Troy Warren for CNT #Celebrations
NATIONAL LOBSTER NEWBURG DAY
National Lobster Newburg day on March 25th ushers in a celebration worthy of a sea captain. An American seafood dish, Lobster Newburg includes lobster, butter, cream, cognac, sherry, eggs, and cayenne pepper.
Delmonico’s of New York debut Lobster Newburg in 1876. A sea captain by the name of Ben Wenburg developed the elegant and rich dish. After he demonstrated the recipe to restaurant manager Charles Delmonico, Chef Charles Ranhofer made refinements and they added the creation to the restaurant’s menu as Lobster a la Wenburg. It wasn’t long before the dish grew in popularity.
However, an argument between Wenburg and manager Charles Delmonico caused the dish to be removed from the menu. After many requests from patrons, Delmonico’s returned the dish with a new name. The entree came to be known as Lobster Newburg.
When Delmonico’s first opened in 1830, Brothers Giovanni and Peter transformed a small café. They created New York’s first customary restaurant with cloth-covered tables and printed menus. Similar to the café’s transformation, Lobster Newburg came about right around the time lobster was transforming from a poor man’s food to a delicacy. You see, before the mid-1800s, people considered lobster to be fish bait or food for prisoners. Lobster hadn’t been elevated to the luxury item it is today. But right around the time Captian Wenburg invented the dish, tourism by train and ship was taking off. Pair that with improved canning options (including lobster), and people were experiencing the seafood for the first time.
As dishes like Lobster Newburg, lobster tails, lobster bisque, and others found their way onto restaurant menus, the nation’s love of the crustacean grew.
HOW TO OBSERVE #LobsterNewburgDay
- Enjoy a dish of Lobster Newburg.
- Check out the history of Delmonico’s.
- Learn more about the types of lobsters in the sea.
- Explore the history of the lobster industry.
- Who was Captian Wenburg?
- Make Lobster Newburg. We even have a recipe for you to try.
- Enjoy this Lobster Newburg recipe.
- Use #LobsterNewburgDay to post on social media.
Lobster FAQ
Q. How many ways can you cook fresh lobster?
A. You can cook lobster in as many ways as you cook other proteins. Lobster can be boiled, steamed, baked, broiled, and grilled. You can also use leftover lobster (is that a thing) to make soups, macaroni and cheese, and dips.
Q. How big does lobster grow?
A. According to the Guinness World Records, the largest lobster ever caught was in Nova Scotia, Canada, weighing 44.4 lbs. However, lobsters served in restaurants are regulated. Maine lobsters are served between 1 1/4 pounds to 4 pounds.
Q. Is a langoustine a type of lobster?
A. No, but they are in the same family as the lobster – Nephrodidae.
