Lobster

Always buy them alive, for those who sell them sometimes keep them too long before they boil them, and they then have not half their flavour. Choose those that are full of motion, which is the index of their freshness. The heaviest are generally the best, and those of a middle size. Never take them when the shell is encrusted, which is a sign they are old. The male lobster is preferred to eat, and the female on account of her eggs to make sauce of. The female lobster is distinguished by having a broader tail than the male, and less claws. Set on a pot of water with a tablespoonful of salt in it, having tied the tail of the lobster fast to the body, when the water boils put it in, and, if very large, keep it boiling briskly for half an hour; wipe all the skum off it, and set it by till it is cold, then rub the shell with a very little butter or sweet oil, to make it shine; break off the great claws, crack them carefully in each joint, so that they may not be shattered to pieces, and yet come to pieces easily, cut the tail down the middle, and send up the body whole.

** These fish come in about April, and continue plentiful till the Oyster season begins.

Crab

The above observations apply to crabs, which should neither be too small nor too large. The best size are those Which measure from eight to ten inches across the shoulders.

*** Crabs make their appearance and disappearance about the same time as Lobsters. The Cromer Crabs are most esteemed.

Potted Lobster

Select fine hen lobsters when full of spawn, boil them thoroughly, pick out all the'eatable parts, and pound them in a mortar, adding to them by degrees finely-pounded mace, black pepper, salt, and a little clarified butter. When the whole is well mixed, and beat to the consistence of paste, press it down hard in a preserving-pot, pour clarified butter over it, and keep it close covered.

Lobster Cake

Pick the meat out of a couple of lobsters, let one of them be a hen, on account of the live spawn, mince and pound it in a mortar, with two boned, washed, beheaded and betailed anchovies. half an ounce of butter, the yolks of three eggs, a teacupful of finely-grated stale bread, and a little beaten mace. Line a preserving-pot with sheets of fat bacon, put in the mixture, cover it with bacon, and bake it for an hour and a half. Let it remain till cold. When you wish to get it out, put the mould in warm water a few minutes, and it will come out Take away the bacon. Send up the cake garnished with green parsley, etc.

Lobster Pudding

Pick all the meat out of a hen lobster, and pound it in a mortar with a handful of bread crumbs, two yolks of eggs, and two ounces of butter, pepper, salt, and nutmeg, to your taste, beat the whole well together, put it in a basin or mould to boil an hour.

Observations

The sauce for the above is the spawn of the lobster pounded in a mortar, with a little butter and half a tablespoonful of water. Mix it with melted butter, and pour it over the pudding. It should look quite red, and cover the bottom of the dish.