I traveled to the West Coast to visit family for the holidays, and although the tangerines and avocados were irresistible, I was soon pining for fresh Maine seafood. My friends Joan and John McNeil (aka King Cioppino) knew I was getting homesick, so they invited me to join them for a homemade meal that would satisfy my yearnings.

John had found an interesting product called "Maine Lobster Spread" that he served on toast points. Intrigued, I asked to see the label, and to my dismay it is made in Florida! Sure, the key ingredient was Maine lobster but it was fortified with pollock and Pacific whiting before being blended with mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice and other seasonings. The flavor was good, and I gulped down my fair share of this little appetizer, but I couldn't help but wonder why someone in Maine wasn't making this stuff and selling it all over the country. Our lobster industry could use another value-add product to boost lobster sales, and I'm sure a Mainer would never add another fish to the mixture to bulk it up.