It took fifteen years for someone to notice that Zabar’s so-called “Lobster Salad” contains no lobster; a visiting journalist from New Orleans, per the Times, took note of “pink/orange tails” that seemed more of Louisiana than Maine.
It was crayfish! That’s a less-heralded sea creature which Saul Zabar claims can be defined as a lobster per Wikipedia, though he changed the name to “seafare salad” under pressure from the Maine Lobster Council. While the visiting New Orleans journalist found the crayfish-based salad to be expensive at $16.95 a pound, Mr. Zabar says that a lobster-based salad would be far more expensive.
There’s plenty to discuss at the upcoming “Crayfish and Cocktails” party (which serves exactly what it advertises–no Wikipedia justifications here!) in the Hamptons–ask your hosts whether, like Mr. Zabar, they prefer the texture or they find lobster prohibitively expensive! At least they’re upfront about the shellfish they’re serving–to paraphrase Hamlet, “To brine own self be true.”
ddaddario@observer.com :: @DPD_
