Toronto’s LobstahPalooza

Lobster. Expensive, messy, and hard to eat—slander that one Toronto man is on a mission to challenge.

With help from The Toronto Underground Market, Matt Dean Pettit (the brains behind Rock Lobster Food Co.) is bringing lobster to the people.

Pettit had his light bulb moment at an East Coast wedding. “Canadians love lobster but we’re being deprived here in Central Canada,” he says. The lobster roll—chilled lobster meat on a toasted, buttered bun—is a fixture of Maritime street cuisine but, like the donair, hard to find west of the St. Lawrence.

Pettit is taking his lobster goodwill campaign one step further by organizing Toronto’s first LobstahPalooza, a classic East Coast party with a Toronto spin. For fifty bucks you can enjoy an afternoon of fresh market lobster, premium cocktails crafted with Sailor Jerry rum and the smooth sounds of Toronto rockers Opus Road.

“This is all about food, fun and music,” says Pettit. “We want to remove the pretentious from lobster so everyone can enjoy.” Canada has the best lobster in the world, something he thinks we should be proud of.

The organizers expect several hundred lobster lovers at the August 19 event at 99 Sudbury, the former glass factory reincarnated as a New York chic event space in Liberty Village known for its after-hours parties and Sunday neighbourhood market. LobstahPalooza won’t sell tickets at the door, so get ‘em early here.

Can’t attend? No problem. Here’s some Lobster 101 for the home cooks.

Choose lobsters that are over one pound for their sweeter taste.
Buy hard-shell. They have the most meat.
If they have some life in them when you pick them up, they’re fresh.

In a big pot, bring salted water to boil and plop the critters in for 7 to 8 minutes per pound (slightly longer for each lobster added to the pot). But don’t overcook—submerge in ice water to stop the meat from overcooking in the shell.

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Image courtesy of bionicgrrrl.