Get Physical With Your Food: A Simple, Hands-On Meal

We'll start today with a shout-out to the Mass Farmer's Markets and their loving local blogathon going on right now! Click on the previous link to find a lot of local bloggers who are sharing recipes and other ideas from their findings at local Massachusetts Farmers Markets. I've found some delicious recipes I'd like to try in the near future from my fellow bloggers out there, including this delicious looking Spanish Tortilla recipe I have got to try when I get my tomatillos from my Silverbrook Farms CSA this week!

Today, I'm talking about getting physical...with your food. We get so separated from our food, especially our meat. We can buy melon cut up into perfect cubes, chicken that looks nothing like the bird they came from, and the list goes on. But someone out there cuts that melon, someone out there kills that chicken (or runs the machine that does so.) I think it's only fair that once in awhile, we get our hands dirty, get a little more involved with where our food comes from.

This dinner was ALL HANDS ON; we had to work for all our food, but it was worth every effort.

The physicality is why I LOVE lobster. You have to work for your meat, but it is so worth it to bite into that juicy, briny flesh. For those living in New England, take advantage of lobster as a special occasional treat! We're lucky to have world-class seafood, the kind people will get shipped all over the world, right here and local. The Sustainable Seafood Watch has Maine Lobster as an acceptable seafood choice as well. Lobster is expensive, but not that expensive when it's local and you're buying from a Lobster Pound, which specializes in Lobster and buys direct from lobstermen. Our lobster were 6.99 a pound in Southern Maine.

I have no problem boiling my lobster, but I don't have a pot big enough. Thankfully, most places will cook your lobster for you for free. Make sure you have lobster crackers on hand!

You can dip your lobster in clarified butter, but I like olive oil, garlic, and some fresh local basil (from the CSA) instead.

Boil some farmers market-fresh corn for a delicious, messy, hands-on meal.

This is an expensive meal by my standards. It works out to a little under 10 bucks a person with the lobster and the corn and dippings. But this would be a great way to have a romantic meal, very Like Water for Chocolate. It's also a great way to celebrate a special occasion with your family. Lots of kids love taking their food apart and giving the lobster and autopsy!

Don't live in New England? If you live near the coast, try some local seafood, perhaps even a whole fish baked with lemon and herbs! Don't like seafood? Try some melon, corn, or other fruit or veggie that needs your hands-on work. You'll have fun with it!