Hancock Gourmet Lobster Co.: Lobster Mac and Cheesefeatured

Remember TV dinners from back in the day? Chicken a la King, Beef Stroganoff, or even full 3-course meals split up into neat, little compartments, all conveniently packaged and frozen. I definitely had my share of after-school snacks courtesy of Stouffer’s.

Frozen meals have come a long way.

The sinfully decadent Port Clyde Lobster Mac and Cheese from Hancock Gourmet Lobster Co. is in whole ‘nother league…a whole ‘nother stratosphere even.

Shell pasta smothered in a creamy mascarpone-cheddar sauce, generous chunks of sweet Maine lobster of indecent proportions, a delightfully crunchy topping of panko, parmesan, herbed butter, and a touch of lemon zest. Ridiculous.

The best part? All you have to do to prepare it is thaw it in the refrigerator overnight or defrost in the microwave. Stick it in the oven and bake for about 40 minutes until it’s bubbly.

The dish is named after Port Clyde, a small fishing village located at the end of the St. George Peninsula. Port Clyde is considered to be the stepping off point for boats going to Monhegan Island, which has been a lobster plantation and art colony since the late 1800s.

It all started with Nana

Hancock Gourmet Lobster Company creates gourmet lobster and seafood specialties that are shipped throughout the US (primarily frozen, ready-to-heat-and-serve items). The company’s story goes back to 1946, when Hazel Ellis Hancock (a.k.a. Nana) started a lobster restaurant in Ogunquit, Maine. Nana’s dream was to deliver the finest Maine lobster, the finest customer service and the best “Maine” experience to her customers. And for 25 years, she did just that. She ran that restaurant with her two sisters, Fannie and Mina, and they taught their children and grandchildren well. The restaurant is still in the Hancock family, and is still serving the finest Maine lobster available to its many customers.

In 2000, Nana’s granddaughter, Cal Hancock, created Hancock Gourmet Lobster Company with her own dream of bringing great Maine lobster and cherished family recipes to customers around the country. Cal and her team work out of a test kitchen (also known as home) in Cundy’s Harbor, where the first commercial lobstering began in 1841. Hancock supports the town’s efforts to keep Cundy’s Harbor a working waterfront for future generations.

Hancock Gourmet uses only the freshest, highest quality Maine lobster caught by local lobstermen in support of the eco-friendly Maine lobster industry. No preservatives, chemicals, or colorings are added, and whenever possible, locally-produced ingredients are used. Also, the products are made daily in small batches to preserve the integrity of the recipes.

This Lobster Mac and Cheese is seriously good, and actually tastes homemade. It’s available in packs of two 9-oz. containers (perfect for those crazy weeknights when you just need to reward yourself for making it through a crappy day) or one 2.5-lb. casserole (perfect for when that crappy day turns into a crappy week). Crappy weeks aside, the family-size, 2.5-pounder would be perfect for entertaining. Serve it with a big salad and you are good to go.

If you’d like to drown your sorrows in a big bowl of lobster mac and cheese, here’s a little gift from me to you:

Get 10% off your order with the promo code: Spoon8.
(Expires 8/23/10.)Trust me, this beats Chicken a la King any day.

Disclosure: Product sample and promo code provided by Hancock Gourmet Lobster Co.