Lobster Thermidor

The extravagant lobster Thermidor is a classic French dish. Made with lobster meat which is sautéed in wine or cognac, and mixed with a creamy egg-based sauce and cheese, the dish is assembled and baked in whole lobster tails. Numerous stories and legends surround the dish, but the most probable version is that it is named after the play known as Thermidor, set in Paris in January.

According to this theory, the dish was invented at Marie’s, a famous restaurant at the time, on the night of Thermidor's premiere. Even though the play did not gain success, the dish was a crowd-pleaser. It uses all of the traditional French ingredients such as butter and cream, which produce a lavish dish when combined with lobster.

The dish is usually served in restaurants and prepared for special occasions. It was a restaurant favorite during the mid-20th century when it was often found in numerous restaurants around the world. Today, it is regarded as a classic of French cuisine, and can usually be found in traditional French restaurants.