The Seafood News
5 Maine Lobster Comfort Foods for the Winter
Maine lobster is regarded far and wide as an iconic and mouthwatering summertime treat. Its distinctive red shell is the star attraction at many a family celebration and it is beloved by tourists and locals alike for its sweet, savory meat.
Yes, lobster is the best. But it’s mostly a summertime thing, right? Wrong.
Little-known fact: Not only does it taste just as sensational all winter long (and we do mean “loooong”), at Weathervane Seafood Restaurants we’ve got some great recipes that turn our clawed crustacean friend into a cold-weather comfort food that’s guaranteed to warm your spirits as well as your stomach. (* Bib and cracking tool not required.)
Catching Lobster in Winter
In fact, lobster is arguably even more special in the dead of winter. Here’s why. New England lobstermen are a legendarily hearty breed and, believe it or not, many of these intrepid souls fish right through the winter — handling whatever Mother Nature dishes out so we can continue to dish up delicious lobster-based meals all year round.
Plus, as if the ultra-cold temperatures and shorter, darker days weren’t enough, the job becomes even more challenging because research from UNH and the Gulf of Maine Research Institute shows that lobsters migrate offshore in the winter and spring and inshore in the summer and fall. This means the men and women of the working waterfront are literally going the extra mile (sometimes many of them) to haul their traps and land their precious catch.
Fortunately, they take care of the hardest part. Next, we purchase pounds and pounds of locally sourced lobster and perform our magic in the Weathervane kitchen. Your part, we are pleased to report, is quite a bit easier. Simply show up at one of our restaurant locations in Maine and New Hampshire with an appetite.
Eating Lobster in Winter
You’ll find our menu stocked with lobster options you may have never tried before. For example:
Lazy Man Lobster – OK, nobody’s saying you’re lazy. In fact, we know you work darn hard, so why not treat yourself to this satisfying dish. We shuck two Maine lobsters and serve ’em up in drawn butter. Less mess, more meat.
Lobster Pie – We take the tender meat of a whole lobster, add in our buttery crabmeat stuffing and bake it to perfection.
Fresh Fried Lobster Tails – Picture two freshly steamed Maine lobster tails …split, battered and fried until golden brown.
Baked Stuffed Seafood Combo – A delicious dish brimming with shrimp, scallops, haddock and – the star attraction – fresh lobster.
Lobster Bisque – Rich and creamy with just a hint of sherry, served piping hot in a warm, crusty bread bowl.
Of course, you can always opt for such favorites as our classic Maine lobster rolls and traditional single or twin lobster dinners. We serve them fresh every day, just as we have since Ray and Bea Gagner opened the original Weathervane location in Kittery back in 1969. But our experience has taught us that people are always hungry for additional ways to enjoy the lobster experience.
So no matter what the calendar or the thermometer says — whether it’s warm outside or the weather is frightful — every day is a good day for lobster at Weathervane Seafood Restaurants. We hope you’ll stop by and see us soon. We’ve got a lobster with your name on it!
