This is the time of year people just love to have a clambake. I thought it might be helpful to provide some details.

How To Have A Successful Lobster Clambake

By Jimmy Faro

So, you’re having a clambake? Whether cooking on the shores of the ocean, in an outdoor grill, or on the stovetop in the comfort of your apartment, clambakes are a great way to enjoy phenomenal New England seafood. Based on the Native American tradition of cooking seafood over hot coals buried in the ground, clambakes have grown in popularity over the years and can be enjoyed by everyone.

The first step is to go to choose your ingredients. If you’re lucky enough to have a store nearby that sells fresh lobster, clams, and mussels, you can do that, but consider first if you will need to transport your fresh seafood to another location, and how you will package it to keep it fresh. Another option is to purchase fresh lobster online and have the lobster shipped overnight to your location. If purchasing your lobsters online, make sure you plan ahead and place the order online before the date of your event. Then place your order and you’re on your way to a feast!

Next, you’ll need to decide where you’ll be doing your cooking. If you will be cooking in a public place, especially if you plan on digging a clambake pit, you’ll need permission from you local parks or government office. If you are cooking at home, you’re ready to go. No matter where you are doing your cooking, the idea is to generate steam while keeping your food packed together. Some clambakes forgo the use of charcoal and rely solely on hot rocks and seaweed to produce enough heat and steam to “bake” the food, but charcoal is perfectly adequate.

Suggested Ingredients: (per person):

One of the fun things about doing a clambake is that you are free to pick and choose what you would like in your bake. You may want to do only lobsters and corn, or you may want to add a little bit of everything. This is a time that you can completely cater to your personal preferences!

1 lobster

1/2 lb. shellfish, including any or all: mussels, oysters, clams/steamers

½ lb. sausage (linguica, kielbasa, or andouille recommended)

½ onion, cut into quarters

1 ear of corn

beer, 2 cans or more, or water

Directions for cooking your clambake in a pit or on the grill:

Dig your pit, making it wide enough and deep enough to hold your ingredients. Fill the pit with charcoal, light your fire, and surround the coals with medium to large rocks. Do not cover the charcoal because you could put the fire out. Let the rocks heat up so they are hot enough that a sprinkle of water will bounce off. If using a charcoal grill, remove the grate from the grill, and follow the same instructions as for a pit.

When the coals are burning brightly, begin layering your ingredients: seaweed, clams/oysters, linguica/sausage (if using), potatoes, corn, lobster, more seaweed, and then a layer of wet burlap that you’ve thoroughly soaked in beer to help seal in the moisture and keep the steam going. If using a grill, you won’t need the burlap and can simply close the top.

Cook for approximately 1 hour.

Directions for a stovetop boil:

You’ll need the biggest pot you can find. Don’t worry if you don’t have a fancy, expensive pot in which to cook your lobster/clam boil. The inexpensive lobster pots work just great. Depending on the size you find and the ingredients you are using, you can generally cook enough food for 2-4 people with one of these pots.

Heat a tablespoon of butter in the pot and add the sausage and onion. Sauté until the onion softens and the sausage begins to cook through. Then add a layer of shellfish. Pour in the beer and then place the lobsters and corn in the pot so that all your food is nicely packed in. Bring to a boil, cover the pot, and cook for 12-15 minutes.

Serving suggestions:

Serve your seafood with plenty of melted butter so everyone has enough for dunking steamers and lobsters! Lemon wedges can be squeezed over all the seafood. Nothing completes a clambake or lobster bake like delicious New England clam chowder, cole slaw, and Boston baked beans.

About the Author: Jimmy Faro is the Owner of http://Lobsterclambake.com ( http://www.lobsterclambake.com ), a division of Constitution Seafood. A fourth generation Lobster & Seafood New Englander born in the business in a small seaside town in Massachusetts, he and the staff at http://Lobsterclambake.com work directly with lobster boats and seafood dealers from Maine to Rhode Island to give you the freshest lobsters and seafood that you would expect from New England’s pristine coast and pure cold Atlantic waters.

Source: www.isnare.com

Visiting Maine, Acadia National Park or New England? Interested in the outdoors? Visit the outdoors recreation message boards to share and post information on National Parks, State Parks, National Monuments and Wilderness Areas. Recent new feature is the addition of accommodations and activity providers. If you are in the travel or tour business with places to stay or things to do, rentals, etc. Visit AdventureZoneTOURS today and see the link for Travel Partners.

By Noraini Maskuri

Lobster is an an all-time favourite seafood with most people, and many dishes using lobsters require that the flesh be removed from the shell. Here are some handy tips when you prepare a lobster dish at home.

A preliminary way to prepare a lobster, which should be alive, is to grasp it firmly by the back, plunge it quickly, head first, into a kettle of rapidly boiling water, and then submerge the rest of the body. Be sure to have a sufficient amount of water to cover the lobster completely. Boil rapidly for 5 minutes; then lower the flame or remove to a cooler part of the stove and cook slowly for 1/2 hour. Remove from the water and allow to cool.

After being prepared in this way, a lobster may be served cold or it maybe used in the preparation of various made dishes. If it is to be used without further preparation, it is often served from the shell, which is usually split open. Mayonnaise or some other sauce is generally served with lobster. The flesh is removed from the shell with a small fork as it is eaten.

To remove lobster from the shell, first pull off the two large claws and the four pairs of small claws, and break the tail from the body. Then using scissors, cut a single slit the entire length of the shell covering the under part of the tail and remove the flesh inside the tail in a whole, large piece. The intestinal tract, which can be readily observed, will be found embedded in this piece and running the entire length. Slash the flesh and remove it. Next remove the flesh of the body from the shell, retaining only that part which appears to be fibrous, like the flesh of the tail. The stomach, should not be removed from the shell. However, care should be taken to obtain all the flesh surrounding the bones in the bony part of the lobster. The coral substance, that is, the roe of the lobster, should also be removed, as it can be used for a garnish.

With the flesh removed from the shell, proceed to take out the flesh in the claws. Break open the large claws, using a nut cracker or a small hammer for this purpose, and remove the flesh that they contain. If the small claws are to be used for a garnish, as is often done, remove the flesh without breaking them; otherwise break them as in the case of the large ones.

Nora Maskuri

About the Author: Noraini Maskuri enjoys cooking and has professional training in bakery. She is the owner of http://MyCookery.com and has a blog at http://mycookery.com/blog

Source: www.isnare.com

This website at mainelobstertours.com invites Maine organizations and groups to send in news that they may wish to offer here and at our Outdoor Recreation Message Boards at http://www.adventurezonetours.com/

We invite you to share and post!

My family and I got together for a breakfast at a local maple syrup farm. It had snowed a wet snow overnight and and the trees were white and glistening with the morning sun. Of course the back roads were a bit messy and we are in the midst of pot hole season to increase the driving challenge!

It’s a great time of year with the change of seasons. Maple Syrup Sunday rings in what’s called in Maine as mud season. Which is about a month before black fly season, but I’m digressing.

Back to Maple Syrup. We visited a farm overlooking the hills and valleys in Franklin County, Maine. It is called Maple Valley Farms and here’s whats on the menu:

Crepes and bacon, baked beans with maple syrup, hot dogs and clow slaw.

Located in Jay, Maine it is a large farm with three stacks of steam raising above the buffet barn. The tapping of the maple is from the trees in and around the property.

More maple syrup was being boiled down in a very large stainless steel cooker and the sweet smell of syrup was in the air. The breakfast included crepes, which according to wikipedia are described as: crêpe (pronounced IPA /kreɪp/, French /kʀɛp/) is a type of very thin cooked pancake usually made from wheat flour. The word, like the pancake itself, is of French origin, deriving from the Latin crispa, meaning “curled”. Wikipedia goes on to say that crepes are popular in Europe and some other parts of the world. In Maine there historically has been a very large population of French people and crepes are just a natural! They are really just a very light pancake. Growing up as a kid, we used to make them and roll them with peanut butter and jelly! Today, with the fresh maple syrup and bacon they were very good. Also, I guess continuing the French tradition, baked beans and hot dogs were also served with cole slaw. Also vanilla ice cream with fresh maple syrup on top.

Accordining to the website for the Maine Department of Agriculture, Maine Maple Syrup Sunday is the day when sugar makers around the State open the doors of their sugarhouses for the public to join them in their rites of spring - making maple syrup. Here’s your chance to see first hand how 40 gallons of maple sap is turned into just one gallon of that golden delight you pour over hot pancakes…or ice cream.

Maine Maple Sunday is always the fourth Sunday in March. Most producers participate every year, with most sugarhouses offering free tasting and a live demonstration of how syrup is produced, from tap to table. Many offer a variety of other treats and activities, including syrup on pancakes or ice cream, sugarbush tours, sleigh or wagon rides, and lots more. Many sugarhouses will arrange special tours and demonstrations for groups on other days as well - call them to make arrangements.

Enjoy the first sweet taste of spring in Maine!

Some source credit from wikipedia.com and The Maine Department of Agriculture.

This website at mainelobstertours.com invites Maine organizations and groups to send in news that they may wish to offer here and at our Outdoor Recreation Message Boards at http://www.adventurezonetours.com/

We invite you to share and post!

But, now as spring begins to warm us up, it won’t be long before mud season and the maple syrup begins to flow.  Here is a link to the Maine Maple Syrup Producers Association.

http://www.mainemapleproducers.com/

We are looking for guest bloggers for this site. If you are interested please go to http://www.adventurezonetours.com this is our message boards forums and there is a contact us form on the website. We’ve been working on the site for months and invite you to share some information on the site by signing up and posting. Here’s a recent press release:

National Parks, State Parks, National Monuments, and Wilderness Areas, All in One Website!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT OUR NATIONAL PARKS –

On AdventureZoneTOURS.com

Cedar City, UT (February 27, 2007) The good news is that the United States of America has protected some of the most unique and incredible places to see on earth, and to encourage visitors, AdventureZoneTOURS.com brings all the parks, monuments, and wilderness areas into one online message board where people can share information about these fantastic outdoors resources.

The bad news is that the National Parks face a budget crisis. Struggling to protect the historic, cultural and natural resources, the parks are short of funds for operating facilities, repairs to roads, bridges, trails and buildings. In 2006, a $814 million shortfall was reported. With the National Park Service covering almost 400 protected areas, NPS has fewer employees to service the growing number of visitors per year. Over 273,000,000 people visited the National Parks in 2005, with reports of declining visitors.  AdventureZoneTOURS.com fills in the gap where information on locations and services are currently lacking. Instead of contacting a variety of parks or wilderness areas to compile your trip, now planning and previewing a vacation or adventure is just a click away on AdventureZoneTOURS.COM.

In a recent trend, volunteering has become very popular with more people willing to offer their time or vacation in assisting the parks and outdoor organizations with clean up, rebuilding trails and other important tasks.  AdventureZoneTOURS.com not only features a message board for each region of every state but under the category Special Interests members are invited to post messages for volunteer opportunities or find links to the volunteer opportunity just right for them.

Bob Therrien, President of TrainingPASS Sales, Inc., creator of AdventureZoneTOURS.com, outdoor writer, and constant traveler commented, “Over the years, the hardest part for me has been the research about which parks, hikes, climbs, guides I want to visit with my family and friends. Exploring site after site, then mapping the distance from each area of interest is inefficient and many times lacking in information. To solve that inefficiency we (AdventureZoneTOURS.com) have collected all the basic information about our parks, wilderness areas and national monuments into one website. We’re still working on the mapping solution right now, so that a visitor can visually see just a region of a state and distances between multiple areas of interest.  AdventureZoneTOURS.com is an outdoors recreation message board that now needs real trip reports from people who love these parks and are willing to share information on their special places.”

The Outdoor Adventure Message Board opens up to reveal historic park photos and a listing of U.S. States separated into travel regions. Click on search to find your park or any state region and there are sub forums for all the parks, monuments and wilderness areas in that region. You’ll find links to park maps, webcams and several interesting choices to pick from within a state region. Choose just the park to visit or check special interest message boards for posts on volunteer opportunities and travel for women only, men, training retreats, or shuttle posts.

For the activity-specific minded, AdventureZoneTOURS.com encourages users to share trip reports for a variety of outdoor activities from hiking, climbing, canyoneering, geo exploring, photography, ghost towns, mines, and cave to water sports such as boating, fishing, jet and water skiing, tubing, rafting, and scuba. Winter travel sports locations for snowmobiling, skiing and snowboarding are featured. Hunting locations, ATV and horseback trails as well as the most scenic areas for outdoor photography are also available as individual topic posts. To research or share your favorite adventure travel location, and for more information, log on to www.AdventureZoneTOURS.com.

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Author: Bob Therrien

http://www.mainelobstertours.com

Visiting Maine can be quite an experience. The major airports to fly into the region are normally Portland, ME, Bangor, ME, Manchester, NH or Boston, MA. Researching your trip normally means selecting your areas of interest from the following regions.

· Southern Maine Coast

· Katahdin - Moosehead

· Greater Portland & Casco Bay

· Maine Lakes & Mountains

· Kennebec & Moose River Valleys

Many people who enjoy seafood like to eat their way through the state. You’ll find delightful shore dinners in rustic setting. Traveling along the coast, just find a beautiful harbor and you’ll find dozens of restaurants. Many of them right on the pier where the Maine lobsters are brought in by boat.

Maine is a 4 season vacationland with lots of activities to Enjoy. Here is a list of many travelers enjoy during a Maine vacation. In the winter time many small and large ski areas enjoy a variety of visitors from all around the world. Skiing, snowmobiling, and tubing are fun for the whole family.

· Hiking

· Camping

· Biking

· Golf

· Boating

· Beaches

· ATV

· Museums

· Scenic Drives

· Dog Sledding

· Lighthouses

· Whale Watching

· Snowmobiling

· Horseback Riding

· Hunting

· Antique Shopping

· Festivals/State Fairs

· Rafting

· Ice Skating/Ice Fishing

· Salt & Fresh Water Fishing

· Moose Watching/Wildlife

· Ocean/Lake/Rivers

· Alpine & Nordic Skiing/Snowboarding

Maine has one National park called Acadia National Park. It is on Mount Desert Island. This 35,000-acre park is graced with natural scenic beauty. You’ll find 120 miles of hiking trails and 27 miles of carriage trails. Acadia National Park is best known for its pine-covered forests and rugged coastline, and Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the United States Eastern Seaboard.

Maine also has 32 state parks.The largest of Maine’s state parks is Baxter State Park just north of Millinocket. It is about 375 square miles and is home to Maine’s highest peak, Mt. Katahdin. The 32 state parks range in size from a couple of acres to several square miles. They can be found in the mountains, near lake and the on the coast. There’s one state park on an island accessible only by private boat

Food, festivals and fairs with lobsters, seafood shore dinners and BBQs are found everywhere. Along the coast you can choose Isle Au Haut or Vinalhaven Island. The Islands of Casco Bay, or take the ferry to Nova Scotia. Visit York, Ogunquit, Wells, Kennebunk, Kennebunkport then the long beach at Old Orchard Beach for sun worshipers. Visit the city of Portland, and see the Old Port and forts. Shop L.L. Bean in Freeport, visit Boothbay Harbor and Camden or Rockland. See Bar Harbor, Acadia National Park, on Mt. Desert Island. Drive or hike the North Maine Woods and see Mt. Katahdin or Moosehead Lake. Also Rangeley Lake and Height of Land, Bethel, Sunday River, Bridgton, and Naples can make your adventure awesome!

Research, read and share trip reports and pics here.