Fresh, sweet lobster reminds me of summer vacations with my family in Maine. The memories are still so vivid that if I close my eyes, I can almost smell the briny ocean as we drove to the lobster shacks along the rocky coastline, my mouth watering and my anticipation building with each moment. We made a pact to try a different shack every day, and although I can’t remember my favorite place, I remember the red picnic tables, the bright blue sky, and the pure unfettered delight of slurping that sweet lobster meat out of its shell.

这se days, especially in summer, I prefer to devour a butter-drenched steamed lobster in the privacy of my home, where I’m not embarrassed to surgically dig out every last morsel of the exquisite snowy white meat. While steamed lobster in the summer always hits the spot, I started thinking that it needs to be enjoyed more than once a year. That’s why I asked some of my favorite chefs for their best lobster recipes.

像我一样，他们认为非凡的东西实际上并不需要数十亿个成分或复杂的步骤来使其升华。这Truffled Lobster Macaroni and Cheesefrom Steve Corry is a perfect example. A luscious, silky-smooth cheese sauce lightly coats the lobster without overwhelming its delicate flavor. Finished with a modest drizzle of truffle oil and a few truffle peelings, it’s luxurious without going overboard. For a refreshing take onlobster rolls, try Ginger Pierce and Preston Madson’s version with just the right ratio of lobster to chopped salad—the brioche bun adds a touch of sweetness and absorbs the tasty mayonnaise dressing without getting mushy. Emily Peterson offers up a unique and utterly delectable dish ofLobster Poached in Gewürztraminer and Pear Nectar。成分的令人惊讶的组合可带来精致的风味，并且易于制作。最后但并非最不重要的一点是，来自马特·詹宁斯（Matt Jennings）的龙虾本尼迪克特（Benedict）将使任何周末早餐或早午餐都令人难忘。

You can simplify all of these recipes by purchasing cooked lobster meat, but it’s很容易为自己准备。此外，当您煮龙虾时remove from the shellyourself, you can steal a few bites in the kitchen—plate and napkins optional.

如何购买和存储龙虾

• Look for lobsters that are lively when removed from their tanks.
• 将现场龙虾存储在冰箱中最冷的位置（通常是下架），并覆盖着潮湿的报纸。切勿将活龙虾存放在冰上。
• To grow, lobsters must molt, or shed their old hard shells. Lobsters whose shells are soft and have not yet hardened are called new-shell lobsters. Some consider new-shell lobster meat to be sweeter and softer than hard shell. Although lobsters are available year-round, new-shell lobsters are available only from midsummer through midfall, and usually need to be specially requested.
• 如果您已经煮过冷冻的龙虾尾巴并发现它们是糊状的，那并不意味着龙虾不好。相反，您很可能有岩石龙虾尾巴。岩石龙虾没有爪子，通常仅以尾部形式出售。它们来自佛罗里达，加利福尼亚，加勒比海或拉丁美洲等地方的温暖水域。尽管味道仍然很美味，但质地肯定会令人失望。从缅因州，加拿大，澳大利亚，南非或新西兰收获的更理想和昂贵的冷水龙虾尾巴及其坚固的肉。如何区分两者？岩石龙虾通常在贝壳上有白点。

How to Steam a Lobster

• Fill a pot large enough to fit the lobsters with 1 inch of well-salted water. Cover and bring the water to a rolling boil.
• Meanwhile,派遣龙虾，如果需要。
• When the pot fills with steam, add the lobsters, holding them by the body and arranging them on top of each other, facing in different directions so the steam can easily circulate. Cover the pot, and steam the lobsters until the shells are bright red and the antennae can be easily pulled off, 10 to 12 minutes for 1-lb. lobsters, 2 minutes longer for each additional 1/4 lb.
• 作为一种简单的替代方法，请您的鱼贩为您腾出整个龙虾。