lobster

How To Make Your Own Lobster Rolls

There’s a lot of hubbub in New York, lately, about lobster rolls. Apparently there’s a glut of lobsters (see this New York Magazine article) and new lobster shacks are sprouting up all over the city. My loyalty, as always, belongs to Pearl Oyster Bar which makes the best lobster roll I’ve ever had. But did you know that its chef, Rebecca Charles, once taught me how to make her signature lobster roll for a video Craig and I did for Serious Eats? And did you know that, since then, I’ve made several more lobster rolls–always marveling at how easy it is? Because it is, indeed, very easy. And with lobsters really cheap right now in New York ($5.99 a pound at Citarella) this may turn out to be something you’ll want to do at home too.

What I Ate On My 30th Birthday

My birthday always begins with the Angel of Food hovering over my bed and handing me a pass that says, “EAT FREELY,” which is not so much a mild suggestion, but an absolute imperative. There’s no “maybe I shouldn’t”s on my birthday–the word “shouldn’t” is verbotten, as is “mustn’t” and “oughtn’t” (is oughtn’t a word?)–my mission is a clear one: devour the city in 24 hours or less.

We Eat Rhode Island

I don’t want to call myself a muse–that’d be overstating my case–but for a year I lived with my friend Diana, a fellow graduate of dramatic writing school who spent her time there studying screenwriting even though, from day one, I thought she was a world class playwright. “You should write plays!” I would constantly tell her as she showered or tried to sleep. “Why aren’t you writing plays? I love your playwriting. Write a play!”

Again, I don’t want to take all the credit. But, finally, Diana heeded my advice and wrote a killer play called “Girls on the Clock” that was selected by Brown Uniersity’s Playwrights Rep this summer for a production. The production got great reviews (The Providence Pheonix says: “‘Girls On The Clock’ is a tight little play that’s bound to go places”) and it was with tremendous excitement and great pride that Craig and I joined Diana’s boyfriend, Mark, for a trip to Providence to see our girl’s play. The trip turned into a grand eating adventure, with a Sunday in Newport, and now–after a week to process it all–I’m here to share. So pack your bags and come along….

An Elegy For Summer with Dead Lobster

Alas

the summer

will pass

and autumn will soon descend.

Gather ye lobsters while ye may

and tomatoes too,

my friend.

And make a Pearl lobster roll

like Rebecca taught on the vid;

a final summer love affair

that won’t produce a kid.

Get Away to Kennebunkport

The perfect weekend getaway is one that makes you feel like you’ve been gone for months. That’s how I felt this Sunday night when I came back from a brief trip to Kennebunkport with my friends Patty, Diana and James. We’d only been there 36 hours–we left early Saturday morning (7 am) and returned late Sunday night–and yet I may as well have gone for a jaunt through Europe. It was a fantastic one night trip and if you click ahead, I’ll tell you how we planned it, where we ate, and how you can do the same.

[Note: all pictures in this post are by James Felder, of Snapshot Artifact]

(Lobster) Roll Your Own

I am so excited–I finally get to share with you the lobster roll video Craig and I made for Serious Eats. It features Rebecca Charles, owner of Pearl Oyster Bar, who shares all her trade secrets so you can recreate a Pearl lobster roll at home! If you like this video, please let ’em know over on the Serious Eats page:

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