The lobsters came in a box packed with ice packs and some kelp. I guess, that is so they will feel at home while in transit. An old acquaintance once told me you can sort of anesthetize them before you cook them. I have tried it before and it seemed to work. This time, I tried my luck and rubbed the back of the neck as they get quite active when you take them out of the box. After a about 15 seconds, the lobster calmed down and sort of went to sleep. It was easier dunking it in the boiling water.
That was the easy part. I cooked them according to the directions that came with it.
Prepping the lobster for dinner was another story. My husband, the retired anesthesiologist, wore a pair of surgical gloves. The lobster was too hot to handle with such thin gloves and had a lot of very sharp edges, so he added a pair of rubber gloves. I got out my little shoe hammer which is a real hammer made of cast iron, since we didn't have the proper paraphernalia.
The little hammer was a joke! So we had to get the big guns. There we were whacking and pounding away. I felt like a member of the Gambino family. The meat from the tail didn't look like the way you see it in a restaurant. It came out in pieces but since this was not a restaurant, I didn't care, as long as it was edible. By the time we finished part 1, the lobster was cold. I squeezed fresh lemons on them and dipped the numerous dismembered parts in warm butter. All of a sudden, the whole ordeal seemed worth it, delcious and succulent lobster. I guess the experience is comparable to childbirth; after the labor pains, you forget all the pain (though that's not entirely true-speaking from experience)
Part 2 was back to the sink to finish the job. The claws were the best part; very sweet and tender.
Part 3 was the clean up; what a big mess! I now will never complain about the price of lobster in a restaurant. Amen.
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