The ultimate seafood takeout

And you thought boiled lobsters with melted butter fell from heaven.

Hammerhead Video’s Steve Barsky and his marine biologist wife, Kristine, tell or show you everything you’d want to know about hunting California spiny lobsters in a 46-minute DVD released in time for lobster season, which opens Saturday.

However, before plunging into the Pacific near the Channel Islands and sharing proven lobster-hunting techniques, the Barskys give viewers the nitty-gritty on lobsters, from antennae to tail tip; display gear they recommend, based on 50 combined years of lobster hunting; and explain the regulations involved.

The Barskys’ enthusiasm for the sport is infectious. By the time they entered the water and explained how to catch the crustaceans, I was ready to join them. Until then, I’d never understood how anyone could enjoy hunting anything. Of course, the big payoff is dinnertime. Although it went above and beyond the call, Kristine Barsky explains how to clean, cook and eat a lobster to get the most out of each catch.

-- Scott Doggett