Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-07-28
LOBSTERLORE.
An Entertaining Chapter
Upon this Crustacean.
Where Lobsters Come From and How
they are Prepared for Consumption.

for HOLSTERS, unlike that of oysters, lasts
practically all the year around, but for
the first three months OF it--or little
thereafter-thc quality is somewhat off
color. The most fertile fields OF supply
arc the Massachusetts,, Maine, New
found and Labrador coasts with the
odds largely in favor OF the first two.
though the largest specimens are nearly
always from Labrador. This city at press
ent consumes from 1900 to 1900 Holsters
week, which is neither above nor be-
low the records of former times,
the demand having apparently stood
about still for some years. The supplies
reach the city daily by express in two
conditions-alivc and "boiled." A lob
ster, when properly handled, will live
for a week out of tho water, with no
stronger nutriment than that which it
derives from convulsive clawings at the
air and the limbs Of its travelling COM
panions. The live ones are packed in
barrcls-125 to the barrol-carc being
taken to insure each one the most COM
Portable position possible across the body
of its next door neighbor and ventila-
tion being secured by means of large
holes bored in the head and sides of the
barrel. The "bolcd" Holsters are close
ly packed between layers Of seawccd and
ice, and reach their destination ready
for the table, with the exception,
of course, of the necessary cleaning.
The "boilcd" lobster being the kind
most generally called for, is the most i'm
portant feature of the trade. All the
boiling for the Chicago market is done
in Boston, and persons of delicate emo
tional construction may possibly be
shocked to learn that to be fit for human
food lobster must be boi ed alive. 1t
is phenomenon no less remarkable than
indisputable that one that dies natural
death. l. C. of sutfocation due to removal
from its natural clement sca-watcr is not
fit article for diet, and experts say that
nine out of ten cases of indigestion re-
sulting from lobster supper are due to
the fish having been allowed to die of its
own accord instead of at the mcrcilcss
hands of its captors. As soon as possible
after being caught the Holsters arc thrown
by the Boston merchants into huge
tank of boiling water, seasoned with q
peck of salt to each barrel of the fluid.
Sca-watcr, contrary to the opinion of
many, is not used, being unfit for cook
ing purposes Of any description. The
boiling process lasts about twenty min
utcs, and the Holsters, after being given
probcr tine to cool, arc ready for ship
mcnt. The sooner lobster is boiled
after being taken from the ocean the lon
ger it will keep after boiling
The same rule that applies to boiled
Holsters with regard to the necessity of
sudden death applies to brolcd Holsters,
which como next IN popularity as an
article Of diet. The proprietor of one of
the large Chicago fish restaurants a day
or so ago initiated the writer into the
mysteries of the process employed by
himself and his competitors. At the
word of command stalwart cook, in
white apron and paper cap, seized agrcat
wriggling fellow from refrigerator near
by and slammed it violently down upon
the spotlcss marble execution block.
Selling large, keen bladcd knife, he
held his prey securely down with his left |
hand, and with two strokes of the
weapon welded in his right laid the |
quiverng creature sqnarely in two from
head to tail. The two halves that q
moment later lay side by side on the slab |
were certainly dead enough, not somuch
as shudder animatlng the layers of
jclly-likc flesh, and one could scarcely
conceive more expedition, mode of
death. A call from customer sent one
of the halves onto the griddc at that
moment, so that the possibility of sccur-
ing real "livc broicd lobster" in Chicago
may be regarded as established.