The Worcester domestic science school's one year course laboratory cook book

tion of lower part of abdomen and fan-like tail. It never goes forward except by crawling. All legs developed from swimmeretts. Each leg operated by 2 muscles. Large claws are for defense. The antennae are used for feeling and smelling. The lobster lives mostly on animal life or anything he can get hold of. He is the scavenger of the ocean. LOBSTERS. (Demonstration in cooking live lobsters, opening boiled lobsters and the making of lobster cutlets and lobster salad). The largest and best lobsters are found in Atlantic waters, the very best being those found between Maine and New Jersey. Lobsters are in season from April to September, but can be obtained throughout the year. In season, they are never lower than 17c a pound; while, in the winter, they sometimes go as high as 35c a pound. The average weight is 1 pound, and the average length 10 to 15 inches. It is economy to get a large lobster, because there is less waste of shell in proportion to size. When taken from the sea, the lobster's shell is green; though sometimes it is red, if the lobster is taken from a sandy bottom. When cooked, the shell turns red. The lobster always consists of : (1) — a body. (3) — 2 large claws. (2) — a tail. (4) — 1 pairs small claws. On the lower side of the body in front of large claws are various small organs which surround the mouth. Under the tail are several pair of appendages. The stomach of the lobster is poisonous. In preparing a lobster, wTe discard the stomach and the intestinal tract. The coral is found only in the female lobsters. They are the ovaries. These are often dried and used for a garnish. They lie along the back of lobster. To distinguish the male from the female: The feelers are soft in the female, and hard in the male. The feelers are small — resemblingsmall spikes. TO BOIL A LIVE LOBSTER. Have plenty of water in a kettle boiling briskly. A trivet should be placed in the bottom of the kettle. For about 5 quarts water add 2 T. salt. Pick up lobster by back of body. Immerse lobster in kettle, put on cover and boil 18 to 20 minutes, according to size. If the lobster is fresh and good, the tail should be doubled under and the claws cramped up in front when lobster is cooked. TO SELECT A BOILED LOBSTER. Take up in the hand and if heavy in proportion to size, the lobster is fresh. Straighten the tail, and if it springs rapidly into place, the lobster was alive when put into pot to boil. Dark, black-streaked, hard shells are full of meat; thin shells contain watery meat, and there is great waste. TO OPEN A LOBSTER, Remove claws, large and small ; separate tail from body — just break off. Tail-meat may be drawn out with a silver fork. Always use silver or wooden utensils. It is usually necessary to cut parts of the shell in the tail to remove the meat. Separate tail-meat through the center, and remove small intestinal vein which runs the entire length. If one tries not to break this in removing tail-meat from shell, it will be easier to remove. This must be wholly taken out and discarded. Hold body-shell firmly in left hand, and with first two fingers and thumb of right hand draw out the body, and leave the stomach in the shell. The stomach is in the upper part of body near the head.