Throwing a Lobster Party with Fresh Direct

I’ve had some pretty freaking cool experiences since starting this blog, but Fresh Direct helped me pull off a really cool one last week.

A few weeks ago I was driving back from the Hamptons, and I got an email from the FreshDirect PR people asking if I wanted to participate in a lobster party with them. IS THIS REAL LIFE? WHAT IS MY LIFE? immediately went through my mind, and I emailed the lovely lady back as soon as I stopped, saying “I am obsessed with lobster, so yes please!”

I really like entertaining, but it also makes me really nervous, so I just wanted to plan something small with my closest friends. I was dumb and originally planned on hosting it the night after the NYC Tri, but, LOL no.

FreshDirect provided me with gift cards to pay for the entire experience, which was really nice. I logged on earlier in the week and reserved my lobstahs, and updated the order the night before when I was sure what my menu would be.

On Friday, I anxiously waited for a call/email from my doorman that I had a delivery.

Lobster Delivery!

Oh, did I have a delivery! (The other two bags are tangentially related but were not part of the order.)

I brought the boxes upstairs and was TERRIFIED to open them. WHAT IF LIVE LOBSTERS JUMPED OUT?

Thankfully, Lacey came over soon after and was a tremendous help, as she always is when I have a party. Just when I start freaking out, she steps in and helps me project manage.

We’d gone to Uplift the night before, and I’d warned her that she’d be doing any lobster-killing. Luckily, I had checked that I wanted the lobsters split/cleaned (which I think was an extra $1 or so per pound – WELL WORTH IT.)

I’d decided on an easy menu since the lobsters would be the stars of the show: roasted red potatoes and Mexican corn. (I found that recipe because I googled “Mexican corn no grill”, because, NYC. I don’t have a panini maker, either, so we boiled the corn and then cooked the rest of it in the broiler.

Fresh Direct Lobster Party

Just cheesin’.

And yes, of course I wore my lobster dress.

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Props to my mom for bringing me these plates, and props to Emily for having fabulous hair. (Oh, and being a fabulous friend, too.)

How to Cook a Lobster

FreshDirect sent over a Lobster Party Kit with some tips and recipes.

How to Cook a Lobster

No, Alex, let’s pretend to be serious here for the picture, ok?

Boiling Lobster

When it came down to it, the lobster prep was actually pretty easy, since they’d already been cleaned and split. (Ain’t nobody got time for dirty lobstahs.)(And I just watched this lobster-splitting video…and it looks terrifying.)

I got 8 lobsters, so we had 16 halves. We cooked them by throwing them in boiling water with some tarragon, lemon, salt and pepper and cooked for about 8 minutes per pot. They provided Homarus lobsters; FreshDirect is an exclusive retailer for the lobstahs which come straight from Maine, where all good lobsters come from, and are sourced straight from Homarus’ dock. They have a slightly softer shell, so they’re much easier to crack open.

Lobster with Tarragon

Hi guys!

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WAIT, WHAT? They were alive??

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Ta-da!

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Like chicken of the sea, right?

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He was not allowed lobster.

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We also made some drawn butter to dip the little guys in. (And yes, I do have a lobster print on my wall. Thank you for asking. I cannot fake this level of love for lobsters.)

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Sides!

Fresh Direct Lobster Party Preppy Runner

True Life: I Live in an NYC Studio So My Dresser Doubles as a Buffet and the Lobsters Did Not Try to Steal My Jewelry.

I should also note that Fresh Direct has a decent wine selection; I was PSYCHED to find my fave, Babich, on their site.

Host Your Own Fresh Direct Lobster Party

Do you want to have your own lobster party?? Of course you do. Fresh Direct is currently having a KILLER sale — $4.99/pound!!!

If you have your own lobstah party, I’d love to hear about it! Use @freshdirect #FDlobsterparty to…join the party! There’s also a lobster hotline if you’re “in hot water.” 1-844-4LOBSTA. Without Lacey, I sure as hell would have called it.

Thank you so much to FreshDirect for hooking me up with this! I now: want to cook more lobster, entertain more, and uh, just cook more.

Do you like lobster? How do you cook it? Do you entertain often?

12 comments on “Throwing a Lobster Party with Fresh Direct

  1. Monica

    I live in a studio! Our kitchens look the same! I’d be fascinated by a post on how you make your studio work for living, cooking, exercise, and hosting. I love small-living tips!

    Reply
    1. Theodora Blanchfield Post author

      Also I love when I google something + small apt or studio apt and (usually looking for bathroom storage ideas) and get some article about some “small” bathroom in a house in, like, Iowa. Not the same.

      Reply
  2. Lauren

    As a long-time reader of your blog, I know all about your love for lobster! It made me SO happy to read this post. You and your ladies must have had an awesome time together.

    I don’t eat lobster but I do love to entertain! I also live in a cozy NYC studio apartment and actually find that having one, open space is pretty great for social gatherings. We have to be a little extra creative, right? I keep trays of brussel sprouts and stuffed mushrooms chilling on the window sill before roasting! 😉

    Reply
  3. Jessica

    What a fun collab! Who doesn’t love a good lobster? However, I prefer to eat out for it. I’d feel too guilty killing them myself!
    (If you’re interested, I’m giving away a $150 gift card to KiraKira Jewelry. Enter here.)

    Reply
  4. Nicole

    Every year my boyfriend’s family and another family they’ve known for ages host a lobster party.
    I even bought Essie “Clambake” nail polish just for the occasion. It’s the one time of year I wear lobster-orange polish 🙂

    Reply

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