The long winter is finally over, and Maine New Shell Lobsters are here. Just in time for National Lobster Day.

Maine is home to some of the world’s most delicious lobster, and the beginning of the harvest season is well underway. To celebrate National Lobster day today, we've gathered some information pertinent for lobster enthusiasts.
 Typically lasting from June to November, this is a unique time for locals. Just prior to peak harvest season, lobsters in the cold, pristine waters of Maine shed their old shells and grow new ones, resulting in Maine New Shell Lobster—one of the sweetest, most tender lobster available on the market.

The Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative (MLMC) has launched a new campaign to let us in on this seasonal delicacy. With intentions of celebrating the unparalleled flavor brought by New Shells, the program offers creative ways chefs are preparing Maine lobster on their menus.
They want everyone to celebrate the Maine Lobster season. “We are excited to introduce people around the country to New Shells and the amazing story our lobstermen have to tell,” says Matt Jacobson, executive director of MLMC.
People are increasingly interested in the provenance of their food and care about issues like environmental sustainability—something the Maine Lobster industry has been at the forefront of for decades. It has a long history of sustainability and traceability practices deeply rooted within a close-knit group of multigenerational family lobstermen. They have self-regulated their industry and practiced the same responsible fishing practices for more than 100 years. “We’ve been doing it like this forever,” says Jacobson. “in 1879, the first self-policing regulation about sustainability occurred in Maine Lobster. They threw back the big ones to breed more and threw back the little ones because they’re not big enough yet.”  Lobster fishermen take pride in the quality of their product and do all they can to protect the marine environment that provides their livelihood.
A dish that continues to become more and more popular is the lobster roll, which is being served up everywhere from high-end restaurants to fast casual chains and food trucks. Luke Holden, owner of Luke’s Lobster and board member of the MLMC, has recently opened his latest location in Chicago this past May; Pret A Manger, a quick-serve restaurant will offer Maine Lobster Rolls at all U.S. locations this summer; and they’re even being served in the U.S. pavilion at the food-themed Expo Milano 2015, forever cementing it as an iconic American dish.
If you want a little more information on New Maine Lobster, check out the infographics and recipe below; and we hope you find yourself enjoying some of the delectable delicacy today.




Linguine with Chive and Tomato
Adapted from: For Cod and Country by Barton Seaver
Serves 4
4 1-pound Maine New Shell Lobsters 
6 Roma tomatoes, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound linguine
Chopped fresh chives for garnish
Salt
Directions: 
Fill the largest pot you have with at least 1 gallon of water and bring to a boil. Put the lobsters, two at a time, headfirst into the water. (Be sure to do it this way! If you put them in tail first, they will snap it back as they hit the water and could splash boiling water right into your face.) Cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes. This is just enough time to dispatch the lobster and firm up the meat inside the shell. With tongs, transfer the lobsters from the water to a colander to cool. Cook the two remaining lobsters in the same way.
Do not discard the cooking water.
Remove the lobster meat from the tail and cut into 1/2-inch dice. Remove the claw meat from the shell and reserve.
Combine the tomatoes, garlic, onion, olive oil, and 1 cup of the lobster cooking water in a medium saucepan. Season generously with salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the tomatoes begin to break down and the onion softens, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Add a good amount of salt to the lobster cooking water and cook the linguine, using the timing specified on the package. When the pasta is 1 minute from done, strain off all but 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Add the tomato sauce and continue to cook the pasta for another minute, until it has absorbed most of the liquid. Remove from the heat and toss in the chopped lobster tail meat and the cooked claws. Toss to combine.