Basic beach side New England lobster boil -
Got this from my grandmother who emigrated from Ireland to Novia Scotia, married an American navy midshipman and came to the US.
They had a little summer cottage - and I mean little - by the beach in Maine for the summer. Lobsters were plentiful. Although we usually had them boiled in the standard way in the kitchen, sometimes we would do a beach boil over a fire with a couple of big pots.
The kids had a job. Buckets down to the surf, fill and bring back up for the pots. Collect some fresh seaweed out of the water along the way. Mussels were a plus - they were on the seaweed.
The salt water was set to boil in both pots. One was was for the lobsters and seaweed. One for potatoes, mussels and whatever else got thrown in. Usually an onion & celery and greens.
Melted butter with pepper was set out for the lobster and potatoes. The basic tomato juice was a dip on the side, usually for the mussels.
Blueberries and cream finished the meal.
And Irish whiskey was in the mix somewhere, though we had root beer of course. I think the adults had a cocktail while we were slugging sea water from the beach. LOL.
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Also delicious, down to the blueberries and cream. Hmmmm, I have both blueberries and cream, you've given me an idea.
Just stop. STOP IT!
I'm 3200 miles way from "home" (Rhode Island)... and pinto just HAD to remind me of what I don't have anymore.
SoCal has nothing on New England seafood. NOTHING.
Cold water + seafood = sweet and yummy.
Memories... like the corners of my mind....
ps; I liked the root beer reference. When I was a kid in RI, it was "birch beer" (from birch bark). Does even A&W root beer even exist anymore? Inquiring minds want to know.
All the meat, fish and seafood we eat are killed and cooked. One way or another. Not sure which is the most painless for lobsters. Yet, it's quick compared to other methods of prep for the kitchen, from the farm to the table.