Friday, October 06, 2006

Maine’s Senator Olympia Snowe is Steaming About Impostor Lobsters


That lobster you think you’re getting may be a langostino cloaked in a lobster appellation. Senator Snowe is fighting to keep langostino from being passed off as lobster. It’s costing Maine lobstermen $44 million in lost sales according to the Maine Lobster Promotion Council. A restaurant chain in California was sued last year by customers for serving a lobster burrito with langostino in it instead of lobster. So, ask, "Are those lobster bites, really lobster?"

4 comments:

Marion said...

Good morning, Sheila!

I don't think I have ever tasted real lobster...most of it is langostino passed off as lobster.

I'm glad something is being done about it! Langostino is good, but I would like to try a real lobster one of these days!

Sheila said...

Hi Marion. I might have had lobster before but never a whole one. I don't have a problem with langostino--but don't call it lobster if it's not.

Which brings to mind Parmesano Reggiano from Parma, Italy. This is the finest, and region is justified in wanting to protect the quality. PR is not even close to Kraft and other kinds of parmesan cheese.

Anonymous said...

Hi Sheila and Marion

I've never had either lobster or langostino but this looks like a fearsome looking creature whatever it is! I have seen people working with lobster on cookery programmes. It always looks like there's an art to eating it!

Sheila said...

Naomi,
When whole lobster is served in the U.S., it's quite a production with a big bib and pliers and scissors and folks to get at the meat. I've never had the pleasure. Crab legs are enough of a challenge for me.