Valentines delight
The Shrimp Dock ships in live Maine Lobsters just in time for that special someone
Lobster is for lovers.
So says local seafood expert Phil Dangel, owner of The Shrimp Dock’s three locations in Bearden, Farragut and Maryville.
It’s such a culinary treat that Dangel, the “Shrimpreneur,” is ordering a special shipment of live Maine lobsters that are scheduled to arrive at McGhee Tyson airport Friday, Feb. 12, just in time for Valentine’s Day.
“Believe it or not, Valentine’s Day is one of our stronger days of the year,” Dangel said. “People like to spend money, it’s a romantic evening, it’s the night when the person you’re in love with is someone who you are willing to go out of your way to do something special for. Lobsters and caviar have become synonymous with Valentine’s Day.
“People have become more conscience of what they are eating. Instead of going out and having tremendous meals, people are staying home and cooking lobsters for the event,” Dangel added.
“The lobsters come direct to Shrimp Dock from Kennebunkport, Maine, aboard Delta [Airlines]. They get here in one day. They pack them up and they leave the Portland, Maine, airport about 6 a.m. and get to Knoxville at about 4 p.m. that afternoon.”
Dangel said the lobsters would weigh in at 1 1/2-to-2-pounds. He said the price of lobster was up just a little bit, in 2016, over where The Shrimp Dock has done this promotion before because of the weather in New England — the snow and ice.
Dangel said the Farragut store was one of the best of the three stores selling lobsters in 2016.
However, “we need orders by Feb. 10 in order to call in an exact amount of lobsters,” he said.
Preparing lobsters at home is a cinch according to Dangel.
“There can’t be anything easier than cooking a lobster,” Dangel said. “All you need is a pot and water. You boil the water and put the lobster in — leave the rubber bands on the claws. There is a calculation of how many minutes per pound and we’ll be glad to tell you that. Then you take the lobster out, melt the butter and you’re ready to go. Easy.”
As Knoxville’s premier fresh seafood market, The Shrimp Dock has address and contact information for its three locations: in the heart of Bearden, 5210 Kingston Pike [865-558-1237]; in the middle of Farragut, 11124 Kingston Pike [865-777-3625], and in Alcoa/ Maryville, 321 S. Calderwood St. [865-233-7447].
