Family Meal Plan: Luscious "Lobster" Rolls with Hearts of Palm + Zesty Lemon Crush

Luscious "Lobster" Rolls with Hearts of Palm

Happy & Healthy Cooking,

Fun-Da-Mentals Kitchen Skills

• blend :

  to stir together two or more ingredients until just combined; blending is a gentler process than mixing.

• chop :

  to cut something into small, rough pieces using a blade.

• juice :

  to extract or squeeze out the juice of a fruit or vegetable, like a lemon, orange, or carrot, often cutting open or peeling the fruit or veggie first to access its flesh.

• knife skills :

  Bear Claw (growl), Pinch, Plank, and Bridge (look out for trolls). 

• measure :

  to calculate the specific amount of an ingredient required using a measuring tool (like measuring cups or spoons).

• poach :

  to gently cook a food, like fish or an egg (without its shell), submerged in simmering (not boiling) liquid.

• shred :

  to reduce food into small shreds or strips (similar to grate).

• simmer :

  to cook a food gently, usually in a liquid, until softened.

• zest :

  to scrape off the outer colored part of a citrus fruit's rind (skin or peel) using a metal tool with small sharp blades, such as a zester, microplane, or the small holes of a grater (avoid the "pith," the white, spongy lining of the rind that can be bitter).

History of the Lobster Roll!

• What is a lobster roll, you ask? Is it a gymnastics move performed by a lobster? Or is it a lobster without its shell that has been rolled up? Actually, it's a sandwich! The roll is a grilled New England-style bun, similar to a hotdog bun. The lobster's flesh is cooked, then chopped or shredded, and mixed with butter or mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper before being put on the bun. Chopped celery and green onions can be added for extra flavor and crunch. 
• Lobster rolls are often served with potato chips or french fries and coleslaw and are a hit with tourists to New England and Atlantic Canadian provinces.
• The lobster roll originated in the United States in Milford, Connecticut, according to John Mariani's Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink. Perry's restaurant is said to have created the dish in the 1920s. 
• Lobster rolls are popular in many parts of New England, including Massachusetts and Long Island, New York, but they are often associated with Maine. They are also found in the Atlantic provinces of Canada. Wherever there is lobster fishing off the Atlantic coast, you may find lobster rolls.

Let's Learn About New England!

• The New England region is in the Northeastern United States. It includes the states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The Atlantic Ocean borders New England on the east. 
• Indigenous peoples who spoke variations of the Algonquian language were the first to inhabit the region. John Smith, the English explorer, named the region "New England" in 1616. The area was colonized by people, especially Puritans, coming from England in ships, like the Mayflower, beginning in 1620. These early settlements were called the Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay colonies. 
• Southern New England (Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island) has more people than northern New England (Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont).
• Massachusetts has the largest population in New England, and Boston, the capital of Massachusetts, is the largest city and metropolis. Vermont is the least populated.
• There are several distinct accents and dialects, especially the Boston accent. It may have come from certain British English accents that dropped a final "R" in a word and had a broad "A" sound.
• The New England states are popular with tourists who take autumn "leaf peeping" drives to view the vibrant colors of the the abundant foliage.
• Candlepin bowling is a popular pastime in New England. The pins are tall, thin, and shaped like a candle, and the bowling balls are small, at 4.5 inches in diameter. The bowling balls are also lighter than the candlepins, different from ten-pin bowling.
• New England culture and cuisine have been influenced by the indigenous Algonquian-speaking peoples, the Acadians, an ethnic group of French descendants, and the early Puritans. Later immigrants, including those from Ireland, Italy, Portugal, and Quebec, have also had an impact. 
• Many early colonists were involved with maritime activities, such as fishing and whaling, and seafood significantly contributed to the culture, cuisine, and economy. 
• New Englanders have a few different names for familiar foods. For example, they may call sub sandwiches "grinders" and milkshakes "frappes."
• Some of the regional food favorites are baked beans (like Boston baked beans), New England clam chowder, cranberries, hasty or Indian pudding (made with cornmeal), lobster rolls, Parker House rolls (bread rolls invented at Boston's Parker House Hotel), and New England boiled dinner (corned beef with cabbage and other root vegetables).