From Garbage to Delicacy
The Fascinating History of Lobster
It may be hard to imagine, but lobster started its journey as seafood from prison cells. This is because lobster is a rare treat today with a heavy prictag. It is not something you eat as often as hotdogs and burgers, because why pay so much for so little meat, right?
Back in the day however, lobster was garbage for the first European settlers in North America. As they reached Massachusetts Bay Colony yard and, they saw lobsters upon lobsters (literally piles of these hard-shelled creatures up to two feet high). The sight would have been disgusting, and certainly not very appetizing.
“Cockroaches” of the sea. That’s what the settlers called them. And because of their abundance, lobsters were used as fishing bait and fertilizers. The copious supply also meant that lobster was the go-to source of protein for the underprivileged. Hence, lobster became prisoner food, but it was also fed to apprentices and slaves.
Technology, however, changed this perception of these crustaceans from the 19th century onwards. Enter canned food, and the lobster now became one of the popular seafood products on the market. For people living away from the coast and in need of cheap food, canned lobster became a hot favorite.
Fresh lobster rose in popularity as more and more people came to cities of New England (thanks for cheaper train tickets). So by the end of the 19th century, restaurants and seafood vendors increased prices of lobster, and lo and behold, it became a delicacy served to the elite.
By World War II, lobster became a status symbol since it was out of reach of the poor man. The story resembles how Fredrick the Great of Prussia ‘rebranded’ the potato as a rich man’s crop. The power of perception is indeed amazing.
Fatima M.
Freelance Blogger
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