Celebrating a Milestone Maine-Style

On Friday we gave you a sneak peek of the lobster next to our slice of cornbread. We would have kicked off our Maine recipes with lobster, but then we realized how close we were to our 100th post. So we saved the good stuff for this special milestone – Boiled Maine Lobster with Butter Sauce.

When we were driving to our cabin in Maine we passed a fish shop that advertised fresh, live Maine lobsters for $4.99/lb. That was enough motivation for us – our first meal in Maine was going to be lobster! We picked up four Maine lobsters that afternoon and brought them back to the cabin.

Mr. N was a lot more brave than we expected. He picked his lobster and was ready to go.

Miss A on the other hand was less brave, but very curious. She asked her daddy to keep her safe while she got a closer look.

Our first step in our grand lobster adventure was to boil a large pot of water. Fortunately the cabin came equipped with a lobster pot.

Once the water was boiling, it was time to add the lobsters. Mr. N was first in line to cook his lobster. First he picked up the lobster by the body cavity and then he was ready to drop it in…

as he got near the water though he got a little nervous and ended up throwing the lobster in the pot. Boiling water splashed everywhere and both Mr. N and I screamed (the lobster didn’t). Much to our surprise, Mr. N looked at us and said he wanted to try it again. With a little coaching he figured out how to slide the lobster into the water without splashing the rest of us. I wish I had a picture of his smile, but at this point I had hidden the camera out of the splash zone. As for Miss A, well she was watching from the next room.

So while the lobsters were boiling, it takes about 12 minutes, we began the butter sauce. We used a recipe we found in the cookbook, Lobster Rolls & Blueberry Pie – Three Generations of Recipes and Stories from Summers on the Coast of Maine by Rebecca Charles and Deborah Di Clementi. (This cookbook came in very handy on this trip.)

We started by dicing up some shallots.

Next we tossed the shallots into a sauce pan with white wine and white wine vinegar and set them to a simmer.

When the liquid reduced to about a tablespoon we began adding the butter pieces to the pan, a few pieces at a time.

Once all the butter was in the pan we whisked it constantly until it was melted. Then it was ready to go.

At this point, our lobsters were done and we removed them from the pot for plating.

We served these beauties alongside our butter sauce and cornbread. This meal was a big hit. Dad and I have always been fans of a good boiled lobster, but this butter sauce was new to us. It was rich and had a bit more zip than a clarified butter. This was easily a 4 spoon meal for us. And as for our harsh critics – they loved it too. They didn’t lap up the butter as much as we did, but they sure ate every last bite of their lobsters. Even Miss A! So this one is an all-around 4 spooner!

It’s not often we have 4 spoons from everyone. In fact it’s only happened 9 out of 100 times – here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here. Thanks again to all of our readers. We really appreciate your comments, support and readership. It means a lot to us. This blogging experience has been more than we ever expected and we truly enjoy it. So thank you for sharing in our adventures. 🙂

Print this recipe: Butter Sauce

Print this recipe: Boiled Maine Lobster

39 thoughts on “Celebrating a Milestone Maine-Style”

    • Kristy says:
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      Thanks Laura! I’m glad to have met you through this process. You were one of our earlier readers! Thanks for all of your kindness and support. It means a lot. Have a great weekend. 🙂

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  2. Charles says:
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    Congratulations! Seems like we celebrated our 100th posts a mere 3 days apart! Go us! Mr N has more guts than me. Live shellfish freak me out… all those squiggly things and feelers, tendrils, little legs scuttling around… usch. Never eaten a whole lobster though… Would love to try it some time! Looks like a delicious meal 🙂

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    • Kristy says:
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      I know! Funny isn’t it?! Thanks for following along with us Charles. I’m happy to have “met” you through this experience. 🙂 Mr. N has more guts than me too. It took me a few days before I joined in on the cooking action. He just jumped right in. You’ll definitely have to try a lobster sometime though – they are soooooooo good!

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  3. Kate@Diethood says:
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    Congrats on your 100th post!!!
    I can’t prepare lobster for the life of me…I just can’t “drop it like it’s hot!” 😉 I would have been standing right next to Miss A…maybe even hiding behind her! 🙂

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    • Kristy says:
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      LOL! Thanks Kate. 🙂 You just need a Mr. N coaching you. Either that, or he’ll be happy to do it for you. Thanks for following along with us Kate. I’m happy to have “met” you – and my kids thank you for the many sweets I pick up from you.

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  5. Caroline says:
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    Congrats on your 100th post!!! That’s so exciting. I love that you and Mr. N screamed, but the lobster didn’t. I for sure would have squealed. I get way too scared. I remember my dad bringing live lobsters home years ago, and I ran upstairs, closed my door and turned music on so I didn’t have to watch/hear the process. I’m sure I’d be tempted to do the same thing today. 🙂

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    • Kristy says:
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      Thanks so much Caroline! It was quite the chaotic kitchen scene for a few moments there, but we all got a good laugh out of it later. I think I would have done the same thing if my parents had cooked these when I was a kid. LOL! Today the absolute tastiness gets me through it. They are just so darned good to eat. 🙂

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  7. smartfoodandfit says:
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    Congrats on your 100 posts, that’s awesome! Ya know I don’t know how many I wrote, need to check. Anyhow, Ms. A is so adorable, that would be me hiding behind the table. My hubby cooked lobster once and we had a difficult time putting those suckers into boiling water, I felt so guilty.Mr. N is so brave and what a great story to tell. So wonderful to see your kids involved in the process! Mr. N will be a chef one day!

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    • Kristy says:
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      It’s funny, we’ve made lobsters before but I had a hard time dropping them in this time. Mr. N finally coaxed me through it though. LOL! Thanks for following along with us Lisa! And who knows – maybe someday Mr. N will be a great, famous chef. If he is – I’m going to have him throw a catered party for all of readers! LOL. 😉

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  9. spicegirlfla says:
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    Your 100th post! Congratulations to all! In sharing your wonderful recipes and family, I’ve come to feel like I know everyone of you! Perfect recipe for this milestone, these are gorgeous lobsters!! I’d definitely give it 4 forks!!

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    • Kristy says:
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      Thanks Linda! We’re so grateful for your readership. And I’m happy to have “met” you through this experience – it’s been so much more than I ever expected. 🙂

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  10. Lemon&Lime says:
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    Congratulations on your 100th post! What an accomplishment!!! I love Maine! My family and I take a road trip there all the time just for the food. Lobsters look great. Might have to make one this weekend and surprise my husband.
    : )
    Jen

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  11. Mary says:
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    congratulations on 100 posts – that’s wonderful. LOVE love love those lobsters and how great of your little boy to be so into the whole experience – I don’t blame your little girl to watch from the other room! Sounds like you had a wonderful time 🙂
    Mary

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    • Kristy says:
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      Thanks Mary! It was a blast. I think we cooked about 10 or 12 lobsters that week. Miss A never seemed to get over her fear; but she did eventually get a little bit closer to check them out. LOL! And Mr. N was just a hoot. He was right there every time wanting to help out. 🙂 Thanks for following along with us Mary!

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  12. Aimee@clevermuffin says:
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    What a great post for you 100th! And confession time: even though I have am pretty good with all meats, where ever they come from, I’ve never cooked lobster. I’ve even done live crabs, but the lobsters kind of freak me out. But ifyour son can then maybe I should revisit this!

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    • Kristy says:
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      Thanks Aimee! You know we’ve never done live crabs. So we’ll try crabs. You try lobsters. (They don’t actually scream – at least not in our experience.) 🙂

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    • Kristy says:
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      Thank you so much! We adore Maine! Can’t wait to get back someday…and in the meantime we’re enjoying reliving our cooking adventures while there. 🙂 Thanks for visiting and commenting!

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  14. Kelly says:
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    Yeah, butter sauce! Love the inclusion of shallots and wine – the only thing I would add is a truckload of garlic 🙂 Our family still can’t get over the fact that lobster is served essentially bare on a plate in Maine…. we’re thinking, “wait a minute, what’s missing here?” A little salad, a little baked potato action, a little garlic butter perhaps?!!!! We have come to pack our own garlic when traveling 🙂

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  15. thefooddoctor says:
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    Congratulations on your 100th post
    Your blog is one I look forward to visiting and Mr N and Miss A adventures never fail to put a smile on my face 🙂
    Hats off to Mr N for his courage I wouldn’t get with in a mile of a lobster! They scare me

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    • Kristy says:
      Reply

      Thank you so much! That means a lot. 🙂 And Mr. N is definitely a brave one. You should have seen him chasing Miss A with one of the leftover shells later that evening. She just kept yelling, “Is it dead? Is it dead?” as she was laughing and running.

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  16. thecompletecookbook says:
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    Congratulations on your 100th post – I am looking forward to being along for the ride for the next 100. 🙂 I think Mr N is very brave – I cannot put anything live into a pot. When we catch crap, I have to leave the room too – I know, I am a big ninny!
    Have a happy day.
    🙂 Mandy

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    • Kristy says:
      Reply

      LOL! I finally dropped one in at the end of the week. Mr. N was far braver than me too. And the funny thing is – I have done it before. LOL! Thanks for following along with us Mandy! 🙂

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  17. Kay aka Babygirl says:
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    CONGRATS IN THE 100 POST!!! You guys deserve all the success in the world.. you know I love this blog. And these lobsters look amazing. And let me just say I don’t blame Miss A… I always used to be scared of lobsters when I was little. I think it was the claws lol. And you know I love the cornbread.

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    • Kristy says:
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      It was definitely the claws…Mr. N being the big brother he is, took one of the cooked (and eaten ones) and was chasing her around with it. She was half laughing, but definitely running as fast as she could! Thanks for always reading and for all of your comments Kay! I’m glad to have “met” you through this experience!

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