On the Lobster Roll Trail
By Shari Randall
I confess: I’m a fraud. For two reasons.
Here I am on Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen, and trust me, I’m not
a cook. I have more take out places on speed dial than I have cook books. When
Peg Cochran asked me to visit, I jumped at the chance. In the same way
I enjoy watching the mastery of cooks on Iron
Chef, I enjoy the recipes cooked up by these talented authors.
Writing About Lobsters
I had to be reassured when my publisher asked me to write a
mystery series set in a lobster shack. No recipes required. I’ve never even
cooked a lobster! But my publisher wanted New England charm, a different kind
of detective, and a suspenseful mystery. That I could do. But how could a
non-cook get the lobster shack setting right?
Thank goodness I live in southeastern Connecticut, home to
two lobster shacks that make “best of” lists every year. And being a former
librarian, I did what any writer in my flip flops would do: research.
So, one morning last summer my husband and I set off on our
lobster roll eating extravaganza, er, research tour.
Research
Research is the delight of procrastinating authors. I couldn’t
have come up with a better way to avoid actual writing. We rolled north from Connecticut
along roads as scenic as they come, dipping into quaint towns along the shore,
checking out cedar shingled shacks covered with sun-faded lobster buoys and
circled by hungry diners and thieving sea gulls. Did I learn anything beyond
how nice it is to sit on a dock with a cold beverage and a hot lobster roll as
the sun sets? You bet.
One of the biggest things I learned: Who knew there was an
ongoing debate about the best way to make a lobster roll? Depending on where
they grew up or where they had that first lobster roll, people fall into two
camps: those who prefer the Maine style lobster roll and those who prefer
Connecticut style.
Lobster Rolls--Connecticut style vs Maine Style
They’re both delicious, right? They’re not that different,
right? Perish the thought! Maine style adds a mayonnaise base to (perhaps
appropriately) cold lobster meat, making a lobster salad, and usually adds a
bit of greenery – shredded lettuce – as a starting point. From there chefs riff
on many variations of salad, adding onion, celery, herbs, and spices to diners’
delight.
Connecticut style is hot lobster meat piled on a buttered
and toasted hot dog bun, with melted butter accompaniment. Delectable fresh lobster
meat, warm buttered roll, more butter…. You can see why many prefer this
preparation. Unadorned, classic, elegant in its simplicity. In my book, CURSES,
BOILED AGAIN, the lobster rolls are Connecticut style all the way, befitting a
lobster shack in mythical Mystic Bay, Connecticut.
But of course, it’s all personal preference. As we traveled
along the New England shore, taking in the lighthouse views and stopping for
beach breaks, it was easy to appreciate the merits of both kinds of lobster
roll. We swung back home to our two favorite shacks, Abbott’s and Ford’s in
little Noank, CT, where we sat on the dock and watched the sailboats slide by,
not a care in the world. Ah! Vacation and lobster roll nirvana.
Oh, the second reason I’m a fake? Well, as our lobster tour
progressed, I had to face a tragic, hilarious, and inconvenient truth.
I’m allergic to lobster.
Welcome to the seaside hamlet of Mystic Bay, where the fish
is always fresh, the folks are ever-friendly, and murder is on a roll….
Allie Larkin was living her dream as a ballet dancer when a
bad fall put her out of business. Now she’s back home in Mystic Bay to heal a
broken ankle while also helping her Aunt Gully get her Lazy Mermaid Lobster
Shack off the ground. Nothing would help Gully more than winning the local food
festival’s Best Lobster Roll contest. The competition is sure to be killer-
especially after one of the contest judges dies after eating a roll from one of
Gully’s biggest rivals.
Soon, all eyes fall on Gully as the prime suspect. Allie may
only have one good leg to stand on, but she’s not going to let her aunt go down
for a crime she never could have cooked up. Can Allie, along with her devoted
crew of friends, family, and customers, find a way to trap the killer and claw
herself out of this hard-boiled murder case.
“Suspenseful and
entertaining – left me longing to visit the Lazy Mermaid Lobster Shack!” –
Donna Andrews
“Delightful! A fun whodunit full of New England coastal charm
and characters who feel like friends. Warm humor, a delectable plot, and clever
sleuthing will keep you turning the pages." —Krista Davis
Shari Randall is the author of CURSES, BOILED AGAIN!, the
first in the Lobster Shack mystery series. She’s a former librarian, military
spouse, mother of two globe-trotting kids, and the Sisters in Crime Library Liaison.
You can see what she’s up to on her Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/sharirandallauthor/
or author site: https://us.macmillan.com/author/sharirandall/
GIVEAWAY!!
Want to win a free copy of CURSES, BOILED AGAIN? Enter this
Goodreads giveaway, through January 30.
Welcome, Shari! EMS591@aol.com
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Liz!
DeleteLooking forward to reading this book! Thanks for sharing! Dspinlexo at Aol dot com
ReplyDeleteHi Dee, thank you for your kind words. I love this blog and am so happy to be here!
DeleteI am looking forward to this new series!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Chris! I hope you'll enjoy it!
DeleteOne of the first times I drove to MA from my then-home in PA, I turned onto the Mass Pike, and the first highway rest-stop/food place I passed was advertising lobster rolls. I knew I was in New England! Too bad about your allergy! I'll look forward to the book.
ReplyDeleteLobster rolls are a sure sign! Though there are some new chains that are bringing lobster rolls beyond New England. I'm sure they're good, but to me lobster rolls = New England.
DeleteI’ve only had the Maine style lobster roll even though I’ve been to CT a number of times. Somehow we never had dinner anyplace that was serving them there.
ReplyDeleteHi Sandy, You'll love the CT style. Have you been to the Mystic area? Lots of good places nearby.
DeleteI'm not sure I've ever even had a lobster roll or not a 'real' one. So sorry about your allergic reaction, but I guess it will keep you from 'overdoing' in the name of research, right? Both types sound wonderful, but I'm avoiding both butter and mayo. Could probably just eat the lobster though and love it - like crab. I'll be watching for the book. Looks fun!
ReplyDeleteHi Kay, no overdoing for me, sadly! I have a friend who's a dietician, and she says that lobster is actually a healthy, low fat protein, so as long as we don't drench it in too much butter, it's good for us.
DeleteI love lobster rolls! We usually get them at the Jersey shore, and they have always been the Maine style. I would love to try the Connecticut style. I would be quite upset if I couldn't eat lobster! I'm so sorry you had a bad reaction. I'm looking forward to reading about Allie.
ReplyDeleteHi Cindy, thank you for stopping by. For some reason I don't associate lobster rolls with New Jersey. With New Jersey I just think about all the wonderful diners!
DeleteI'd love to compare lobster rolls! I was eating a fried shrimp po boy at a chain restaurant yesterday. I must say their variation on something as classic as a po boy was bizarre. I should have know better. This series sounds delightful and I look forward to reading more about Connecticut lobster rolls!
ReplyDeleteI would love to compare the good, the bad, and the ugly of lobster rolls! I've never had one before. I made the mistake of ordering a shrimp po boy yesterday at a chain restaurant. It wasn't bad but was rather bizarre. It is hard to mess up a classic like a po boy but there are people out there who can do it. Curses, Boiled Again! sounds like fun and I look forward to reading it.
ReplyDeleteHi Pat, sorry about your po boy. I've only had one, in New Orleans, and it was pretty amazing. I hope someday you can do your own lobster roll tour - it was a blast.
DeleteThat is an inconvenient truth! How did I not know that? Good blog!
ReplyDeleteHi Barb, isn't it sad? And inconvenient. What if I get asked to judge a lobster roll contest? I'll have to bring a stand in.... Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteThe very definition of a tragedy--being allergic to lobster! Thanks for joining us today, Shari!
ReplyDeleteHi Peg, thank you again for asking me to visit the Kitchen. It is pretty sad (and funny, isn't it?) At least I'm not allergic to chocolate - that would be tragic!
DeleteI've only had Maine-style lobster rolls, but I think I'd prefer the Connecticut-style better, because I prefer lobster hot and buttery! I loved this book and look forward to the next in the series!
ReplyDeleteHi Amanda, I hope when you try a CT style lobster roll you're sitting outside overlooking the water on a beautiful blue sky day. Thank you for the kind words about my book. The second, Against the Claw, is scheduled for July 26 publication. Hope you'll enjoy it!
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DeleteBest of luck! Both rolls sound great, I mean, they have their place, right?I have eaten many a cold lobster salad and also lobster meat dripping in butter.
ReplyDeleteI hear that someone makes lobster ice cream; it's a salty/buttery flavor, not sweet. Interesting.
Hi Tonette! I've heard about lobster ice cream, and honestly, that's the only thing that makes me glad I'm allergic. I'll definitely pass!
DeleteWhat a curse to be allergic to lobster! Thanks for joining us today, Shari.
ReplyDeleteHi Krista, It could be worse - I could be allergic to chocolate, right? I'm so glad to visit the Kitchen - thank you for having me here!
ReplyDeleteI've never had a lobster roll. I really like the sound of the Connecticut lobster roll. Sorry your research led to the discovery that you are allergic to lobster, research isn't suppose to end that way.
ReplyDeleteHi Dianne, I hope you get to try one someday, and I hope it's at a real shack on a beautiful day. Fresh preparation is key in a lobster roll.
DeleteAllergic to lobster?! That's cruel and unusual punishment!
ReplyDeleteMaine rolls "should" be served in a buttered, toasted hot dog roll. Some place go crazy and try brioche rolls and such. No, just a simple hot dog roll, but don't skip the buttered outside with the toasty crunch.
You're right, Libby, only a hot dog roll will do and it must be buttery and toasted!
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