The lobster is a type of marine crustacean that lives at the bottom of the ocean. Lobsters, particularly "American lobsters," which are commonly found in Maine, are a popular and expensive type of seafood. There are many ways to prepare lobster in delicious meals.
The most common way to prepare lobster is to simply boil the lobster and eat it whole. It is possible to purchase live lobsters straight from a tank; often, you can hand-pick the lobster that you'd like to eat. The lobster will then be placed in a pot of boiling water, where it will turn from a brownish green to its trademark bright red shade.
A similar method of preparing lobster is to steam it in a pot, where it is placed in a container held over boiling water, without actually being immersed. In both methods, the lobster can be delivered whole to the diner, who will then use a nutcracker to crack open the claws and body where the meat is found. Often, the diner will dip the lobster meat in melted butter before eating it.
Some people do not like to prepare lobster this way, because it can be messy to break apart the claws. For those who would rather not prepare lobster at the table, it is possible to order lobster tails as a separate dish in many restaurants. With lobster tails, the meat has already been detached from the body. Another way to prepare lobster is in a lobster roll, where the lobster meat is placed inside a bun. Lobster rolls are common at many roadside stands in Maine, most notably Red's, in the town of Wiscasset.
Another way to prepare lobster is "lobster Newburg," a dish in which lobster meat is stirred into a cream sauce. This sauce is then poured over toast, or sometimes used to fill crepes or pour over pasta. A way to prepare lobster that is often made at restaurants is "lobster Thermador," a French dish in which lobster tail meat is cooked, mixed with Bechamel sauce, then broiled and topped with Parmesan cheese.
Other common ways to prepare lobster include lobster chili, lobster bisque, and a lobster bake, in which lobsters are grilled over a fire pit along with vegetables. It is also possible to prepare lobster in exotic recipes, such as lobster cheesecake, lobster fritters, and lobster and egg sandwich.