Query: What is the difference between a hard shell lobster and a soft shell lobster?
Context: A soft shell lobster is a lobster that has, as a normal function of its growth, shed its shell. This tends to happen sometime in early- to mid-summer. Most soft shell lobsters have typically become hard shell by November or December. During this period, known as soft shell season, hard shell lobsters are still available (though less plentiful). Soft shell lobsters generally contain less meat per pound than hard shells, though that meat is a bit sweeter and more tender. Soft shells are not recommended for travel, nor can we ship them, as their life expectancy is much shorter out of water.