This text is part of the special book Plaisirs
In summer, hordes of visitors travel to Gaspésie to admire the view… and eat delicious fish and seafood! The Gaspé lobster, in particular, makes many people salivate. Did you know that lobster is not eaten the same way “in town” as in Gaspésie? We explain to you what it means to eat a Gaspé-style lobster.
Nothing is wasted, everything is eaten
In theory, any lobster can be eaten, although “in town” we often stop at the claws and the tail because the lobsters are small and their flesh is more difficult to extract. However, in the Gaspé, the lobster is strong: “Here, people look up at lobsters under two pounds, admits François Pichette, production manager at the Poissonnerie Carleton plant in Baie-des-Chaleurs. , laughing. “City people” sometimes jump in when they see our beautiful big lobsters! »
If you are invited to a meal of lobsters in the company of Gaspesians, there is a good chance that they will bicker to know who will have “the red”, that is to say the eggs in formation of the female, and “the green”, which assumes the functions of the liver and the pancreas. “It’s like caviar, it’s very popular,” explains François Pichette, who adds that it is usually only the inhabitants of the region and informed consumers who know this information.
For each part a different pleasure!
Butter and other accompaniments
Yes, Gaspesians also eat their lobster with garlic butter! As side dishes, some like to serve their shellfish with picnic-style salads, such as coleslaw, macaroni or Caesar salad.
And if there is any meat left over, which is very unlikely, we make rolls or a club sandwich. With the shell, François Pichette suggests making a broth: “I boil the head and the shell in water. This makes a very nice base for a fish soup. »
“Red” and “Green”
Don’t be surprised if…
… you come across a black lobster, called a rock lobster, explains François Pichette. The shell of these lobsters rubs against the rocks in the water and this wears down their skin, hence their black color. These lobsters are often very meaty, because the rocks provide them with an ideal environment for feeding.