Making love to a lobster -- that is, buying, cooking and eating lobster -- is a lot easier than you might think. And if you've ever thought that you'd like to get close enough to a lobster (or any kind of shellfish) to tame it into submission, but didn't really know how to start, then How to Make Love to a Lobster is the book for you.

This book is a primer on 13 different kinds of seafood, covering crustacean favourites such as lobster, scampi, prawns, shrimp and crab, and mollusc favourites such as clams, mussels, scallops and oysters, as well as more unusual edibles such as abalone, conch, squid and octopus.

For each type of seafood, the authors provide guidance on how to clean it, store it, cook it and eat it. Also included are charming folklores and histories, written in a lively and engaging style ("Consider the Crab," "The Strange Abalone," "Mussels Galore") and recommendations for North American and European wines that pair well with the seafood.

How to Make Love to a Lobster also features 40 fabulous recipes for shellfish, many from beloved seafood restaurants and internationally renowned chefs. Try your newly-acquired seafood cooking skills on:

Lobster Rolls from chef Rebecca Charles of Pearl Oyster Bar in New York Shrimp Steamed in Beer from chef Kee Lee of Filet of Sole Restaurant in Toronto Cioppino (seafood stew) from chef John Canepa of Tadich Grill in San Francisco Oyster Pan Roast from Grand Central Oyster Bar in New York Kelp Greenling and Squid from chef Michael Stadtlander of Sooke Harbour House on Vancouver Island

Also, for those who prefer to have their shellfish served up to them, there is a comprehensive list of "Good Places to Eat Shellfish" in Canada and the United States. This list of 185 restaurants -- in provinces and states on the Pacific and Atlantic coasts and bordering the Great Lakes and the Gulf of Mexico.

How to Make Love to a Lobster is a book that will satisfy all your shellfish cravings.