Title: How To Buy A Lobster | The Food Lab
Headings: How To Buy A Lobster | The Food Lab
How To Buy A Lobster | The Food Lab
Criterion #1: Species
Criterion #2: Liveliness
Criterion #3: Hard Vs. Soft
Criterion #4: Size
Where to Buy Lobster
Connecticut-Style Warm Buttered Lobster Rolls »
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Content: Most species of animals and plants have a pre-determined lifetime; As their cells repeatedly divide, eventually they suffer DNA damage and shortened telomeres (the buffer zone at the end of a chromosome that prevents damage to the important bits). Eventually cells can't reproduce, and the animal or plant dies. This doesn't happen to lobsters; Their cells are able to divide and reproduce indefinitely, meaning that were it not for outside influences like disease, predators, or their innate tastiness, a lobster could conceivably live and grow forever. Whoa. The largest lobsters ever recorded have been in the 40 to 50-pound range, but in the real world, you're more likely to see lobsters between 1 and 3 pounds, perhaps up to 7 or 8 pounds if you head to a specialist. The larger a lobster, the more you're likely to pay per pound, but increase in price does not indicate increase in quality. Some folk seem to think that large lobsters are tougher or less flavorful than small lobster. I don't find this to be true.