If you know a bit about the history of lobster, you likely know that lobster has not always been considered a luxury item. Back in the 1600s, lobsters were so abundant they would wash up on beaches. Considered to be ‘poor man’s food,’ lobster was often fed to prisoners and indentured servants by European colonists. […]
Fishermen are known for their superstitions and lobster fishermen are no different from the rest. Maine lobster fishing superstitions differ from harbor to harbor but when I researched them for my book I found five common themes. 1. Some lobster fishermen won’t paint their boats blue, believing that a blue boat brings bad luck. 2. Other lobster fishermen won’t […]
Hip, hip hooray – it’s National Lobster Day! Most Mainers know a thing or two about lobster – from how to catch and cook a lobster to the difference between a Maine and a Connecticut lobster roll (Maine lobster rolls win hands down, don’t they). But you may know less about how lobster has featured in […]
Like people in other specialist fields of work, lobster fishermen use language unique to their profession. Below are a few terms that will likely only be familiar to you if you are part of a lobster fishing family or have spent some time on the decks of a lobster boat. Feel free to add to this […]
A traditional New England clambake can take over eight hours of preparation and cooking time before it is ready to consume. To start, you need to dig a two foot deep pit at the top of a sandy beach. To add an extra layer of authenticity, you should gather the seaweed and dig the clams […]
I am a big fan of authentic fishing villages. I cherish the town of Cutler where I was born and raised and have enjoyed visiting many other lobster fishing villages along the Maine coast through the years. There is something very special – almost sacred – I feel in communities with such an intimate connection to […]
“How many did you catch today?” A voice with thick New York accent called down to my father and me from the top of the wharf as we stood aboard the boat, crating and weighing the lobsters from that day’s fishing. “Is it dangerous out there?” enquired his female companion. My father would give me […]
Today is World Book Day. It has made me reflect on my love of reading and my pride in achieving one of my lifelong goals – becoming a published author. It has been almost three years since I wrote How To Catch A Lobster In Down East Maine. My life has been so consumed […]
In the lead up to the Lunar New Year, I have enjoyed reading about the increased role Maine lobster is playing in this Chinese holiday. According to various articles, lobster is a festive delicacy and an emblem of prosperity. Lobster is also a symbol of good luck to the Chinese, given a cooked crustacean’s bright red color resembles that of a […]
Call me sentimental, but I love Valentine’s Day. From the pastel-colored candy hearts and saccharine card exchanges of my youth to the roses, romantic dinners and chocolate indulgences of adulthood. I have even gone so far as to celebrate the 14th of February in Paris on several occasions. More recently, I have enjoyed researching the role lobster plays in […]
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