Lobster wasn't always considered luxury food. Only in the early 20th century did it acquire its specialty-seafood status.

Store lobsters, with their claws banded, resting on moist seaweed or damp newspaper in an open bag in the refrigerator until cooking time.

Preparing lobster requires only basic technique -- boiling or steaming. Boiling is the most traditional method, but steaming offers more intense flavor.

Each summer, many lobsters' tough shells are replaced by thin ones. These lobsters, called "shedders," are a delight to eat -- it takes no effort to get at the tail and claw meat. Still, it is smart to keep a pair of crackers at hand, just in case. Boiling lobsters in court-bouillon, a staple for poaching seafood, makes them quite flavorful in the absence of seawater.

Newburg is a traditional New England dish of shellfish in a rich butter sauce flavored with sherry. You can cook the lobsters and make the stock a day ahead.

Tender lobster tails make a delightful sandwich when served between slices of bread spread with cilantro-parsley pesto and English salad cream.

Top-split buns are the time-honored choice for lobster rolls, but side-split buns can be used instead. Some people like only mayonnaise or melted butter on their lobster meat, but we love the added flavor that fresh herbs provide. Toasting the hot-dog bun and serving crisp potato chips alongside are musts -- at least among lobster-roll purists.

This recipe for crab and lobster with spaghetti and tomato sauce is from "Pasta Sfoglia," by Ron and Colleen Suhanosky. Serve the dish with seafood crackers, so that guests can work on their own crabs and lobster tails. The job can get messy, so have extra napkins on hand.

To prepare lobsters for grilling, boil them first for 1 minute. Serve the sweet grilled lobster meat with melted butter and lemon wedges for the perfect seaside cookout.

Endive leaves serve as little cups to hold a slice each of lobster, avocado, and grapefruit in this noteworthy appetizer. Crab or shrimp may be substituted for the lobster.

Chunks of succulent lobster meld with heirloom cherry tomatoes and basil, making an otherwise familiar mix of late-summer flavors seem revelatory. A dollop of peppered mascarpone cheese provides a lavish finish.

It's best to serve lobster precracked so that it is easy for guests to pick up and eat. In this recipe, the tails are sliced and rearranged into their shells for an attractive presentation, and drawn butter is served warm for dunking.

This mac and cheese is a fantastic one-dish meal -- it's so rich, creamy, and cheesy, all you'll need is a simple green salad to serve alongside, and your menu is set. Lobster is a perfect main ingredient in this recipe, but if that seems too luxurious, use any combination of seafood that makes you happy.

This method of steaming lobsters in very little water keeps all the flavor inside the shell, producing very tasty and succulent meat. Serve topped with a diced cherry-tomato salad.

This deconstructed lobster roll gets the star ingredient out of the bun and dresses it up in lemon butter. With a few plump brioche croutons on the side, the dish is complete.

Lobster cooks easily in the broiler pan, making a tantalizing main course for any special occasion. The lobster is first boiled for 5 minutes, then cut in half lengthwise and brushed with an herbed butter mixture before broiling.

Reinvent potato-topped shepherd's pie with lobster meat for an elegant spin on tradition. Individual shepherd's pies can be baked in fluted ramekins, shallow ovenproof casseroles, or even Pyrex bowls.

This irresistible lobster galette recipe is courtesy of chef Ed McFarland. In two skillets, layer thinly sliced potatoes with cooked lobster tail pieces and clarified butter, and bake. Serve, cut into wedges, with creme fraiche on the side.

The easiest and most favorite way to prepare lobster is the traditional boil with fresh corn and new potatoes. Don't forget to cover your table with newspaper and provide each person with a seafood cracker. Serve with melted butter.

This pasta dish from David Pasternack combines tender boiled lobster pieces with spaghetti and a simple tomato sauce. Briefly sauteed chiles add a nice level of heat. Garnish with sliced mint leaves.

Inspired by the classic American lobster-and-steak combo and the plentiful meat and seafood combinations in Asian cuisines, this dish brings together two velvety textures and a Cantonese sauce. Serve with white rice to round out the meal.

A classic tomato confit with just a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes gives this dish its fresh, fiery flavor. Fresh mint or basil adds a note of coolness.

Few things are as delicious as succulent chunks of Maine lobster vying for space in a buttery broth brimming with tender sweet corn, summer squashes, and slivered basil.

The garnish for this minted pea soup is made of cooked lobster tail sauteed in butter and orange segments. The recipe is courtesy of Patrick O'Connell from the Inn at Little Washington.

Lobster rolls always hit the spot, and this version is especially enjoyable in halved hot-dog buns. Serve them as a picnic appetizer.

Combine succulent lobster with grapefruit, avocado, and hearts of palm to create this delightful and refreshing salad. The dish is tossed with a light dressing of shallots, Dijon mustard, basil, and white-wine vinegar.

This mouthwatering lobster dish, from chef Paul Liebrandt, is guaranteed to impress your dinner guests. The ravioli filling is made of chopped boiled lobster flavored with curry powder. Serve the finished pasta with vinaigrette made from reduced lobster stock.

This recipe, courtesy of Nikki Elkins and Sarah Mastracco, is named after the island of Roatan, which is part of the Bay Islands off the coast of Honduras. The dish combines lobster tails with a flavorful coconut milk broth. Serve with rice.

This recipe is courtesy of Linda Greenlaw, the author of "The Lobster Chronicles: Life on a Very Small Island." The dish combines steamed lobster with linguine dressed in a spicy tomato sauce, easily made from canned tomatoes.

Unite Asian flavors with succulent lobster in this noodle salad. Simply toss steamed lobster with soba noodles, bell pepper, cucumber, scallion, and a sesame-soy dressing. Serve for lunch.