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Granvillle
Island
Bridges Lobster
Festival
 Lobsters
rule the Bridges patio this Canada Day long
weekend. From June 30 until July 2nd, the Granville
Island institution plays host to Vancouver's only
annual Lobster Festival.
Chef Réal
Seguin will hold court outdoors with a giant
portable lobster steamer likely to see at least 600
of the clawed Nova Scotia critters weighing in at
one pound each. Served with fresh corn on the cob
and house made potato salad, this $25 Canadian
delicacy will be offered to the over 6,000 patrons
expected to visit the patio during the long
weekend.
Below and
attached please find a history of the lobster, as
well as Real's cooking tips, favourite recipe, and
many facts that you probably didn't know about
these clawed creatures. Cooking upwards of 600 in
one weekend alone, it would be fair to say that
Real is an expert in the art of preparing lobsters.
If you are interested in doing any stories about
lobster season, fresh summer meal ideas, or things
to do on the Canada Day long weekend, please let us
know as Réal would love to share his
expertise on the preparation of this well loved
delicacy.
The History of
the Lobster
From poverty
food and field fertilizer to a high priced, sought
after delicacy, the history of the lobster spans
hundreds of years as well as social classes. There
was once a time when East Coast lobsters were so
bountiful that our First Nations used them
predominantly as hook bait for fishing, field
fertilizer, and for ornamentation. Lobsters didn't
fare much better with the arrival of the European
settlers, who considered the overly abundant clawed
creatures "poverty food". Harvested from tidal
pools, they were served to children, prisoners, and
indentured servants. In fact, so unpopular were the
beasts, that in Massachusetts, many servants
finally rebelled, having clauses added to their
contracts ensuring that they would not be forced to
eat lobster more than three times a
week.
By the 1830's,
the lobster's popularity was on the rise, and the
practice of canning lobster meat became common,
with the cost of canned lobster actually
surpassing (!) the cost of fresh in the
second half of the century. By the early 20th
century, North American 'society' had developed a
preference for fresh lobster, bringing about the
highly commercialized exportation and shipping of
frozen and vacuum packed meat that is seen
today.
This burgeoning
demand caused dwindling stocks and over fishing,
and by the 1940's, lobsters had officially achieved
delicacy status. The booming war time economy meant
that people could afford to splurge on small
luxuries such as lobster, and although immediately
after the war there was a decline in lobster
purchases, the industry soon recovered and
consumption rapidly rebounded.
Today, the
northern lobster is considered to be the World's
choicest by seafood gourmets. High demand for its
mild sweet taste has led governmental agencies in
both Canada and the United States to strictly
regulate the industry, ensuring longevity for once
diminishing stocks. And in our health conscious
society, the popularity of lobster is bolstered by
the fact that it is lower in fat, cholesterol, and
calories than even lean white chicken
meat.
Fast
Facts
• The
Mi'kmaq and Malseet Indians of Atlantic Canada
fished the ocean for lobsters hundreds of years
before the arrival of European settlers. Their use
for the crustacean included food, fertilizer, and
ornamental material.
• In the
early days, lobsters were so plentiful that they
could often be found on the beach at low tide and
would wash up on the shore during large
storms.
• In 1850,
lobster traps were invented. Made from a
combination of wood and metal, they ensure that
only appropriately sized lobsters are caught by
having a opening and vents that allows smaller
creatures to walk back out while trapping larger
sized creatures.
• Since
1998, the minimum size at which a Canadian lobster
can be captured is 3 3/16 inches from its eye
socket to the beginning of its tail. At this size
they weigh usually just over one pound. Lobsters
that qualify for the Canadian minimum but not the
American minimum of 3 1/4 inches are not allowed to
be imported into the U.S.
• Legally,
any egg bearing female lobsters that are caught
must be released. The average breeding female
lobster can produces approximately 10,000
eggs.
o
Inshore lobsters can migrate five to six miles a
year, while off shore lobsters can travel up to 273
miles in the same amount of time.
• Lobsters
grow by shedding their shells, molting between
20-25 times between hatching and reaching maturity.
It usually takes five to seven growing seasons for
a lobster to mature, depending on water
temperatures. Contrary to general perception, their
shells are naturally dark and greenish black or
blue in colour, turning bright orange only when
cooked.
• In the
wild, lobsters can often go without eating for six
months at a time.
• In most
years, lobster season usually runs from May until
July, when molting and breeding are at their peak
(although it can sometimes extend into the
fall).
• For
lobstermen in Maine, the hub of the lobster
industry in the U.S., a gang-like hierarchy exists
based on skill and family ties. Each gang claims
and defends fishing territory which not only
ensures a continued livelihood for its members, but
also conserves the limited resources from over
exploitation.
• Canada
exports approximately 14,528 tons with a value of
CDN$192 million.
About Bridges
Bistro Chef Réal Seguin
Réal
Seguin has been the driving force in Bridges'
bistro and bar kitchen for the past sixteen
years. A native of Quebec, Réal began
working in the local hotels before following his
passion for skiing to Banff. After a short
break as on owner /operator of a restaurant in
Edmonton, Réal joined the Bridges team to
direct a kitchen that produces the highest volume
per square foot of any facility in Vancouver.
On a good summer day Réal's team will plate
meals for two thousand guests. A keen
advocate of simple west coast cuisine, Réal
never loses his Quebecois flair, whether it's in
his Pernod laced seafood chowder or his Grilled
Albacore Tuna Nicoise. Réal has always had a
special passion for lobster, and after sixteen
years at Bridges, has managed to perfect the art of
creating the perfect lobster based
meal.
Tips for Eating
Lobster
1.
2. Wear a bib!
(water can squirt at the least expected
moment)
3. Twist off the
claws.
4. Crack each
claw and knuckle with a lobster or nut cracker.
Remove the meat.
5. Separate the
tail from the body and break off the tail flippers.
Extract the meat from each flipper.
6. Insert a fork
and push the tail meat out in one piece. Remove and
discard the black vein that runs the entire length
of the tail meat.
7. Separate the
shell of the body from the underside by pulling
them apart and discard the green substance called
the tomalley.
8. Open the
underside of the body by cracking it apart in the
middle, with the small walking legs on either side.
Extract the meat from the leg joints and the legs
themselves by biting down on the leg and squeezing
the meat out with your teeth.
Pairing
Tips
Wine: Lobster
meat possesses a light, almost sweet flavour,
requiring pairings of a similar nature. Champagne
and Sauvignon Blanc are frequently served alongside
a lobster based meal. Other wines that can also
make an excellent match include Riesling, Pinot
Gris, and fine, oaky Chardonnays.
Meat: The surf
and turf is a popular and traditional pairing
involving the tail of a fresh lobster and a juicy
steak--typically filet, rib-eye, or New York strip.
Lobster meat can also be used as an ingredient in
seafood stews and casseroles along with other shell
fish.
Sauces: Lobster
Mousse, fresh lemon, a classic tomato cocktail
sauce, cream based sauces
Vegetables: Baby
greens, Asian vegetables (such as bok choy), baked
potato, corn on the cob…anything fresh and
seasonal makes a great pairing with
lobster.
Réal's
Purchasing Tips
When you are
purchasing a live lobster, check first for a reflex
reaction in the eyes, antennas and claws. They
should show no signs of damage from fighting or
have any pieces missing before purchase. Females
are usually heavier and offer better value than
males, and in Real's opinion have a better flavour.
The northern Lobster (fished on the east coast of
Canada and the US) can weigh more than three
pounds, but the size commonly sold in markets is
one to two pounds.
Réal's
Lobster Recipe
Poached Lobster
in Court-Bouillon
To prepare your
court-bouillon, bring to a boil four litres of
water containing:
-one large
onion
-two medium
carrots
-two celery
sticks
-one large clove
of garlic
-two cups of dry
white wine,
-half a cup of
white vinegar,
-two sprigs of
thyme,
-three dry bay
leaves,
-salt and
pepper
Allow to simmer
for 20 minutes. Then drop your live lobster into
the mixture and let cook at a full boil for ten
minutes (for a one pound lobster) or 14 minutes
(for a 1 ? pound lobster). Then remove the lobster
from the court-bouillon, crack the claws, and cut
the body in half lengthwise. Serve it with hot
melted butter (regular or garlic).
Enjoy!
604.736.9717
office
604.736.9714
fax
604.916.7798
cell
sarah@freshstrategy.com
http://www.freshstrategy.com/
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