The lobster comes next in line, and is considered the
highest order of the crustaceans. The largest are found
in the Atlantic from Maine to New Jersey, but they
are very abundant on the Massachusetts coast. The
largest I ever saw was in the Washington Market, New
York, and it weighed twenty-five pounds. The meat
of a lobster of this size would not be good. The best
weight is about two pounds. The natural color of the
lobster is a dark bluish green, but when they are
cooked they change to a beautiful red. Lobsters are
caught in traps and pots by the lobster fishers, who
72 SCIENTIFIC COOKING.
f^hip them alive to the market. The lobster starts dur-
ing the month of IMarch to leave the deep water, where
he spends his winters, and makes his way to the coast.
The lobster is usually boiled when he is taken from
the trap, excepting those that are put into cold storage
to be shipped to markets of distant cities, where they
require them to be delivered to them alive. The fresh-
ness of the lobster is to be carefully considered, as
they are coarse feeders and are easy to be infected with
ptomain.
To Determine the Freshness of the Lobster.
Choose one heavy in proportion to the size. The
smell wants to be fresh and the tail wants to spring
back to place quickly if it has been freshly boiled.
To Boil a Lobster.
Have in your kettle enough boiling water to cover
the lobster well, and add a tablespoonful of salt to the
water. Take the lobster by the back and plunge him
in head first as quickly as it is possible. Boil fast for
three or four minutes, then simmer for thirty minutes.
Opening the Lobster.
Pull off the two large claws and the four pairs of
small ones. Separate the tail and body by bending
them back in the hands, and with a pair of scissors,
kept in the kitchen for such uses, cut the inside of
tail shell and bend it back slightly, when you can pull
out the tail meat in a single piece. Turn and use care
to remove the intestine, that you will find runs the
entire length. This vein is always visible, but will vary
in color, being white, red and black. In the body is
found "the lady," or stomach, which you leave. If
OYSTERS AND SIIELL-FISH. 73
there is any coral, reserve it for decorating purposes.
Pull out the woolly gills found in the body, and take
out any bits of meat found between them. Disjoint
the large claws, cut the shell (if not too hard) and
remove the meat as whole as possible. Take the meat
from the small claws with a skewer, being careful not
to break them. Wash them and reserve them for deco-
tion. They make a beautiful garnish with parsley or
curled celery.
Crabs.
There is quite a variety of crabs. The blue crab
is the one we serve as food. They are found on the
Atlantic and Gulf coasts. In the South they use a
great many crabs. I saw quantities of them in the
New Orleans market. The soft-shell crab is considered
a great delicacy. The oyster crabs found inside the
shells of oysters are usually so few in number that they
are only used as a garnish.
Deviled Crabs.
Page 33
Presented as published in 1911. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
The lobster comes next in line, and is considered the highest order of the crustaceans. The largest are found in the Atlantic from Maine to New Jersey, but they are very abundant on the Massachusetts coast. The largest I ever saw was in the Washington Market, New York, and it weighed twenty-five pounds. The meat of a lobster of this size would not be good. The best weight is about two pounds. The natural color of the lobster is a dark bluish green, but when they are cooked they change to a beautiful red. Lobsters are caught in traps and pots by the lobster fishers, who
ship them alive to the market. The lobster starts during the month of March to leave the deep water, where he spends his winters, and makes his way to the coast. The lobster is usually boiled when he is taken from the trap, excepting those that are put into cold storage to be shipped to markets of distant cities, where they require them to be delivered to them alive. The freshness of the lobster is to be carefully considered, as they are coarse feeders and are easy to be infected with ptomain.
To Determine the Freshness of the Lobster.
Choose one heavy in proportion to the size. The smell wants to be fresh and the tail wants to spring back to place quickly if it has been freshly boiled.
To Boil a Lobster.
Have in your kettle enough boiling water to cover the lobster well, and add a tablespoonful of salt to the water. Take the lobster by the back and plunge him in head first as quickly as it is possible. Boil fast for three or four minutes, then simmer for thirty minutes.
Opening the Lobster.
Pull off the two large claws and the four pairs of small ones. Separate the tail and body by bending them back in the hands, and with a pair of scissors, kept in the kitchen for such uses, cut the inside of tail shell and bend it back slightly, when you can pull out the tail meat in a single piece. Turn and use care to remove the intestine, that you will find runs the entire length. This vein is always visible, but will vary in color, being white, red and black. In the body is found "the lady," or stomach, which you leave. If
OYSTERS AND SHELL-FISH. 73
there is any coral, reserve it for decorating purposes. Pull out the woolly gills found in the body, and take out any bits of meat found between them. Disjoint the large claws, cut the shell (if not too hard) and remove the meat as whole as possible. Take the meat from the small claws with a skewer, being careful not to break them. Wash them and reserve them for decotion. They make a beautiful garnish with parsley or curled celery.
Crabs.
There is quite a variety of crabs. The blue crab is the one we serve as food. They are found on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. In the South they use a great many crabs. I saw quantities of them in the New Orleans market. The soft-shell crab is considered a great delicacy. The oyster crabs found inside the shells of oysters are usually so few in number that they are only used as a garnish.
Deviled Crabs.