nine months. When they rust away, the vent falls away from the trap, leaving an even larger hole, which allows all sizes of lobsters and other sea life to go free. This measure is designed to ensure that, should a trap get stuck on the bottom of the ocean for an extended period of time, lobsters and sea life won't be needlessly and permanently stuck there. Each winter, the fishermen replace the hog rings in these vents so they can last another season. In the lower left hand side of the close up trap picture, you can see the orange escape vent. There is also a black escape vent on the top door of the trap. The more escape vents, the better.

The other picture in this post is of my father's trap pile. There are about a thousand lobster traps in that pile - which represents the 800 he can fish and about 200 spare traps which will be used for replacing lost gear throughout the next season.

Lobster Pot Pie Recipe

2009-02-08T15:40:00.000-08:00

I've only made lobster pot pie once but I loved it and so did my guests. This recipe, from MSNBC, is similar to how I prepared it. FYI, this recipe will make 4 to 6 servings so you may want to cut it down if you're only cooking for two. As follows:
Ingredients:

• 4 oz clarified butter

• 1 Tablespoon minced garlic

• 1/2 Cup onion, small diced

• 1/2 Cup of celery, small diced

• 1/2 Cup of carrots, medium diced

• 1/2 Cup of celery root, medium diced

• 1/2 Cup of parsnips, medium diced

• 1/2 Cup of acorn squash, medium diced

• 1/2 Cup of flour

• 1/2 Gallon lobster stock

• 3 oz sherry

• 1 oz sherry vinegar

• 2 Bay leaves

• 1/2 Cup parsley

• 5 shakes Tabasco sauce

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 1/2 Cup of cooked lobster meat (more if desired)

• 1 Pinch of shallots

• 1 Pinch of leeks

• 1/2 Cup sweet peas

• 1/2 Cup fresh tarragon, chopped

• 1 Piece of puff pastry dough rolled

Lobster Ravioli Recipe

2009-02-08T15:24:00.000-08:00

The best lobster ravioli I've ever had is that made by my friend Natalie, who is a chef, currently working in Las Vegas (I supplied the lobster, of course). It was some time ago and she didn't really go off a recipe but I know it was a simple combination of lobster, ricotta and chives for the ravioli stuffing and that she made a champagne sauce to go over the ravioli. Until I can get that recipe from her, I have found a lobster ravioli recipe from the food network which sounds quite similar. Note that this recipe calls for you to make your own pasta dough. Natalie simply used wonton wrappers and that worked just fine for her ravioli. The food network recipe is as follows:

Lobster Ravioli:

2 ounces unsalted butter
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped shallots
16 ounces cooked lobster meat
4 ounces cooked snow crabmeat
2 ounces Cognac
2 ounces ricotta
Salt
Pepper
1 tablespoon chopped chives
Pasta Dough, recipe follows
Egg white, slightly beaten

Crabmeat Cream Sauce:

2 ounces unsalted butter
1 tablespoon chopped shallots
4 ounces whole chunk Maryland crabmeat
2 ounces Cognac
5 ounces tomato sauce
10 ounces heavy cream
Salt

Directions

For the Lobster Ravioli: In a large saute pan, add the butter and melt. Add the garlic and shallots and saute until golden brown. Add lobster, crab, and chives and saute 2 to 3 minutes. Add Cognac and reduce for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for 30 minutes, until room temperature. Chop lobster mixture into small chunks. In a large bowl, combine lobster mixture and ricotta and mix well. Season with salt and pepper.

Lay out the first piece of pasta dough on the table and place 1/4-ounce mounds of stuffing 2 inches apart. Using a pastry brush, brush egg white around each bit of stuffing, making the dough damp not wet. Take the second piece and cover the bottom piece with the stuffing. Press around each ravioli being careful not to squeeze the stuffing out. Using a round ravioli cutter, cut each ravioli round and put on a sheet pan sprinkled with semolina. Gently place ravioli in boiling water and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente.

For the sauce: Using a 12-inch saute pan at medium heat, add butter, shallots, and saute until shallots are translucent. Add the crabmeat and saute for about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the saute pan from the burner and add Cognac then place pan back on the heat to cook off the alcohol. (Please beware: the Cognac will create a large flame.) Once the flame stops, add the tomato sauce and cream with salt and cook until it reduces half way and becomes creamy. Add the cooked ravioli to the sauce and let cook together for about 1 minute before serving. Garnish with chives.

Pasta Dough:

8 ounces durum flour
8 ounces semolina
1 egg
Water, as needed
Pinch salt

Add all the ingredients into a large mixing bowl until all ingredients are blended. Place mixture on countertop and knead until the texture is smooth and well mixed. Separate the pasta dough into 2 equal pieces and put one piece aside. Flour the first piece, just enough to prevent sticking and roll out with a rolling pin to about 1/8th-inch thick. Repeat procedure with second piece making it as close to the shape as the first.

Lobster Recipes for Valentine's Day

2009-02-07T02:20:00.000-08:00

Well Valentine's Day approaches and folks seem to like eating lobster on Valentine's so I thought I’d recommend my top five tasty lobster dishes for the occasion. As follows:

1. Lobster Macaroni and Cheese

2. Lobster Newburg

3. Lobster/Seafood Stew (served at Obama's Innaugural Lunch)

4. Lobster Ravioli

5. Lobster Pot Pie

I recommend serving champagne with all of the above, as it tastes great with lobster and adds to the sense of occasion.

If you make any of these recipes, please do let me know, as I'd love to hear how it goes.

Lobster Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

2009-02-07T01:54:00.000-08:00

Lobster Macaroni and Cheese may sound a bit odd, but trust me, it tastes delicious and it's a relatively simple way to serve lobster.

In the past, I've simply made it by combining sauteed lobster to a good mac and cheese recipe. I recommend Martha Sewart's - as she uses a perfect combination of gruyere, fontina, cheddar and Parmigiano-Reggiano - plus nutmeg and cayanne pepper to give it a deliciously complex flavor. Rough recipe as follows:

Ingredients

- 1 to 2 small lobsters or 3 lobster tails

- 8 ounces elbow macaroni
- 6 slices white sandwich bread for the bread crumb crust

- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter

- 1/4 cup finely diced yellow onion

- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

- 3 cups whole milk

- 2 ounces Italian fontina cheese, grated (1/2 cup)

- 3 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated (1 cup), 1/3 cup reserved for topping

- 6 ounces extra sharp white-cheddar cheese, grated (2 cups), 1/3 reserved for topping

- 2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated (1 cup), 1/2 cup reserved for topping

- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

- 1/8 tsp nutmeg

- black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Steam the lobsters (15 minutes), cool, pick out the meat then sautee in butter (7 minutes) and set aside

2. Cook and drain the pasta

3. Make the bread crumbs by tearing the bread into large pieces and pouring over melted butter.

4. Prepare the baking dishes by buttering eight 6-ounce shallow baking dishes or one 1 1/2-quart baking dish.

5. Make the cheese sauce: Melt butter in a 4-quart pot over medium heat, add onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until bubbling but not browning, about 45 seconds. Add milk and whisk to combine. Bring to a simmer, stirring with a wooden spoon (scrape across the bottom and around edge of pot to prevent scorching), until thickened, about 4 minutes. Add fontina, 2/3 cup grated Gruyere, 1 2/3 cups grated cheddar, and 1/2 cup Parmigianno-Reggiano, stirring until completely melted and sauce is smooth. Season with salt and pepper, add cayenne and nutmeg, and stir to combine.

6. Assemble and add cheese topping: Add pasta and lobster to sauce and stir to thoroughly combine. Pour into prepared baking dishes and sprinkle evenly with the reserved cheeses, followed by the bread crumbs.

7. Bake: Place dishes on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until bubbling and cheese is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

I found another lobster macaroni and cheese recipe on Epicurious but I question the mix of ingredients (it includes carrots, celery, tomato paste, etc) .

If any of you try these recipes let me know how they go!

How to catch a lobster

2009-02-01T01:20:00.001-08:00

How To Catch A Lobster

Last fall, I gave a presentation to my company about lobster fishing. They seemed to enjoy it so I've posed a version of the presentation here. There's so much to explain when it comes to lobster fishing - I've tried to stick to the highlights here to keep it interesting. Enjoy!

How To Catch A Lobster

View more presentations from Christina Lemieux.

Ever wondered how lobsters are caught or what it's like to be a lobster fisherman? This presentation offers a brief journey into a day in the life of a Maine lobster fisherman.

SlideShare Link

How to freeze lobster

2009-01-26T03:33:00.000-08:00

Well it has been almost a month since I returned from Maine and I have yet to blog about the experience which is a shame as I have so much to share. I am earmarking this weekend to sit down and write about some of my experiences - from going on the lobster boat to making lobster newburg (my favorite lobster recipe) and reminicing about what life was like growing up on an island (my great grandfather was a lighthouse keeper).

In the meantime, I have been having a look on the Maine Lobster Promotion Council website. My brother is on the Maine Lobster Promotion council and their website has some great information on lobster - from how to cook it to what wines go best with lobster, etc.

In one section of the website, they detail how to freeze lobster which is very interesting, yet different to how I've done it in the past. The Lobster Promotion Council recommends blanching the lobster (in it's shell) for 60 seconds in boiling water with 2% salt brine then chilling, shelling and freezing.

The way I have been taught to freeze lobster by my mother is as follows:

cook the lobster completely - 20 minutes of steaming
pick and cool the meat
once the meat is cool, put it in a freezer zip lock bag and add in some milk (about 1/4th a cup for an average size bag of lobster meat)

The lobster does loose a bit of flavor from the freezing so when I unthaw it, I tend to use it to make a lobster newburg vs. eating it plain. That said, others don't seem to notice a difference in flavor so maybe I'm just picky after growing up eating fresh lobster.

I actually have a bag of Maine lobster sitting in my freezer right now that I brought back this trip from Maine, waiting for a special evening when I'll make some lobster newburg. Valentines Day is coming right up.....

Obama's enjoys Maine lobster as part of his first lunch as president

2009-01-22T07:01:00.000-08:00

I heard that Obama enjoyed a lovely seafood stew, which included Maine lobster, as part of his first presidential lunch. I was able to track down the recipe (below) as well as a video of the stew and thought I'd post it below. It calls for nutmeg, cream and dry vermouth which reminds me of some of the lobster newburg recipes out there. It sound's lovely and if/when I try out the recipe, I'll let you know what I think.

Seafood stew (Serves 10)

1 gallon water
6 Maine lobsters (1 pound each)
20 medium sea scallops
2 pounds large shrimp, peeled
1 pound cod
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1/2 leek, finely chopped
1/2 russet potato, peeled and chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
Pinch ground nutmeg
4 cups heavy cream
1 cup dry vermouth
10 rounds puff pastry1 egg, lightly beaten

1. Bring the water to a boil; poach lobsters, then the shrimp, then the cod, and finally the scallops. The seafood should not be cooked through; it will cook more later. Remove all the seafood from the water. Reserve the cooking liquid and bring to boil.

2. In the seafood water, cook the carrot, celery, leek, and potato for 10 minutes or tender.

3. Let the liquid boil until only 1 quart of liquid remains. This will be the base for the sauce.

4. Add the vermouth and heavy cream and let the mixture bubble steadily until reduced by half. Add salt, pepper, and nutmeg. You have reached your desired thickness when the sauce will cover the back of a wooden spoon. Set aside to cool.

5. Cut lobster, shrimp and scallops into bite-size pieces.

6. Set the oven at 400 degrees. Have on hand 10 ramekins (about 3 1/2-inches across) or other small heatproof dishes.

7. Fold seafood and vegetables into cool sauce, mixing carefully. Scoop into the dishes. Cover with puff pastry rounds, brush them with egg and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Adapted from Design Cuisine

Taking up the last of the lobster traps

2009-01-14T06:29:00.000-08:00

Well it's been a while since I've last written and there is so much to write about. I had a lovely trip back to Maine. I actually went lobster fishing on day while I was home. It was SO cold. It felt really nice though to be back out on the water and I took some pictures and film that will make for a nice story here. For today, here's the latest update on the fishing. My father is taking in his last load of traps for the winter and we all are thankful! In my mother's words...

Dad, Leigh, and Trav are out for the last load of traps. I will be glad when they are all in as well as them. Dad took up some yesterday as well. It was quite cold, but it was a little better with the sun out when they came in to unload. It was cold this morning, but it is warming up all the time.

Eat More Lobster, Show Wall Street How to Save Businesses

2008-12-19T01:49:00.001-08:00

I was so pleased this morning to seen the article by Steve Ettlinger in the Huffington Post encouraging folks to go out and buy lobster to support Maine fishermen. The article did a brilliant job of highlighting key facts such as - hamburger and chicken is more expensive, on a per-pound basis, than lobster at the moment and that the rising cost of fuel and bait coupled with the severly dropping price of lobster have created a perfect storm...that threatens Maine's unique culture.

What I loved most about the article (made my heart swell) was how Steve highlighted the ruggid spirit of Mainers and their determination to get through this crisis without help from the government. As he says:

The Maine Lobstermen's Association finds that there is almost total rejection (from the fishermen) of any solution that involves bailouts. It's great to see the Maine tradition of communities acting independently to try to solve problems on their own, including holding major lobster bakes to consume 10,000 lobsters just this fall. Considering that lobster is basically an export product, that's pretty remarkable.

This so captures the spirit of the communities of Maine. If only the banks and automobile manufacturers could conduct themselves with such humble integrity (rather than flying to Washington in private jets for a government handout).

Finally, the article made an excellent point that lobster is as natural and good for you as a food can get. I'll close with Steve's words as I couldn't say it better myself...

So if you want one of the world's best foods, one that is totally and completely unprocessed (I mean, what could be less processed? It is sold LIVE!), and to help save an irreplaceable culture and economy, then go out a buy a lobster now. Even in New York City it can be found for $7.95 a pound, which is a common serving size. That more than I pay for a gourmet sandwich. Save a job and a culture, eat a lobster.

A Coastal Christmas Tree

2008-12-18T02:15:00.000-08:00

This year, my boyfriend and I got our first official Christmas tree together. It's a little Charlie Brown number and potted so we'll be able to plant it in the back yard after and hopefully use it again next Christmas (how's that for recycling)!

We had no Christmas decorations so I decided to decorated it with sea shells and mussle shells from back home. Very simple but, I think, very pretty so I thought I'd share a few pictures of it here. Enjoy!

A quick update on the fishing

2008-12-16T07:48:00.000-08:00

A fresh email from my mother with the latest fishing report. In her words...

All we seem to get these days is lots and lots of wind. Most of the men went out on Sunday to haul as that was the best day. Many have their traps mostly all up now. There have been load after load of traps come up off of Dean's wharf and go up by. Dad and Nick took the trawl tables off of their boats and will start taking up too. It was too windy yesterday to do anything. It screamed last night scaring the dog! Kasey did not like that! It is breezy and rough out there today too. It sounds like maybe a chance to haul tomorrow. I certainly hope so!!!

Maine citizens pulling together to support lobster fishing industry

2008-12-16T06:47:00.001-08:00

There was a really nice article in the Boston Globe the other day about how Mainers are pulling together to help support the lobster fishermen through this rough season - from advertising topless waitresses (as a joke) to lure in diners to selling lobsters in school parking lots on Saturdays. One Bangor chef, Brian Ross, is posting lobster recipes on a nonprofit website to help inspire sales. At a first glance, the recipes look great. I'll try some of them when I'm back in Cutler over the holidays and provide details on any that I particularly like.

The article also noted that while Maine is the country's lobster capital...that doesn't mean Mainers eat more (lobster) than anybody else. Until recently, lobster has been costly here, too. And the delicacy generally has been reserved for special occasions and summertime visitors.

"Most Mainers don't have it as a regular meal," said Cary Weston, a Bangor marketing consultant who helped start the website with Ross's recipes. "It's considered a meal of summertime celebration, family reunions, that kind of thing. It's a meal that Mainers fix because they have out-of-state guests who think that's what you're supposed to do."

I smiled at that comment, as growing up friends and family "from away" tended to think we feasted on lobster every night for dinner. It's a question I'm still asked today...so, you must of eaten lobster all the time growing up, didn't you? The reality was, every time my father brought a lobster home, that was one less lobster he could sell, so he didn't do it very often. We used to have lobster when we had company and my father always brought home lobsters from the first catch of the season. Beyond that, we mostly ate meat and potatoes for dinner.

That said, now that I live away and only get home a handful of times a year, I eat lots of lobsters at home. I guess that's the benefit of now being the guest! I'm really looking forward to trying a few of the lobster recipes on the site and, as I mentioned, I'll report on any I find particularly delicious.

Finally, the article indicated that the "Lobster for Thanksgiving" push did have a significant positive effect, driving volumes three times those of the same period last November.

Lobster fishing season winding down

2008-12-15T01:16:00.000-08:00

Well the lobster fishing season is starting to wind down, mostly due to the poor prices and nasty weather. The fishermen were only able to get out one and a half days last week. Many had to go out and finish up on Sunday, which the fishermen try to avoid. Coupled with the poor prices, there's not a lot of motivation to keep at it. It costs about $1.25 to bait a trap and you have to pay your sternman on top of that - so with a $2.00 per pound boat price, it's pretty hard not to go behind.

I was speaking to my father yesterday and he said the fishing is still really strong for December (in terms of how many lobsters they're catching) but that will probably finish up with this last set of high tides.

My father is stockpiling some of his catch - probably a couple thousand pounds - in his lobster car - hoping that the price will go up a bit between Christmas and New Year. A lobster car is a big wooden compartment (sort of like an over sized wooden suitcase) which fishermen use to store lobsters. It floats in the harbor, sits sort of like an iceberg (most of it is under water) and salt water flows freely through it. I've included a picture of my brother at my family's lobster car. As you can see, the doors are up and he's getting ready to put crates of lobsters down into the hold.

While most fishermen sell their catch directly to a wharf dealer (there are two in my town) there are a few fishermen in my town, including my father, who have their own lobster cars and the ability to stockpile lobster. It's always a gamble but one that pays off more times than not. I'll let you know if it works out this time.

Maine lobsters go green

2008-12-05T09:45:00.000-08:00

Just saw an interesting article on the Maine news site that Maine's lobster industry is seeking certification as a "sustainable" food product. As it states:

"The Marine Stewardship Council said Thursday that it has begun a full evaluation of the lobster population, the soundness of the lobster management system and the fishery's impact on the environment. The process is expected to take a year or more.

Members of Maine's lobster industry are seeking the certification label, which assures consumers that the seafood is not overfished or harvested in a way that harms the ocean."

My family has been discussing this subject for years and I'm so happy to see something is being done about it. Maine's lobster conservation practices are top notched - from throwing back small lobsters and pregnant female lobsters to being the only place (vs. Canada and the other States in America) that also has conservation measures to protect large lobsters (both male and female).

I'll be following this subject closely and seeing how it develops.

Lobster fishermen keeping at it despite low prices and windy weather

2008-12-03T07:27:00.000-08:00

Another update on this week's lobster fishing just in from my mother. She says...

"It is sunny and not too cold out with calmer winds. The men are out on the water! It is always hard this time of year. They can not count on being able to go out on a regular basis, and I can not count on them being out there either! Some mornings Dad is up and down in the bed like a yo yo. He comes down to listen to the weather and calls about how much wind there is, then decides to wait for another hour flopping back into the bed. It is hard for him the waiting game too. They are hoping that the wind will not blow to very hard today and tomorrow so they can get hauled around."

The weather is a constant force to be reckoned with in the life of a lobster fisherman. In the summer, the warm inland air reacts with the cool water and often creates fog so thick it's impossible to fish due to the poor visibility. This summer, Maine was shut in with fog more days than not, making for a real challenge.

In the fall, you have the winds, which create rough seas and make fishing quite dangerous. While the boats of today are quite seaworthy, if a wave catches you at the wrong angle, it can easily swamp your boat. In the winter strong winds and rough seas force most lobstermen fishermen to bring their traps ashore until spring. Given the fishing is slow through the winter months, it makes more sense to spend this time repairing your traps and doing other odd jobs.

As mentioned in previous posts, the current price of lobsters continues to be another discouraging factor this season. Many fishermen in Western Maine have already taken up their gear which is giving a bit of a boost to the demand of lobster Downeast (though we have yet to see that reflected in the price per pound). The lobster fishing season has just kicked off in Canada and I am reading that many of the fishermen are protesting and refusing to fish, demanding that the prices go up. I might report a bit on this here if I find something of interest.

Maine lobstermen adrift as prices sink

2008-12-02T01:15:00.000-08:00

There was a really good article in the Morning Sentinel the other day on the state of the lobster industry. The article quoted a Cutler fisherman, John Drouin, extensively and I think he summed up the current situation very well. Below is an excerp from the article:

"We're just holding the turn," says John Drouin, repeating an old fishermen's phrase about navigating through uncertain times.

Drouin lives in Cutler, an isolated Downeast lobstering community where there are virtually no other jobs to support his wife and five children. "There is going to be a lot of guys that go out of business this winter," he said.

Drouin is still fishing, even though at $2.25 a pound it's barely worthwhile. He might catch $675 worth of lobster on a good day, but spend $600 on fuel, bait and a helper, he said.

Drouin plans to get through winter by cutting back on family expenses. He's more worried that he won't be able to make up for the lost income when the lobster season starts up again in April.

"In reality, I don't see this getting any better next year," he said.

The rhythm of life in Maine lobstering communities is usually dictated by the tides, the weather and the size of catches. But that changed in early October, when the industry got caught up in the turmoil of global financial networks. Lobster prices plunged.

Along with a drop-off in lobster consumption worldwide, the collapse of banks in Iceland froze credit to large buyers in Canada, where about 70 percent of Maine lobsters typically go to be cooked and frozen.

The issue John highlighted which is quite unique to a small and isolated fishing village like Cutler is that there simply aren't many other viable jobs for people to turn to in times like these. As John mentioned in the article:

"There's 200 households in town. Fishing accounts for about 120 of those," he said. "There's a lot of concern about whether the people are going to even be able to pay their tax bills. We're just hoping that it's not a very snowy winter, because there's not going to be a lot of money to plow the roads." Some might be forced to leave town to try to find work, despite the stalled economy, because there are no other businesses nearby, he said. "It's a 40-mile round trip to get a gallon of milk."

My family has run a boat building business (primarily lobster boats) in Cutler in the winter for the last 20 years or so. It employs four men in town. This winter however, we have not orders for boats or repairs. People are hard up and making do with what they have.

A good finish to the fishing week

2008-11-30T12:17:00.000-08:00

Well Thanksgiving has come and gone. Julia Munsey's campaign for "lobster for Thanksgiving" got quite a bit of press, including an article from abc news. I haven't had any feedback yet as to if/what impact it's had on lobster sales but should get an update from my mother some time this week.

The finish of the week was mild - in the low 40s. As my mother said:

It seemed nice to have a warmer day with no wind. Dad and Nick fished in the morning and are finishing up to with a shorter day today. Tuesday and Wed. were such windy rough days that they had to work it out that way.

My family usually try to fish the first of the week, finishing up and ship out the lobsters towards the end of the week, but in the fall you have to work around the weather. Let's hope this coming week will be easier for the fishermen.

Lobster boats safe despite the strong winds

2008-11-26T14:57:00.000-08:00

Well tomorrow is Thanksgiving and I hope lots of people choose to eat lobster to help support the fishermen.

I got an update from my mother today that it's been terribly windy in Cutler. In her words:

"Wow, did it ever screech and howl around here last night The wind thankfully was not too bad for the harbor, but I'm sure the lobster boats were dancing and tugging at their moorings. Dad went down this morning early and said everything looked fine. It is always a worry when you get high winds with the high tide in the night. You are never sure what you might find come morning."

Thankfully my family has never had an issue with a boat breaking off the mooring in a storm, but it has happened to several other lobster fishermen in the harbor. The last issue we had with one of our boats was an outboard skiff flooding after a night of strong rains this summer. Thankfully the outboard survived the incident.

2008-11-26T14:52:00.000-08:00

Rough Fall for Lobster Fishing in Maine

2008-11-24T06:09:00.000-08:00

It's been a rough fall for Maine lobster fishermen. The economic climate has driven down the price of lobsters to lows not seen in 15 years. The boat price has hovered around $2 per pound when usually fishermen would be getting $4 to $5 per pound. The cost of supplies - fuel and bait - has been up this season as well so the fishermen have been squeezed at both ends. My mother wrote me the other day that they're advertising for people to eat lobster for Thanksgiving instead of turkey to support the local economy. I wish I could have lobster for Thanksgiving but I'll be staying in London this year and having some turkey with friends. This reminds me though, I will have to post the recipe of the lobster newburg I made last weekend for dinner.

Delicious Lobster Newburg Recipe

2008-11-24T01:44:00.001-08:00

My last post reminded me of my lobster newburg recipe. The recipe is from my grandmother and is as simple as it is delicious.

Traditional Lobster Newburg

Use approximately one lobster per guest (around 1 and 1/2 pounds per lobster). Cook your lobster (I'll write a separate post this week on how to properly steam lobster) and pick out the meat. Cut the lobster meat into bite sized chunks then place in a fry pan under medium heat with several large chunks of butter. Fry the lobster for about ten minutes then take off the heat but don't drain.

In a saucepan, on medium heat, make a basic white sauce. To do this, place 2 tablespoons of butter in the saucepan. Once melted, add 2 tablespoons of flour and mix. Once mixed add 1 cup of milk and wisk the ingredients until thickened. Add a dash of salt and pepper plus a dash of nutmeg and a dash of red pepper (to give it a bit of spice). Take the white sauce off the heat then add in the lobster (including juice). Note, if you're cooking lobster newburg for more than 4 people, you'll want to up the amount of sauce.

Once you have combined the lobster and sauce in the saucepan, create a double boiler and keep the lobster newburg mixture cooking on a low heat for 3 to 4 hours so the sauce has a chance to really absorb the flavor of the lobster. The sauce will turn pinkish and the sauce will become increasingly favorful. If any of you don't know how to make a double boiler just let me know and I can explain.

When it comes time to serve, I usually toast saltine crackers in the oven until crisp then pour some of the lobster newburg over the crackers. While simple, this is how we've served lobster newburg in my family for generations and it tastes lovely. I usually accompany the dish with peas.

I'll try to post some pictures of lobster newburg next time I make it.

Welcome to "Notes from a fishing village"

2008-11-23T02:03:00.000-08:00

Well this is my first post on my new blog. I want this blog to capture some of the essence of my upbringing and the wonderful fishing village from which I come. Though I now live and work in London, I am still very close to my roots and proud of my past. My family still live Downeast and always will. My mother emails me almost every day with news of the town and the fishing and a lot of this blog (as I envision it now) will her words, bringing this all to life.