Bubba - The 22lb. Lobster - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Blackthorn · 03-02-2005, 09:39 AM

I'm a charter member of People for the Eating of Tastey Animals (PETA) so I'd be drawing some lemon-butter and firing up the grill. This guy is impressive at first glance but when you see the eras in which he's lived -- I guess we can throw this one back for now.

Quote:

Photo op: Bubba, left, a 23-pound lobster pulled from the waters off Nantucket, Mass., is in a tank beside your average 1.5 pound lobster at Wholey's fish market in Pittsburgh, Tuesday, March, 1, 2005. The big crustacean received a reprieve from being dinner and will be moving off to the Pittsburgh Zoo. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

No Butter for Bubba, the 22-Pound Lobster

By MIKE CRISSEY
Associated Press Writer

PITTSBURGH (AP) -- He could be older than Warner Bros. studio, General Motors and the Boy Scouts. He could have survived two world wars and Prohibition. He could have been dinner.

He's Bubba, a 22-pound leviathan of a lobster pulled from the waters off Nantucket, Mass., and shipped to a Pittsburgh fish market.

"It is overwhelming," owner Bob Wholey said. "If you see it, you will never forget it. Customers are just in awe."

On Tuesday, Wholey gave the lobster to the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium, which will send him to an aquarium at a Ripley's Believe It or Not museum.

Based on how long it typically takes a lobster to reach eating size - about five to seven years to grow to a pound - Bubba may be 100 years old.

That would make the crustacean older than Warner Bros. (1907), the Boy Scouts (1910) and the states of Arizona and New Mexico (1912), not to mention the first commercial radio station (1920), television (1927) and computers (1943).

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals sent Wholey a letter asking him to work with the group to release Bubba back in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Maine.

Another group calling itself People For Eating Tasty Animals reportedly offered Wholey a hefty price for the lobster. At Tuesday's price of $14.98 a pound, Bubba would retail for about $350.

Bob Bayer, executive director of the University of Maine's Lobster Institute, is skeptical and estimates that Bubba is likely 50 years old, but doesn't know for sure. Warm water and plenty of food may have more to do with a lobster's size than how long it's been alive.

"We have looked at all kinds of things to figure out if there is any way to age a lobster. I'm guessing 100 years is probably too high but I can't argue with it because you don't know," Bayer said.

No matter his age, Bubba dwarfs a typical 1 1/2-pound lobster. He's about three feet long and took up about half a 4-foot-by-4-foot tank at Wholey's Market. A lobster sharing his tank was about as big as one of Bubba's claws.

A handful of people who wandered by the tank Tuesday were impressed. One woman quietly said, "Wow," while a man said, "He's serious."

Although his business is to sell seafood, Wholey says Bubba was never bound to be boiled and buttered. And he's become a little philosophical after seeing the lobster, which could be twice his 54 years.

"I don't think you could eat something that big. ... What range of emotions does a lobster have? Greed? Lust? Love? I'm just going to give him to the zoo and hope he lives another 100 years," Wholey said.

"If you sat down and ate this thing, wouldn't that be a bit shellfish?"

BadNick · 03-02-2005, 10:10 AM

Yummy. Now I wonder if I can get a lobster roll around here for lunch.

A friend of mine who skin dives off the New Jersey shore picked up a huge lobster a couple years ago. I not sure how much it weighed, but it's claw was almost two pounds which he gave to one of the guys in work to feed his family. But I think the whole lobster was still under 12lbs.

Dostoevsky · 03-02-2005, 10:16 AM

I saw a 15 pounder once in a fresh seafood store in New Hampshire and I've seen plenty in the 10 pound range. I didn't realize it was so uncommon to see big ones like that.

Cynthetiq · 03-02-2005, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dostoevsky

I saw a 15 pounder once in a fresh seafood store in New Hampshire and I've seen plenty in the 10 pound range. I didn't realize it was so uncommon to see big ones like that.

not to mention the larger ones are not as sweet tasting as the smaller ones

punx1325 · 03-02-2005, 11:20 AM

I can't believe how big that thing is...

thatoneguy · 03-02-2005, 11:25 AM

Geez, I think that'd be enough food for me for a week!

Blackthorn · 03-02-2005, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cynthetiq

not to mention the larger ones are not as sweet tasting as the smaller ones

Aaaah that my good friend is a myth. There's a line of thinking that just says well it's old very old so the meat must not be as tender, etc. It is just as sweet and tender. The varieties are different so if you compare say a carribean rocky to one of these monsters you will get a different taste experience. Now that I think about it ... I say we cook this bad boy and sample it just to find out if this is fact or mythology

maleficent · 03-02-2005, 12:38 PM

There used to be a fish store in Pompton Lakes, NJ that had Larry the Lobster as it's mascot. No one wanted to buy Larry, but people would come to visit him... He was there for as long as I could remember and was a good 15 - 20 pounds. I wonder if someone had him for dinner when the fish store finally closed down...

I'll take the 3 pounders that they serve at the Portuguese restuarants around Newark, NJ... Loooove lobstahs... mmmm...

I have my claw crackers at the ready, it'll be tough to find a lobster pot big enough for him...

joeshoe · 03-02-2005, 12:57 PM

Wow!

That's a huge rubberband!

the_marq · 03-02-2005, 02:07 PM

Well he's dead now. I'd start watching eBay if you want a shot at the big sunuvabitch.

lite campfire · 03-02-2005, 02:42 PM

That is really really cool. Anyone have any more pictures?
Too bad he's dead.
When I was a kid I'd always stand around and watch the lobsters and crabs in a tank at the supermarket when my mom went shopping, I'd have kept him as a pet.

1slOwCD8 · 03-02-2005, 04:07 PM

He died? When? So hes lived over 100 years supposedly and now that they were transfering him to the zoo he dies? That... is sad.

drakers · 03-02-2005, 04:45 PM

Well I guess this is America when a big lobster grabs headlines for being big and old.

MooseMan3000 · 03-04-2005, 03:12 PM

I've caught plenty of lobsters that size. Before the lobster fad boomed (say... mid 80s? My culinary history is not too good), they were pretty common, actually. Of course, I don't know this firsthand (I was born, say... mid 80s), but all the fisherman I know tell the same story. It's the same thing that's happened to countless other fish populations; they're getting killed off, so the ones we see are smaller and smaller.

I can't say with any certainty how old a lobster would have to be to get that big, but I think 100 years is far too high an estimate. While the statistic that it takes about 7 years for a lobster to reach a pound is absolutely true, it's also true that once they get big enough, it suddenly becomes a LOT easier for them to find food. Lobsters are extremely territorial, and one that's twice (or more) the size of most of the others in the water will be able to get food whenever it wants it. I'd guess a 22 pound lobster is like... 30.

Oh, and I wouldn't want to eat him.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blackthorn

Aaaah that my good friend is a myth

Not true. Big lobsters are tougher. Little ones taste better. And they're cheaper per pound, because everyone wants a big one. Because everyone's dumb.

A 22 poubd lobster would be one tough mother, and he wouldn't taste very good. My favorite are the 1 pound softshells. They taste the best, and they're the easiest to eat. Of course, that's just my opinion.

jorgelito · 03-04-2005, 05:50 PM

This would be a great "test". Lobster eating.....mmmm.....lobster....oh Pinchie...

yvan_eht_nioj · 03-05-2005, 04:32 PM

It's a great thing to work at a fancy restaurant and get a 50% discount on the entire dinner menu - including lobster.

KinkyKiwi · 03-05-2005, 04:52 PM

Umm..he kinda scares me :/ but i would never eat him or anyone else..animals are wayy too cute to much on

0energy0 · 03-06-2005, 06:46 PM

lobster rolls for everyone!

Soggybagel · 03-07-2005, 06:20 PM

Okay well i didn't see a new topic mentioning how so many people wanted him to live a good life but when they transferred him to a new home he died anyways!! I couldn't help but chuckle as I assume he'd be eaten anyways!

Blackthorn · 03-09-2005, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MooseMan3000

....

Not true. Big lobsters are tougher. Little ones taste better. And they're cheaper per pound, because everyone wants a big one. Because everyone's dumb.

A 22 poubd lobster would be one tough mother, and he wouldn't taste very good. My favorite are the 1 pound softshells. They taste the best, and they're the easiest to eat. Of course, that's just my opinion.

Lobster's, like shrimp and other crustaceans, taste different for a number of reasons but the principle reason is their diet which depends on location. The specific breed will generally also vary by location as you will usually not find a Maine Lobster (which is an aggressive bugger) in the warm Caribbean waters and vice versa.

Lobsters are carnivorous. They eat mostly eat crabs, clams, worms, snails, mussels, flounder, and believe it or not other lobsters. Working down the food chain reveals that the content of their diet will vary by location which will lead to differences in their taste.

Texture or toughness is also confounded by location. The colder the water (a la Maine & New England waters) the more collagen is developed in the subcutaneous tissue of the lobster which leads to a tougher texture. The smaller ones, like the Caribbean spiny's, will be sweeter, more succulent, and generally more tender than those that come from colder water.

That 22lb monster would taste very similar to his smaller contemporaries from the same part of the ocean.

I think it’s time for a lobster taste test!!!

MooseMan3000 · 04-21-2005, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blackthorn

That 22lb monster would taste very similar to his smaller contemporaries from the same part of the ocean.

Just not true. All the lobster I eat is from Maine, as I live there, and big ones taste MUCH different than small ones. As I described, it's probably because of the diet and the conditions in which they live. Big ones are tough. Small ones are nice and sweet.

03-02-2005, 10:16 AM	#3 (permalink)
Dostoevsky Psycho Location: Macon, GA	I saw a 15 pounder once in a fresh seafood store in New Hampshire and I've seen plenty in the 10 pound range. I didn't realize it was so uncommon to see big ones like that. __________________ Pride is the recognition of the fact that you are your own highest value and, like all of man’s values, it has to be earned. It is not advisable, James, to venture unsolicited opinions. You should spare yourself the embarrassing discovery of their exact value to your listener. Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged

03-02-2005, 11:20 AM	#5 (permalink)
punx1325 Junkie Location: San Diego	I can't believe how big that thing is... __________________ If something seems too good to be true, then it probably is....

03-02-2005, 12:38 PM	#8 (permalink)
maleficent Junkie Moderator Emeritus Location: Chicago	There used to be a fish store in Pompton Lakes, NJ that had Larry the Lobster as it's mascot. No one wanted to buy Larry, but people would come to visit him... He was there for as long as I could remember and was a good 15 - 20 pounds. I wonder if someone had him for dinner when the fish store finally closed down... I'll take the 3 pounders that they serve at the Portuguese restuarants around Newark, NJ... Loooove lobstahs... mmmm... I have my claw crackers at the ready, it'll be tough to find a lobster pot big enough for him... __________________ Free your heart from hatred. Free your mind from worries. Live simply. Give more. Expect less.

03-02-2005, 02:07 PM	#10 (permalink)
the_marq All hail the Mountain King Location: Black Mesa	Well he's dead now. I'd start watching eBay if you want a shot at the big sunuvabitch. __________________ The Truth: Johnny Cash could have kicked Bruce Lee's ass if he wanted to. #3 in a series

03-02-2005, 02:42 PM	#11 (permalink)
lite campfire Crazy	That is really really cool. Anyone have any more pictures? Too bad he's dead. When I was a kid I'd always stand around and watch the lobsters and crabs in a tank at the supermarket when my mom went shopping, I'd have kept him as a pet. Last edited by lite campfire; 03-02-2005 at 02:44 PM..

03-02-2005, 10:10 AM	#2 (permalink)
BadNick Riding the Ocean Spray Location: S.E. PA in U Sofa	Yummy. Now I wonder if I can get a lobster roll around here for lunch. A friend of mine who skin dives off the New Jersey shore picked up a huge lobster a couple years ago. I not sure how much it weighed, but it's claw was almost two pounds which he gave to one of the guys in work to feed his family. But I think the whole lobster was still under 12lbs.

03-02-2005, 11:25 AM	#6 (permalink)
thatoneguy Crazy Location: Omaha, NE	Geez, I think that'd be enough food for me for a week!

03-02-2005, 12:57 PM	#9 (permalink)
joeshoe Crazy Location: California	Wow! That's a huge rubberband!

03-02-2005, 04:07 PM	#12 (permalink)
1slOwCD8 Psycho Location: chicago, illinois	He died? When? So hes lived over 100 years supposedly and now that they were transfering him to the zoo he dies? That... is sad.

03-02-2005, 04:45 PM	#13 (permalink)
drakers Psycho Location: IOWA	Well I guess this is America when a big lobster grabs headlines for being big and old. __________________ Friends don't shake hands, friends 'gotta HUG!

03-04-2005, 05:50 PM	#15 (permalink)
jorgelito All important elusive independent swing voter... Location: People's Republic of KKKalifornia	This would be a great "test". Lobster eating.....mmmm.....lobster....oh Pinchie...

03-05-2005, 04:32 PM	#16 (permalink)
yvan_eht_nioj Upright	It's a great thing to work at a fancy restaurant and get a 50% discount on the entire dinner menu - including lobster. __________________ I'd hit it.

03-05-2005, 04:52 PM	#17 (permalink)
KinkyKiwi "Without the fuzz" Location: ..too close for comfort..	Umm..he kinda scares me :/ but i would never eat him or anyone else..animals are wayy too cute to much on __________________ Some mornings, it's just not worth chewing through the leather straps. Play with each other. Play with yourselves. Just don't play with the squirrels, they bite.

03-06-2005, 06:46 PM	#18 (permalink)
0energy0 Insane Location: Title Town, USA	lobster rolls for everyone!

03-07-2005, 06:20 PM	#19 (permalink)
Soggybagel Psycho Location: Lovely City #1	Okay well i didn't see a new topic mentioning how so many people wanted him to live a good life but when they transferred him to a new home he died anyways!! I couldn't help but chuckle as I assume he'd be eaten anyways!