I miss maine lobster, is shipping it viable?

Agentbolt

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Jul 9, 2004
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The crap lobster you can get here in Tucson (either Red Lobster or the bulk stuff you can get that's the pacific kind) simply isn't doing it for me. I'm thinking about having a nice New England clam bake down here. I can get cherry clams from the local farmers market, but there is NO live lobster to be had.

I did see a few sites that'll ship you the lobster overnight in some kind of special boxes. You can get 6 2 pounders for 80 bucks, which isn't bad at all, really. I'm curious if anyone else has ever done this. Did they show up alive? Anyone have a recommendation on which company to use?

If I ended up with a 10 pounds alternator-shaped lobster, that'd be pretty sweet. I hope it'd be a blue one, too.
 

QueBert

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Jan 6, 2002
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Originally posted by: Agentbolt
The crap lobster you can get here in Tucson (either Red Lobster or the bulk stuff you can get that's the pacific kind) simply isn't doing it for me. I'm thinking about having a nice New England clam bake down here. I can get cherry clams from the local farmers market, but there is NO live lobster to be had.

I did see a few sites that'll ship you the lobster overnight in some kind of special boxes. You can get 6 2 pounders for 80 bucks, which isn't bad at all, really. I'm curious if anyone else has ever done this. Did they show up alive? Anyone have a recommendation on which company to use?

If I ended up with a 10 pounds alternator-shaped lobster, that'd be pretty sweet. I hope it'd be a blue one, too.

my friend did this, he said he was unaware they show up live, so he opened the box them came in, I guess after a few minutes out of the box one started to move and snap he said it scared the shit out of him ha. I don't eat Lobster but he does and his word was "delicious" I will ask him the company when I talk to him tomorrow. I know it wasn't cheap but you pay for quality
 

Whisper

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Feb 25, 2000
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My mother has lobsters shipped from Maine down to Atlanta at least a few times a year. I can't remember the exact name of the company (although I believe it might be MaineLobsterDirect.com), but she's never had any complaints, and this coming from a woman who spent half her life in New England eating the things.

Edit: And yes, to the best of my knowledge, they do show up alive
 

MrBond

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Feb 5, 2000
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They'd need to arrive alive, otherwise they're going to be worthless. When a lobster dies, the digestive system releases gastric juices that make the meat useless. Since they're live when you cook them, you can remove those parts before they ruin the meat. If your lobster arrives in the mail dead, chances are it's probably not going to be worth eating.
 

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
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That's surprising. I'm in Kahleeforneeya and several local grocery stores sell them...You pick the one(s) you want, just like at Red Lobster. They can be seasonal however.
 

Agentbolt

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Jul 9, 2004
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That's surprising. I'm in Kahleeforneeya and several local grocery stores sell them...You pick the one(s) you want, just like at Red Lobster. They can be seasonal however.

Really? Crazy. I looked around at pretty much every place here and nobody had 'em. Maybe I should ask if they get them in at certain times of year. Thanks for the heads up.
 

senseamp

Lifer
Feb 5, 2006
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Try to find an ethnic supermarket if you can. The Chinese one around here sells live lobsters and crabs.
Of course those may be harder to come by in AZ.
 

EagleKeeper

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Oct 30, 2000
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I used to pick up 3-4 at one of the wharfs in Boston just before a flight.

The place would pack them up and I took them as carry on baggage.

We would arrive in New Mexico and would usually get them steamed up that night.

Never had a problem with the exception that some of the larger ones made it difficult to drop into the pot.

Once I dropped off a box at H&R Block so they could be taken to the ranch. Friend's wife opened up the box in the office unaware what was in it.
 

A Casual Fitz

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May 16, 2005
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Originally posted by: Juno
Originally posted by: A Casual Fitz
You know I lived in Maine from when I was born until I was 19 and I've never had lobster.

shens!

Nope, lobster is mostly a tourist attraction.. and my parents aren't crazy about it. It just never happened.
 

TruePaige

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Oct 22, 2006
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You know I live in Maine now! Cheap lobster can be had here. Cheap shrimp too but not super cheap like the lobster.

...I'll stick them in a priority mail box for you.

It'll be cheaper...but claw holes might be in the box on arrival.


Edit: The First time I came up here I ate six lobsters for my goodbye dinner and had lobster stew from the left over meats the next day before my flight.

Haven't had it since I moved up here perm. though.
 

EagleKeeper

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Originally posted by: TruePaige
You know I live in Maine now! Cheap lobster can be had here. Cheap shrimp too but not super cheap like the lobster.

...I'll stick them in a priority mail box for you.

It'll be cheaper...but claw holes might be in the box on arrival.


Edit: The First time I came up here I ate six lobsters for my goodbye dinner and had lobster stew from the left over meats the next day before my flight.

Haven't had it since I moved up here perm. though.

Two days is the most that they can live out of the tank and packed.


 

TruePaige

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Oct 22, 2006
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Originally posted by: Common Courtesy
Originally posted by: TruePaige
You know I live in Maine now! Cheap lobster can be had here. Cheap shrimp too but not super cheap like the lobster.

...I'll stick them in a priority mail box for you.

It'll be cheaper...but claw holes might be in the box on arrival.


Edit: The First time I came up here I ate six lobsters for my goodbye dinner and had lobster stew from the left over meats the next day before my flight.

Haven't had it since I moved up here perm. though.

Two days is the most that they can live out of the tank and packed.

I AM ABOVE THE LAW!!

...(Of Lobster Survival)

No I guess you could stick them in a bucket of water, adds to shipping weight though.

..maybe a baggy of water.
 

Savarak

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Oct 27, 2001
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I moved here to Tucson for about a year and a few months now... and one thing I did earlier this year was call around looking for live blue crabs... noone has any :( :(
 

Savarak

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Oct 27, 2001
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I miss Chicago in terms of you can't waltz into a chinese supermarket to buy crabs
 

EagleKeeper

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Originally posted by: Savarak
I moved here to Tucson for about a year and a few months now... and one thing I did earlier this year was call around looking for live blue crabs... noone has any :( :(

Check with your local Asian grocery stores.

Here in Las Vegas, many stores will have a couple of boxes of live blue crabs for sale.

Or find someone in the Maryland area that can box & ship you some.