Lobster ~ It's an East Coast thing

December 27, 2009

My parents are recent transplants to the Canadian Maritimes. My brother & I were born and grew up in the same town where my mother was born, grew up and married in. My dad was also born there, grew up various places but returned as a newlywed to start a family with my mom.

Growing up, Christmas dinners were lutefisk, (you don't want to know but you can google it and find out that I grew up eating cod fish soaked in lye for Christmas), Swedish meatballs, Scottish shortbread, lefse, flatbread and the usual turkey and all the trimmings.

Nowadays we still eat a bird sometime around the holidays. This year's bird feast was today. Locally grown, lived-a happy-life (ie: organic, free range) chicken. But Christmas Day the main meal was lobster. A decidedly Atlantic tradition and a new one to our family.

Personally, I don't like lobster. It reminds me too much of eating insects. I'm content with, or rather will choke down, a claw or tail piece drenched in butter. But this prairie raised girl much prefers the old fashioned bird with mashed potatoes and gravy. Lots of gravy.

We're still celebrating here with my parents and my brother's family but will be leaving soon for a short tour through Quebec, taking the very round about way home to Maine. I think my body is ready to be done feasting but I'm looking forward to the coming days of adventure and discovery.