Mayo or Butter?

From the northeast corner of Canada down to Long Island, New York, the best summertime treat is a fresh lobster roll. Depending on from where you hail, you may have grown up having this delectable delicacy with warm, melted butter or tossed with mayonnaise. But which is the original? Which one is better?

Just like the debate of mayo and butter, the history of the lobster roll is a heated and varied story. It all depends on whose version you subscribe. Some say the lobster roll was invented at Bayley’s Lobster Pound in Pine Point, Maine, which is tossed lightly with mayo. Others declare it was first crafted, drenched with butter, in Milford, Connecticut by Harry Perry back in the 1920’s. Or perhaps you believe that the Nautilus Tea Room in Marblehead, Massachusetts was the first to serve this infamous dish.

The first record of lobster becoming a food source was from the first Europeans who settled in America, back in the late 1600s and early 1700s. Lobsters were so plentiful they would pile up on shore, up to two feet in height. Originally a peasant food, it was often fed to prisoners, servants and children. Caught easily along the rocky shores, lobster was plentiful in those days and very cheap. Over the years, it has become a highly sought after delicacy.

So which one is better? At this point in the controversy, it’s all about personal preference. One thing both camps do agree on is the bun. It must be a fresh sliced hot dog bun that is split long the top, without the ends, making it easy to butter and grill. That toasted bun is the perfect vessel to carry the mouth-watering lobster meat, no matter if you have it cold with mayo or warm with melted butter.

The choice is yours. Which is your favorite on a summer’s day?

by L.A. DiNardi