what is a lobster pound?
 

I've been reading old threads about Portland ME and the vicinity,and have seen many references to "lobster pounds". My only experience with pounds is where they put lost dogs, and I'm sure this isn't it, although it's a very amusing image-- a bunch of lobsters in pens waving their claws. Is it a generic term for roadside stand, or what?
Thanks for answering a northwesterners question.

Your guess is correct - same meaning as a dog pound more or less.

It's a term for a place where captured wild lobsters are kept in pens (tanks) until they are adopted.

"It's a term for a place where captured wild lobsters are kept in pens (tanks) until they are adopted." - ADOPTED? Not eaten, but ADOPTED?

Oh, my... :'(

yes faina, mine is on a leash.

OK, maybe adopted isn't the right term.

How about invited home for dinner?

Da lobster pound...shesa abouta twenty-two dollas... bringa you own cole slawa...

Hey dallasdeb,

As others have mentioned a lobster pound is basically a stand or shop type place where you can buy lobster at a reasonable price (compared to what you'd probably pay in a restaurant). You can pick your lobster and they'll boil it for you. Some serve meals such as lobster, potato and corn or whatever.

For the most part its a cheap, casual and fun way to enjoy your lobster.

Layla :)

Thanks, Layla
Are they usually only open in the summer, or am I able to go to a lobster pound when I'm in the area in January?

16 ounces?

Some of the lobster pounds are uninsulated shacks on the water so they close down for the winter but others are larger, with an adjacent full scale restaurant, generally very casual. Some of the cheapest prices for lobster are at the supermarket where they will also cook it for you. Sometimes I've seen it as cheap as $5.99 at the Demoulas/Market Basket chain.

The lobster pounds we went to in Maine were not cheap. We watched the boats bring them in, we choose the ones we wanted, they cooked them with sides and they were absolutely the best lobster we have ever had. But not cheap.

Hey dallasdeb,

I've only been to New England in the summer so I'm not sure if they would be open in the winter, but I would imagine that at least SOME of the larger ones would remain open year round.

Someone else mentioned that supermarkets will cook your lobster for you...this is true also (even the Walmart I went to in Old Orchard was cooking lobsters for customers lol) This is another inexpensive option, you guys could picnic in your hotel room :)

Enjoy....I'm very jealous!!!

Layla %%-

Thanks for all this information. I can't wait to try the Maine lobster. The "pound" sounds a lot like the roadside places that sell Dungenes crab here along the Oregon coast. We can also buy them in the groceries, although not our Walmart (we don't have a superone) They don't keep them live, though.
picknicking in my hotel room sounds good, but I need lots of that melted butter. Yum!
Again, thank you!

At least on the part of the coast that we go to in the winter, most (if not all) of the lobster pounds are closed down since they rely on tourists which are few and far between in the winter months. But you can always get lobster at any local restaurant (even the Denny's in Ellsworth has lobster - but I'm not sure I would go there for my lobster dinner).