What is the difference between a hard-shell lobster and a soft-shell lobster?
A. In the summer lobsters shed their shells so that they can grow. Once the lobsters have shed their old shells, there are new, soft shells underneath. These shells will harden over the course of time and as the water gets colder. Since the lobsters shed their shells in order to have room for growth the following year, there is less meat inside a soft-shell lobster than there is in a hard-shell lobster of the same size (this also accounts for their lower prices). Even though there is less meat in soft-shells than in hard-shells, many people feel that soft shell meat is sweeter and more tender than the hard-shells.
