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How to Eat a Lobster: And Other Edible Enigmas Explained Hardcover – April 4, 2017

by Ashley Blom (Author), Lucy Engelman (Illustrator)
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 55 ratings
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Learn the answers to modern food and etiquette questions with this beautifully illustrated guide for curious foodies everywhere

For adventurous foodies everywhere, How to Eat a Lobster is the perfect handbook for handling every tricky dining situation you can imagine (and a few you can’t) with grace, style, and minimal splatter. With easy-to-follow instructions and helpful illustrations, you’ll learn the answers to 50 food-related questions you’ve been afraid to ask. (What do you do when crawfish arrive? Twist and snap off the head. Peel the tail and pull out the meat. Then suck the juices from the head. Seriously: you’re supposed to!)

Topics include:
• How to Eat Crawfish
• How to Eat Raw Oysters
• How to Eat Escargots
• How to Open a Coconut
• How to Slice a Mango
• How to Use Chopsticks
• How to Hold a Wineglass
• How to Use Bread as a Utensil
• How to Eat Sushi
• How to Recover from a Tongue Burn
• And more!

Equal parts cheat sheet and cheerleader, How to Eat a Lobster not only shows you how to open a coconut—it shows you that you can!
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  1. Print length
    160 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Quirk Books
  4. Publication date
    April 4, 2017
  5. Dimensions
    5 x 0.7 x 6.6 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1594749213
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1594749216
Next slide of product details
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The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“This breezy little primer will show you how best to eat that crustacean on your plate and also bone a fish, carve a chicken and properly consume artichokes, pomegranates and even durians.”—The New York Times

“Whatever the case may be, How to Eat a Lobster has you covered.”—Boing Boing

"Ashley Blom may be the Emily Post of food.”—The Star-Ledger

“The culmination of years of hard work….How to Eat a Lobster [is] an easily understandable guide on how to handle unique foods and certain situations involving proper dining etiquette.”—The Berkeley Beacon

“A good, inexpensive gift for those “foodies” among your family and friends.”—The New Orleans Advocate 

“A fun easy read, for aspiring foodies and anyone just wanting to have more mealtime know-how.”—Page Turners

“This book is utterly fun and genuinely informative!”—Zip06.com

About the Author

Ashley Blom is a food writer and blogger in Austin, Texas. She's written for the Emerson Review, Paste Magazine, Sharp Heels, FamilyFun, Blast Bombshell online, the Brattleboro Reformer, among others. She blogs at Forking Up (forkingup.com). Her first book, How to Eat a Lobster and Other Edible Enigmas Explained has been featured in O Magazine, The New York Times, and more. Lucy Engelman is a freelance illustrator in Michigan. Her work has appeared everywhere from Bon Appétit to DesignSponge.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Quirk Books; Illustrated edition (April 4, 2017)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 160 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1594749213
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1594749216
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 0.7 x 6.6 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 55 ratings

About the authors

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  1. Lucy Engelman

    Lucy Engelman

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    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    LUCY is an illustrator in the most traditional sense of the word. Her intricate line work often nods to her fascination with the natural world. Her work has appeared in magazines and books and often appears beyond the printed page through collaborations with chefs and farmers, creating imagery for apparel to home goods, and filling rooms with custom wallpapers. An illustration of Lucy's was even used as the blueprint for a corn maze.

    Lucy puts pen to paper surrounded by her growing collection of house plants in Pittsburgh, PA. She is easily tempted by the world outside her studio window and often prefers working amongst the trees and their inhabitants.

    See more on the author's page
  2. Ashley Blom

    Ashley Blom

    Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Ashley Blom is a native New England millennial who is currently cooking and eating her way through Austin, Texas. She’s been writing since the day she learned to hold a pen, and her first book–How to Eat a Lobster and Other Culinary Enigmas Explained–is forthcoming from Quirk Books in April 2017. She has written for Paste Food, FamilyFun Magazine, The Emerson Review, Honest Cooking, The Brattleboro Reformer, and has written a handful of Buzzfeed Community lists as well as had recipes featured on the site.

    Ashley lives with her husband, their amazing dog, and two snuggly cats. She cooks as much as she can for her little family on her student-loan-endebted budget. The results are what you see on her blog, which she has been penning in some form since graduating Emerson College in 2010.

    Ashley’s blog and subsequent food writing inspires millennials and beyond to put down the takeout menu and pick up a cookbook. She is entirely self-taught in the craft of cooking and prides herself on creating simple, inexpensive recipes that taste good and at least attempt to be healthy

    See more on the author's page
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Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
55 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book informative and entertaining. They appreciate the instructions and how-tos, which are explained clearly. The book provides a fantastic look at various foods and is a great companion piece for foodies. Readers praise the engaging writing and illustrations that go perfectly with the text.

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Information qualityHumorInstructionsFood knowledgeWriting quality
6 customers mention "Information quality"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book informative and entertaining for all ages. It's a quick reference with clever sayings and witty travelogue guides.

"...look at how to eat various and sometimes complicated foods in an educational and humorous manner. The illustrations go perfectly with the text...." Read more

"...writing and illustrations to be very engaging and entertaining and informative...." Read more

"Great book. Informative, funny, well written. Lots of how to's on things i never knew I needed to know...." Read more

"...It reads quick, which is fine, but is made for quick reference. Want to try oysters? Here's how. Want to eat durian? Here's how...." Read more

4 customers mention "Humor"4 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the humorous side of the book. They say it's practical and has tips on eating bugs.

"...The illustrations go perfectly with the text. The author has a real sense of humor and respect for the edible enigmas in the world and I would..." Read more

"Great book. Informative, funny, well written. Lots of how to's on things i never knew I needed to know...." Read more

"...This book has a humorous side (how to eat bugs) and practical (how long different nuts will keep in the freezer) and a great companion piece for an..." Read more

"...Filled with instructions and snarky humor." Read more

4 customers mention "Instructions"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book helpful with its instructions and snarky humor. They say it provides clear how-to information on things they didn't know.

"Great book and guide! I didn't grow up in an area that provides much education on the finer things in life...." Read more

"Great book. Informative, funny, well written. Lots of how to's on things i never knew I needed to know...." Read more

"Awesome book!! This book explains so many things that weren't necessarily taught to me growing up...." Read more

"Fun little book that is very informative. Filled with instructions and snarky humor." Read more

3 customers mention "Food knowledge"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's food knowledge. They find it offers a fantastic look at how to eat various foods, including lobster. It's a great companion piece for an up-and-coming foodie and a party bottle of wine or housewarming basket of food goodies.

"...34;How to Eat a Lobster" offers a fantastic look at how to eat various and sometimes complicated foods in an educational and humorous manner...." Read more

"...add on gift for a dinner party bottle of wine, a housewarming basket of food goodies, or to send off with your child to college to help them..." Read more

"...and a great companion piece for an up and coming foodie. Someone getting married? slip it in their gift...." Read more

3 customers mention "Writing quality"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the writing engaging and entertaining. They mention it's well-written, informative, and funny. The illustrations go perfectly with the text.

"...The illustrations go perfectly with the text...." Read more

"...book to people of all ages: older readers will be entertained by good writing, appealing illustrations, and the very interesting odd fact here and..." Read more

"Great book. Informative, funny, well written. Lots of how to's on things i never knew I needed to know...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Walker T.
    5.0 out of 5 stars I laughed 'till I ahhh'd.
    Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Great book and guide! I didn't grow up in an area that provides much education on the finer things in life. If it moo'd you grilled it, if it had wings you fried it. The end.

    When I got older, I gained an appreciation for all sorts of marvelous delicacies but lacked the proper knowledge on how to enjoy them. I became a real fake-it-till-you-make-it kind of guy and always found myself waiting to watch how others ate the "fancy" things before I got started.

    "How to Eat a Lobster" offers a fantastic look at how to eat various and sometimes complicated foods in an educational and humorous manner. The illustrations go perfectly with the text. The author has a real sense of humor and respect for the edible enigmas in the world and I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking to further their food knowledge bank.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • J. Tufts
    5.0 out of 5 stars An engaging, entertaining, and informative book for all ages!
    Reviewed in the United States on April 26, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    I think this is a terrific little book! As an old codger, I know a lot of this stuff, and it's unlikely that I will ever have to partake of a whole pig, a pig's head or a few of the other exotic items Ms. Blom discusses in her book. Even though the book is not really aimed at my age group (over 50), I found the writing and illustrations to be very engaging and entertaining and informative. A couple of other reviewers have made remarks like "Who would ever need to know how to...?", but I take issue with that view. The people at whom this book is primarily aimed travel a lot, are much more adventurous, and much more apt to try some of the more exotic entries in this book.And even if they don't, they can make good conversation using many of the fun facts included in each essay.

    In short, I highly recommend this book to people of all ages: older readers will be entertained by good writing, appealing illustrations, and the very interesting odd fact here and there. Younger readers will enjoy all those things, and will learn how to deal with various foods and situations that might puzzle them. (This book would make a great gift for your college graduate this year!) So treat yourself to this little gem, and enjoy!
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Esther Schindler
    3.0 out of 5 stars A nice little stocking-stuffer for the unconfident, but far from a must-have.
    Reviewed in the United States on March 11, 2017
    Amazon Vine Customer Review of Free Product( What's this? )
    I remember shopping in a grocery store in rural Maine, 25 years ago. An elderly couple picked up an artichoke with curiosity, and the woman said, "They're supposed to be good. But I don't know what to do with one." That inspired me to spend the next 10 minutes explaining to them everything about artichokes, from how they're grown to how to cook them to the not-too-obvious ways to eat them. They did buy the artichokes; I've always wondered how it turned out. Not to mention how much time they spent discussing the crazy lady who waylaid them in the grocery store with a passionate essay about vegetables.

    Not everyone knows how to deal with every kind of foodstuff, emphatically including me. So when I saw this little book offered among my Vine selections, I thought it'd be fun and useful. It is... to a point. It's a quick read with straightforward explanations, which likely is what you're hoping for. And if you encounter just two or three "Oh! I didn't know that!" minor food revelations, it'd be worth the modest cost.

    But, while the book describes itself as providing "answers to modern food and etiquette questions with this beautifully illustrated guide," it's mainly... okay. "Okay" may be all you need.

    The book is organized in three sections: tricky techniques; etiquette enigmas; foodies fixes. The first of these likely is the most generally helpful. Undoubtedly there are plenty of people uncertain about the right way (or ANY way) to eat crawfish, slice an avocado, or take apart a whole fish at the dinner table. The other sections make me think, "People don't know this...?" about how to eat something messy, taste cheese (like on a cheese board), or eat noodles. On the other hand, there's plenty of things we don't know until someone tells you, and this little book has plenty of advice to cure ignorance. ("Oh," you'll say. "Now I know.")

    The problem I have with the book is that, as with so many simple advice books, it leaves out relevant information. For instance, there's a section on how to open a coconut that tells you how to do just that: Poke out two of the "eyes," drain out the water, wrap the coconut in a towel while you whack it with a mallet until the shell cracks; use a butter knife to separate the meat from the shell. All of which is fine, and works... most of the time. Except I learned from several other cookbooks and hands- (and mallet-) on experience, back in the days when I had to make my own coconut milk, that unless the coconut is very fresh the mallet only makes a mess, and if the coconut is old it just bounces. It's easiest to poke those eye-holes using a cheap corkscrew, and the whole thing comes apart much faster if you put the coconut in the oven for a while first. (I'd have to look up how long at what temperature, again.)

    Similarly, in the section about nuts and shells you get SOME advice about how and when to get the skins off (with too-obvious advice about shelling peanuts), but it doesn't mention the Julia Child trick of skinning hazelnuts after a dousing in baking soda.

    My point is that if I'm going to get a book about "how to cope with these things," I would like the information to be deep and exhaustive. Not just "Oh look you twirl spaghetti on a fork inside a spoon" advice.

    There's nothing inherently wrong, here. But the book might not be as useful as you're hoping for. It would, however, be the kind of "stocking stuffer" gift you give to a coworker: "Oh, how nice!"...and don't expect anything more than that.
    6 people found this helpful
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  • D. Baer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable read, probably something useful for everyone
    Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2017
    Amazon Vine Customer Review of Free Product( What's this? )
    I guess you might use this as a reference book of sorts, but I sat down and read it cover to cover just to see what it was about. Yes, I already knew how to eat a lobster, use chopsticks, properly eat soup, and many of the other tidbits covered in this book. Nevertheless, I found it interesting and entertaining. I am not too proud to say that I bookmarked a few pages -- like the one calling out how long certain kinds of nuts will remain "good" in the freezer and the "vegetarian alert" for barbecues. While not a vegetarian, it covers some common yet unexpected places that animal products show up in those situations. It is good to understand that for my vegetarian friends.

    There are plenty of entertaining quotes and helpful illustrations to accompany the instructions, and it is not limited to advice about seafood. Any idea how to eat kholrabi... or any idea WHAT it is? Good news! There is a picture as well as cleaning and preparation instructions in this book. Same for rambutan, kumquats and even durian.

    Beyond the expected, "how to eat X," sections, there is useful advice about holding wine glasses properly, eating spicy food, and even pacing yourself during a night of drinking. Much of that is common sense, but, you know, not everyone has that...

    It gets four stars and a place on my shelf for being concise and useful all in one little package.
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  • Lesa O.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Buy this little charmer!!
    Reviewed in the United States on January 25, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Great book. Informative, funny, well written. Lots of how to's on things i never knew I needed to know. This is the perfect add on gift for a dinner party bottle of wine, a housewarming basket of food goodies, or to send off with your child to college to help them negotiate potentially awkward social food situations.
    A great first book by an up and coming author and food blogger who is on the pulse of everything culinary and cool!!
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 28, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    interesting book
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