The last of the lobster rolls

On Friday, I stood in line for lobster rolls at Grace Church for what will probably be the last time. It's been something of a weekly tradition. And not just for me: The church sells anywhere between 1000 and 1500 rolls every Friday evening.

The secret of their success is simple: They have great food at bargain prices, which is not all that common on the island. A single roll costs $13, which sounds extravagant until you see how much lobster the cooks pack into a humble hot dog bun. A drink (lemonade, iced tea or an Arnold Palmer combination of the two) is included, as well as a bag of potato chips. If you want a generous slice of pie to go with that, it's an extra $3 -- and it's worth it. The meal is definitely filling, and I have learned to eat very lightly on Fridays to save room for the Grace Church goodies.

I overheard one of the workers say Grace Church receives its shipment of frozen lobster on Wednesday. The seafood thaws out overnight and on Thursday, the cooks run the lobster through a stainless-steel press to squeeze out as much of the remaining water as possible. After the lobster dries off, it's ready to be combined with the mayonnaise and turned into the luscious lobster rolls.

In addition, Grace Church is dedicated to recycling. The cups they use are made not of plastic, but of a material derived from corn that's biodegradable; the same is true of the bags they use to package large orders. The to-go containers are lightweight cardboard, which could easily be recycled. The church (which is Episcopalian) uses the money raised from lobster roll sales to fund its many programs and charities. The sales are only held for a few months each year, so they will conclude at the end of September.

I have taken many friends to Lobster Roll Friday and no one has been disappointed yet. But I suspect I will be disappointed many Fridays in the future when I am far away, reminiscing about the wonderful dinners I have had there. Of course, I could make lobster rolls at home, but of course it wouldn't be quite the same.