Food, Glorious Food - but No Hot Sausages

Yesterday I made myself some stewed rhubarb as described in my blog but didn't use yoghurt to turn it into a Fool. I found 2 tbs of Splenda to 1 lb rhubarb wasn't quite enough for my taste. I also added a little grated ginger to the mix, we used to do that years ago when stewing rhubarb. It was very good and I enjoyed it, probably the first time I have eaten it in 20 years or so. Nor did it make my teeth fuzzy which is why Matt won't eat it. I must admit that I cooked it a little too long and my chunks of rhubarb were more like a purée. We used to have rhubarb growing in our backyard years ago, in the end Matt dug it up as we weren't using it. I couldn't be bothered to cook it just for me. By the way, I discovered three hours later that it is also an excellent laxative, so be careful.

Actually I am doing well on my feasting at the moment with asparagus fresh out of the fields, fresh rhubarb and Matt picked up a couple more artichokes for me at the store. He said it was my step-mother's day present LOL. Actually I missed out, apparently our grocery store had a special on lobsters but they had sold out when Matt got there and he said they had lobster tails, not much bigger than the shrimp I already have in the freezer, at a horrendous price. I don't know why lobster has become so expensive. It was never cheap but when I was a young woman it certainly wasn't "mortgage your home" expensive like it is today. It was also quite plentiful - in England that was - and of a decent size. The ones you mostly see today are so small they are hardly worth eating. Maybe that is just in my part of Ontario where the source of salt water critters is so very far away (at least 1,000 miles). I do remember decent sized lobsters when we went to Plymouth, Mass one year. In fact they had one granddaddy of a lobster there for sale in the fishmongers - I understand it was bought for a party, it would certainly have made quite a few canapés. We ate dinner (lobster and swordfish) in the Mayflower Restaurant at the harbour in Plymouth right opposite the ship, Mayflower, which is a replica of the one in which the pilgrims first arrived. Very small considering how many people travelled on it. What horrified me is they apparently had an open fire to cook on. I am surprised they ever arrived.

Talking of Plymouth, I was very disappointed in "the rock" I expected some kind of a headland, it is just a big lump of rock. I suppose it has been moved because I can't see how anyone would have stepped on it where it is now. Whilst searching for this picture I came across a cartoon which might amuse you. Click on it so you can read the caption. It is so very appropriate for the illegal immigrant problems which exist today.

However, I did like the availability of fresh lobster in Plymouth and the fishmonger had lots of shelled meat available, we bought some to make ourselves a picnic lunch one day. That was on one of our first visits to the States. We moved further south the next day, I didn't want to leave the lobster behind. Matt promised me more, but what we hadn't realised, further south is no longer lobster country. Shrimps, oysters, clams, backfin crabs, but not lobsters. Not good enough, I wanted lobster. Because I don't get lobster very often, I never eat it any other way than cold with either drawn butter or mayonnaise. I have never tasted Lobster Newburg, I am sure its delicious, but I want my lobster just as it is. I have occasionally eaten it added to things or dressed differently in a restaurant, but my preference is plain. The picture on the left is ideal, lobster, drawn butter and a glass of white wine. Just show me the way.

However, if you would like to try a Lobster Newburg, here is a recipe for it I must admit, it sounds pretty good.

Lobster Newburg

4 servings

"Use fresh lobster if available, but 2 (6 ounce) cans of lobster may be used instead. This recipe is rich and delicious. If you do not like spicy food, use paprika in place of cayenne pepper. Serve hot, over buttered toast slices."

INGREDIENTS:

2 egg yolks, beaten 1/2 cup heavy cream 1/4 cup butter or margarine 2 tablespoons dry sherry or madeira

1/2 teaspoon salt 1 pinch cayenne pepper 1 pinch ground nutmeg 3/4 pound cooked lobster meat, broken into chunks

DIRECTIONS:

1.	In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolks and heavy cream until well blended. Set aside. Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in the egg yolk mixture and sherry. Cook, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens. Do not boil.
2.	Remove from heat, and season with salt, cayenne, and nutmeg. Add lobster. Return pan to low heat, and cook gently until heated through. Serve hot over slices of buttered toast.

Have a great day.