The Lobster, Considered (Then Eaten)
Lobsters. Spiders of the sea. Bottom-dwelling bugs whose flesh requires an array of tools and a healthy supply of brute force to access. When you think about it, they seem an unlikely candidate as a luxury foodstuff, and, as David Foster Wallace pointed out in his 2004 essay Consider the Lobster , they were originally considered a cheap and plentiful source of protein for the poor. Now, of course, they're for special occasions and seaside treats. Or, if you have a couple friends who are willing to pitch in some cash for your crustaceans, backyard dinner parties. A girlfriend requested lobster rolls after seeing my prior post about Rhode Island: soft, top-sliced buns stuffed with a mixture of lobster meat, mayo, and green onions. Here in central Ohio, we have a surprisingly large number of lobster purveyors, including The Fish Guys at The North Market, and The Lobstah Shack in Mt. Vernon...someplace I've not had the opportunity to try, but have been ...