I was planning on making a risotto for dinner, but wasn't sure what I'd put in it. I took a stroll through Union Market with our enormous stroller carrying a sick youngster, and stumbled across a basket of "lobster mushrooms." Hmmmm. An unexpected find, and completely new to me. They were pinkish/red, gnarly, and sounded like they'd be a great addition to the perfectly deveined and cleaned shrimp Union Market sells at the fish counter, so I picked up a few:

I also grabbed a couple shiitake mushrooms for variety. And then while i was at the fish counter getting the shrimp, i saw these yummy little bay scallops calling to me. So this quickly turned into a lobster and shiitake mushroom risotto with shrimp and bay scallops, and peas. Oh, and tarragon. Because I always think of tarragon when I think of lobster... a memory I attribute to my father's love for a silver palate cookbook recipe for "Lobster Tarragon" which I don't think I ever actually ate, but recall being cooked multiple times. Ironically i was not actually using lobster in this recipe (sniff, sniff) but still, tarragon sounded nice. 

I cooked the risotto as usual, though I omitted the thyme and put in a few diced lobster mushrooms with the onion at the start thinking I'd infuse their flavor throughout. I then sauteed the mushrooms, shrimp, and scallops (separately, in that order, in the same pan) and tossed on top of the risotto:

Conclusion? Lobster mushrooms look amazing in the store, but are not nearly as amazing at home. They were a bit bark-like, though I did appreciate the rosy color they shed on the shrimp and scallops. Their flavor was, um, meh. I preferred the shiitake mushrooms 100%. That said, the shrimp and scallops were wonderful, and the risotto itself was heart warming as usual. 

OK, so we're halfway through August (egads, even more than half!), and if you haven't had your summertime fix of lobster and steamers yet, I ask you to do so immediately. Lobster and steamers is hands-down my favorite summertime meal. Of course I love a good bbq with ribs, pulled pork, and all the trimmings, but in July and August its hard to beat steamers and lobster. While in Maine a few weeks ago I was lucky enough to pick up incredibly fresh seafood at the Beach Plum, which made for a perfect vacation-home-cooked dinner. A few shots of the process, with a recipe following:  Here's my approach, which i think was the best version I've ever made:

Ingredients:

• 1 lb steamers
• 1 & 3/4 lb Lobster
• 2 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
• 3 Tablespoons melted, unsalted butter

Process:

• Soak the steamers in cold water for 5 minutes, and drain. Do this 3-4 times until you no longer see sand in the water. 
• In a large pot, bring 2 inches of water (with the salt) to a boil and reduce the heat to medium. 
• Drop in your lobster, cover and cook for 8 minutes
• Add the steamers, cover and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes until the steamers open
• Remove the steamers as they open to a serving bowl
• After a total of 12 minutes, remove the lobster and set in a plastic bowl for 5-10 minutes
• Meanwhile, ladle out some of the broth from the pot (hopefully without any sand) into a clean serving bowl
• While the lobster is resting, eat your steamers! Dip each removed clam into the broth, then the bowl of melted butter, then drop into your mouth. Amazing!
• After you've eaten your steamers, come back to your lobster, set it on a cutting board and give it a good whack with the back of a chef's knife along the side of each claw to help you cracking at the table, and also drain any excess water. Hold the lobster up by its tail with the claws down and drain any water over the sink. 
• Serve on a plate, break open as you desire and and eat away with more of that melted butter

And if you're lucky enough to have a wife like mine who enjoys baking (and is insanely good at it), end the meal with some homemade blueberry pie with wild maine blueberries:

Footbridge Lobster is a newer establishment in Perkins Cove, ME, and their sign is hard to figure. You just don't know what you're going to get from a place like this:

Kinda feels like they would be great at serving up french fries and ice cream, but a well-made lobster roll? No clue. Turns out they know what they are doing, here's my take:

Price: $14

Bun: They get it too... a buttered, griddle-grilled bun. Well executed. 

Lobster solo: Unlike most places, they ask you how you'd like it: Mayo-mixed, mayo on the side, or butter on the side. I opted for mayo mixed to keep the playing field level and I was happy with the result. The presentation wasn't the greatest (tail pieces not actually cut through, felt like a factory-made type thing), but the meat was well cooked and had just the tiniest bit of mayo. 

Finxins: Very very light on the mayo, and then nothing else. I was really surprised by this one. 

Overall: For $14 this is a darn good lobster roll. I wish the presentation was a bit better, and I've learned that I do like a bit more mayo and a dusting of paprika... but this was definitely a worthy roll. Compared to its $20 neighbor at the lobster shack I'd have to pick this one. That said, they have nowhere to sit, so you gotta take this roll for a walk! But the "footbridge" just 15 feet away does make for a lovely place to stand and chow down a lobster roll: 

Oarweeds is a sort of institution for my extended family. My sister's rehearsal dinner was there, they know my parents by name and face, and I think every single time I've visited my parents in Maine we've had dinner or lunch there. My favorite memories of their lobster roll are with my big sister Pam, eating lunch during summer over rolls and strawberry daiquiris. I'm not normally a daiquiri kind of guy, but serve up a sweet rum drink on a hot day along side a lobster roll and I'm pretty happy. Tonight however, my wife and I were having dinner at Oarweeds with our 5-yr old son. I still opted for rum and had a pretty killer planters rum punch with an appetizer of steamers (which were amazing), and of course, a lobster roll. Here's my take of the roll:

 

Price: $18, as a dinner item. It's $15 for lunch. 

Bun: Again, they know the drill: buttered and griddle-grilled perfectly. 

Lobster solo: Still a bit warm which was nice, and served with a moderate amount of mayo, and a dusting of paprika. Buttery, tender, really a very good bite of lobster. Maybe just a bit overcooked, but I'm being really really picky here. 

Finxins: Good amount of mayo and a bit of paprika on top. 

Overall: This was a very good roll... one of the best from this spat of lobster roll reviews. I'd suggest going for lunch to save $3,  but regardless its a great roll. Plenty of meat, the right amount of mayo, and just a hint of paprika on top. 

In search of a quick no fuss lunch on an overcast vacationing Thursday, my wife offered to hit up the Lobster Shack for takeout again while I put the littlest one down for a nap. I figured this was my chance to see if the LS had lost their stuff, or if my memory had completely failed me... And so I asked Lori to pick me up the mega roll (my name for it, not theirs). The roll i got earlier in the week was relatively lame, and I was excited to see if the mega roll could deliver. Here's my take:

Price: $20 (yikes!). This was the most expensive roll I had all week. 

Bun: A well done buttered and griddle-grilled roll, same as the wimpy roll. 

Lobster solo: Still very well cooked. With some big chunks this time, and a healthy amount of mayo. 

Finxins: Same treatment as before, they only use Mayo. But they are a bit heavy-handed. 

Overall: This was waaaaay better than the wimpy roll. The amount of meat was right, and the quality of meat was a huge improvement. They have become mayo fanatics which is too bad, but its not insane or anything... it could just be cut back a bit. Its definitely a solid roll, and I'm glad my memory is not totally failing me. I think $20 is kind of insane though considering the other two establishments that are within 50 yards make damn fine rolls for 5 bucks less. Though every roll comes with a cup of chowder, so 20 smackers for a roll and chowder ain't bad... except when you don't want that chowder. 

Red's Eats in Wiscasset, ME is truly in a class of it's own. It has this cache about it that surpasses what it could ever deliver on, but all summer long there is a 1-to-2 hour long wait in line to get their world-famous lobster roll. I arrived with my loving wife (and without my loving children thanks to my loving parents) at about 2:15 on a wednesday afternoon. Past what most people would consider "normal" lunchtime, I was greeted with this line:

It was a 92 degree scorcher in Maine, and the sun was relentless in our line up the hill. My loving wife left me for some quaint country shopping, while I stood in line and read fascinating facebook updates for the next hour and a half. When I crested the hill and placed my order, I was left with another 15 minute wait to stare at the Red's scene:

Well, truth be told, the wait was worth it. I'll get to the food itself in a minute, but man the staff at Red's really knows their road-side manner. When my number is finally called over the speaker I walk up to the window and the women at the counter is wrapping up our fries:

"Ok honey, these are your fries with no salt - you add what you want right here - and of course ketchup is on the side in the bag."

"Thank you," i say. 

She continues, "My sister is just finishing up your fried clams now, but i'm going to wrap up your lobster rolls real tight." 

And just before she wraps the first one up, she says in a sort of under her breath sigh that I honestly think was not meant for my ears, "Wow. Look at this one. This one's a beautte. Mmmm, mmm, mm." And she continues to wrap it up in foil. She wraps up the second without comment, and then the clams come out. "Would you look at this. Wooo, don't these look beautiful? My sister just cooked these up."

"Amazing," I say. And then quickly add, "By the way, that fried shrimp you gave away to us in line was outstanding. Best I've ever had."

Turning to her sister, "Hey, this fella' here just says those shrimp were the best he's ever had."

"Thank ya!" says her sister.  

"Now you enjoy yourself with this lunch. Napkins, forks and knives are right here, everything else is in your bags," and with that she sends me off. I'm totally enamored. And when I get to the oceanside (or is this a river?) dock my loving wife has scouted out far away from the road-side traffic, I unroll this: 

And she unrolls this:  

And together, we enjoy our meals: 

Now, onto the Lobster-roll-a-thon review: 

Price: $15 (seriously? everyone else charges the same but for 1/4 the lobster.)