One, an overnighter steered by my loon who, like me, adores lobster. Sadly, it’s a pucklie years since I’ve managed to indulge masellie.
I’ve tried shopping for these vacuum-packed North Atlantic critters from Lidl however, even armed with a hammer, retrieving only a teeny gob of pink flesh defies me. I find yourself losin’ the rag and smashin’ away ’til the shell’s pulp.
Me that these days hardly ever ventures additional than the closest eatery has twice been a grimy stop-out.
And, if you happen to can really discover a restaurant in Aberdeen which sells them, you want a second mortgage for the invoice.
Nonetheless, simply doon the coast in bonnie Johnshaven, they appear to have the delicacy loupin’ oot o’ the ocean. You may virtually odor them whenever you stand on the shore.
Boy, did I am going my dinger on the meal in The Anchor Lodge on Friday, then shopping for extra to take residence from The Lobster Store on Saturday. Simply £23 for 2 dressed halves. If solely extra locations within the Neest would promote and serve this delicious harvest of the North Sea, as an alternative of most of it being shipped doon sooth.
My different awayday was to Perth for a particular lunch not one of the diners thought we’d see. After being identified with leukaemia virtually a 12 months in the past, an expensive outdated pal was given solely a ten to twenty% probability of survival. Nonetheless, after months of intensive chemotherapy, he’s now in remission – and searching higher than ever.
One other pal from Edinburgh – who’s just lately crushed breast and bowel most cancers – travelled north, and we met for lunch close to his residence. Boy, how we laughed and, sure, cried. I assumed he’d now have a very completely different perspective on life, appreciating each tiny rain drop. “Nope,” sez he, “I’m nonetheless a grumpy al’ sod.”
On the practice residence, a pair reverse spent the journey demolishing the everyday Scottish journey nosh: sausage rolls, sandwiches, crisps, Mars bars.
I all of a sudden remembered that household throughout from me on the practice from Edinburgh just a few years again – a Chinese language couple and two youngsters. Quickly out of Waverley, the mum, like Mary Poppins unpacking that bottomless bag, slowly, intentionally, handed spherical plates and cutlery. Man, wis I agog.
Then a a lot larger plate and – I child you not – oot emerged an enormous, cooked fish. Gently onto the plate, then, with the utmost cautious dexterity, she proceeded to fillet it, good parts positioned on to every dish. Bones on a serviette to the facet.
A complete trout or halibut? I wis dribblin’.
After she’d handed spherical 4 little packs of salad and a bottle of dressing, they considered the passing panorama, silently nibbling their Michelin-starred, nutritionally good, finesse-delivered, railway snack.
I wished to face up and applaud. However wager they had been a’ thinkin’: “Want that nosey wifie would cease starin’ at us!” On my subsequent practice journey, if I’ve a hammer… and a lobster.
