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Lobsterfest!

A Lobster Bake for Friends!
 

Lobsterfest Invitations
 

Get your guests drooling for lobster by sending a personalized seafood theme invitation. Including a lobster bib in the envelope with the invite for an extra special touch.
 

Or make your own invitations! Use white cardstock printed with the party information layered on top of a bright red piece of cardboard. Add some fun wording to get everyone excited -
 

Pinch me! It's time for the Johnson's 3rd Annual Lobsterfest
 

Add a little sea theme confetti in the envelope for sparkle. If you want to make your invitation really memorable, attach it to an inexpensive lobster cracker. You should be able to find them at a restaurant supply store. Mail it in a padded envelope. Your guests will be absolutely thrilled and you won't get any regrets!
 

Lobsterfest Decorations and Party Supplies
 

Balloons are a wonderful way to decorate a party, and they are very economical too. Use plastic pails filled with sand as balloon weights, and tie balloon bouquets made of one lobster Mylar balloons and dark blue, light blue and white balloons to the handle. Stick a few blue glow sticks in the sand for a great evening look. 
 

Hang a ocean blue scene setter on the walls. Over it hang natural fish netting along the walls and hang assorted plastic fish in the netting. A few whales and dolphins along the wall will add a bit of fun if you have the space.

If you party will be outside (or if it is bound to spill outside) add a few tiki torches around the area along with a few citronella candles. These under the sea lanterns would look great with white twinkle lights throughout the yard.

Seafood Party Menu
 

Set out some fun nautical paper goods. You probably won't be seating people (and if it’s casual, why bother?), still personalize lobster bibs and place them in alphabetical order. You can set them at the beginning of the buffet table. Everyone needs one, so why not make them a special touch?

For centerpieces use fish netting with sand (if the party center will let you) scattered with a variety of shells, starfish, sand dollars and seaweed. For height, use a large rock on the center of the table, and build off of that. Or, put your basket of breads on the center of the table with netting, sand, shells, etc.

Or do something that will get you a lot of laughs. Do a "RIP Larry the Lobster" headstone on each table painted, back-to-back on heavy tagboard about 12" high (don’t forget the date), with small flowers and stones around the bottom. Everyone will get a laugh and the expense will be small.

The classic meal to serve at this party is a Lobster Bake. Here is an easy recipe that you can do at home on the grill -

Lobster Bake for 10

• 15 pounds of seaweed
• 16 (1 1/2 pound) lobsters
• 16 ears corn, shucked
• 5 pounds red potatoes, parboiled halfway in salted water
• 10 pounds large clams
• 1 cup water
• Butter, salt, and lemon slices

If you do not have a large grill you may have to cook this in two batches. If you are using a charcoal grill start the fire 1 hour in advance, making sure the coals are white hot before you begin cooking. Gas grills should be turned up high and preheated. Either way you will need a grill with a cover for this lobster recipe. The seaweed in this recipe really adds a wonderful flavor to the fresh seafood, and your fish market should be able to get it for you.

Fill a large pot 2/3 of the way with water and bring to a boil. Leaving bands on the claws, grasp the lobster firmly by the middle of the back and place the lobsters headfirst into boiling water, instantly killing the lobsters. Remove them from the pot.

Place a large baking sheet on the grill. Add water and spread 1/2 the seaweed on the sheet. Arrange lobsters and clams on top of the seaweed. Place corn on top of the seafood and the potatoes on top of the corn. Cover with the remaining seaweed. Turn the grill (if gas) on low and close the cover. Cook for 15 - 20 minutes or until the clams have opened. Serve the bake on top of newspapers to contain the mess, along with melted butter, piles of coarse sea salt, and lemon wedges.

You can also set up your dinner as a smogasborg of seafood. Set it up buffet style like stations. You can even do a seafood and wine pairing. Here are a few great dishes and a perfect wine pairing -

• Broiled Lobster with Butter or Steamed Crab Legs - Chardonnay

• Raw Shrimp -Sauvignon Blanc

• Grilled Tuna or Salmon - Pinot Noir

• Steamed Mussels - Pinot Grigio

• Caviar - White Riesling

• Fried Calamari - Chenin Blanc

• Oysters - Sauvignon Blanc

Make signs for each station or dish. Over the lobster pot: "Don’t get yourself in a tailspin--we’ve got LOBSTER right here!"; over the clams: "Don’t CLAM up, these are really good!"; over the salad and pasta bar: "Salad has so many pastabilities!" and so forth. Have fun with it!

Seafood Party Favors
 

Send everyone home with a sweet reminder of their sumptuous seafood feast! A personalized lobsterfest candy bar wrapper should do the trick!

Or maybe hand out a personalized t-shirt with a big lobster on it and a fun saying - "Living life one claw at a time!" or " Don't come close, I love to pinch" or even "Got butter?".

Either way, your guests will be going home with full bellies and wonderful memories of your Lobsterfest!