Lobster Newberg is a creamy seafood dish with a rich history, believed to have been first served at Delmonico’s restaurant in New York City. It contains lobster, butter, cream, sherry, cayenne pepper, egg yolks, and cognac, and is usually served on toast or puff pastry shells. Its origin is disputed, with some claiming it was invented by Ben Wenberg and others by Louis Fauchere. Variations with fish, shrimp, crab, and chicken are also popular.
Lobster Newberg is a rich, creamy seafood dish with a colorful history. Many culinary personalities have laid claim to the dish, though it is believed to have been first served in the United States at Delmonico’s restaurant in New York City. In addition to freshly boiled lobster, a traditional Newberg lobster contains butter, cream, and sherry. The sauce is seasoned with cayenne pepper, thickened with egg yolks and finished with a splash of cognac. It is usually served on toast or puff pastry shells.
Lobster Newberg’s fame has as much to do with its history as the dish itself. According to legend, the Newberg Lobster was the creation of a Caribbean fruit merchant named Ben Wenberg. While dining at Delmonico’s one evening in 1876, he requested that a platter of attrition be brought to his table to demonstrate to owner Charles Delmonico the preparation of a lobster dish that he had discovered in his travels. It was an instant success and was added to Delmonico’s menu as Lobster à la Wenberg, with slight modifications to chef Charles Ranhofer’s recipe.
Some time later, Ben Wenberg was involved in an altercation with Charles Delmonico and the angry owner removed his signature dish from the menu. Customers who loved the dish kept requesting it, so it was brought back to the menu under the changed name Lobster Newberg. To this day, it remains one of the most popular dishes on the menu, and March 25 has been declared Lobster Newberg Day by Delmonico.
In 1894, chef Charles Ranhofer published a recipe for Newberg lobster in his cookbook The Epicurean. Similar recipes appear in other French cookbooks such as Homard Sauté à la Crème. Lobster Newberg is also called Lobster Delmonico’s and Lobster à la Newberg. It can also be spelled Newburg. Lobster Thermidor is also considered a variation on the dish.
Regardless of Delmonico’s famous story, the Hotel Fauchere in Milford, Pennsylvania is also cited as the origin of Lobster Newberg. The hotel was built in 1852 by Louis Fauchere, former chef of Delmonico. The hotel was founded 24 years before Ben Wenberg’s tabletop demonstration at Delmonico; however, some historical publications still claim that Fauchere invented the dish.
Many contemporary restaurants feature Newberg lobster on their menus. Variants such as Newberg fish, Newberg shrimp, and Newberg crab are also popular. Some variations are even made with fish and chicken.
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