Would somebody please go melt some butter?

Foodies agree that virtually nothing beats the sweet meat of a Florida Keys lobster.

Actually, somebody should go melt A LOT of butter. And don’t even think about skimming the white salty froth off the top when the butter reaches the perfect bubbly heat — that’s the best part.

It might sound crazy to people who don’t live in the Keys, but melting butter has become a seasonal hobby in these parts. Early in August each year, island foodies start stocking up on familiar yellow cartons of Land O’Lakes.

Why? Because early August marks the start of the Florida Keys’ annual commercial lobster season, and purists know those sensational crustaceans taste best when each bite is bathed in butter.

Florida Keys lobsters are quite different than their northern cousins. For one thing, they don’t have claws (also called by the unappetizing name of “grapnels”). Instead, they’re known as spiny lobsters — and their meat has a slightly chewy sweetness that Maine lobsters can’t hope to emulate.

In Keys households and restaurants from Key Largo to Key West, the most popular way to serve lobster is steamed, boiled or grilled with the aforementioned melted butter. Traditional trimmings include corn on the cob and boiled potatoes or potato salad.

Lobster purists love their crustaceans grilled and served with melted butter.

Some Keys chefs prefer to prepare lobster split and grilled or stuffed and broiled, while others blend lobster meat with exotic sauces incorporating tropical fruits such as mango. It’s possible to start the day with a luscious Lobster Benedict at a handful of creative local eateries — and few people can resist the sensational Lobster Reuben at Keys Fisheries in Marathon.

If you’re lucky enough to have obtained your own stash of Florida Keys lobsters and want to experiment a little, try the following easy-to-prepare treats.

LOBSTER DEVILED EGGS: Hard-boil six eggs, let them cool and cut them in half lengthwise. Finely dice the steamed meat from one Keys lobster. Mix it with the egg yolks, mayonnaise to taste, and a pinch each of powdered mustard and paprika. Stuff the mixture into the egg whites and serve as hors d’oeuvres (you should have some lobster-and-yolk mixture left over to spread on crackers — yum!).  

LOBSTER CHEESE TOAST: Cut a 6-inch wedge of fresh Cuban or Italian bread and cut the wedge in half lengthwise. Toast both halves. Meanwhile, cut the steamed meat from one Keys lobster into chunks. Spread the toasted bread with mayonnaise and Dijon mustard. Top it with lobster chunks and shredded Vermont cheddar cheese, and broil briefly until the cheese is slightly bubbly. This serves one or two for lunch, depending on appetite.

Savvy chefs wear clothes and aprons when preparing lobster.

LOBSTER CAPRESE SALAD: Slice two large tomatoes into four or five slices each and arrange them on two plates. Top the slices with crumbled feta cheese, the chopped meat from a large steamed Keys lobster, and chopped fresh basil leaves. Drizzle each salad with olive oil and squeeze lemon juice over it to taste. This serves two for lunch (or, if you use two lobsters instead of one, it can serve two for a warm-weather dinner).

While Florida lobsters aren’t typically accompanied by buns, buns were surprisingly visible during an event staged a few years back to celebrate the beginning of the Keys’ lobster season.

The Naked Chefs Lobsterfest featured live music, an open-air setting overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, and lobster with all the trimmings, prepped and served by male and female chefs who were indeed naked. Most attendees enjoyed the offbeat feast — but nearly everyone agreed that it illustrated an excellent reason to be glad Keys lobsters have no claws!