Celebrate National Lobster Day by Brian Schwartz

Initially, lobsters were considered as the "poor man's" food. Ever since they managed to ship lobsters, they've become a sophisticated much sought after delicacy to grace many a dinner table. If that's not good enough a reason to celebrate National Lobster Day, what is?

A lobster is a fine treat for any occasion, but celebrating National Lobster Day gives you a special reason to enjoy these crustacean delights. National Lobster Day celebrated on the 15th of June each year may not be an official holiday as far as work is concerned but you can make merry all the same with a groovy lobster concoction.

So, where do you get your live lobster on National Lobster Day? Do you just hop down to your local supermarket and buy one that's been struggling for survival in a tank or do you go online and get a fresh live lobster straight off the coast of Maine? If you're really keen on getting the perfect lobster to grace your dinner table forget about the supermarket. The poor creature at your store has probably lost most of its meat in its scuffle to stay alive. Instead, go online and pick a meaty lobster that will get to your doorstep alive and kicking. What's more, you can choose one with all the trimmings like lobster bibs, clams, steamers, little necks, napkins and forks to name a few.

Now that you know where to get fresh live lobsters, you probably need help whipping up a delicious lobster delight to commemorate the occasion. There are several ways to cook lobsters. You can boil them, steam them, grill or bake them. But no matter which way you decide to go, the result is always spectacular.

Here are some tips to cook that perfect lobster on National Lobster Day.

Boiling is the easiest and most popular way of cooking live lobsters. All you have to do is fill a large pot with three quarters of water and proceed to boil this water. Dip the lobsters in headfirst and submerge them completely. Cover the pot and cool the lobsters for 15-20 minutes. You can tell if the lobster is cooked when it turns red and you can pull out its antennae easily. Serve warm with hot melted butter.

If you intend steaming your lobster on National Lobster Day, here's how you go about it. Fill a large kettle with about two inches of salted water and bring to a boil. Dip in the live lobster and cover the kettle. Steam for about 13-20 minutes depending on how much the lobster weighs. Serve with exotic dips and fresh lemons.

To grill a lobster, fill a kettle half full with salted water. Dip the live lobsters and boil for a few minutes only. Remove the lobsters and drain them. Crack the claws and use a knife to split the tails near the ribs. Put them on a grill for about 10 minutes and flip them so that both sides get grilled nicely. Garnish with juicy lemons and serve hot.

If you intend baking a lobster, you'll have to kill it first. Split the lobster lengthwise and remove the yellowish sac from the sides of the head. Heat the oven to about 200 degrees centigrade. Detach the claws, place them on a baking pan and cook for about 8-10 minutes. Remove the baking pan from the oven and add the halves of the lobster with their fleshy sides up. You could also dab them with melted butter and lemon juice and bake them for another ten minutes.

National Lobster Day may not be as important as Christmas, Thanksgiving or a wedding. But nevertheless if you love eating lobsters, it gives you another excuse to celebrate and savor this wonderful specimen.

Celebrate, anytime of year, anywhere in the country, with the finest live lobster from LongLiveLobster.com - Happy Cracking!