HOW LOBSTER GOT FROM BEING THE “COCKROACH OF THE SEA” TO A DECADENT DINNER
Did you know that the lobster was formerly referred to as the “cockroach of the sea” and “poor man’s chicken”?The luscious lobster that we enjoy today was formerly so overfished that it was even used to fertilizer.
Continue reading if you’re interested in learning more about lobster history or if you’re a history enthusiast. You’ll discover some amazing information in this piece that you can use for years to come at dinner parties featuring lobster.
LOBSTER IN THE EARLY DAYS
More than likely, due to the overabundant population, lobsters were used first to feed prisoners and servants. Meanwhile, as we mentioned, lobsters were also used as fertilizer and fish bait by Native Americans.
By 1700, it wasn’t uncommon to see piles of lobsters (sometimes two feet high!) wash ashore on the beaches in Massachusetts.
FROM RAGS TO RICHES: HOW THE LOBSTER GAINED ITS FAME
Today, we know that lobsters are best cooked alive, due to the enzymes released when they die, causing them to spoil quickly. However, this vital information was not yet known between 1600 – 1700. More than likely, this is why lobsters were fed to prisoners and servants or given to the poor.
Once railroad transportation began to make travel easier, more and more people began to experience the taste for lobster. Thanks to the cheap price tag and the copious quantities, lobster was served on passenger trains. Passengers were intrigued by the dish and word began to spread about the rediscovered cuisine.
LOBSTER’S GROWING POPULARITY
The rave for lobster meat began to travel as quickly as the railroad system. People from the Midwest began desiring the wonderful tasting crustacean. Soon after, lobster pounds were created to help preserve lobsters for extended periods of time.
Before long, demand and prices for lobster both increased, as the crustacean was ultimately rebranded by the American population from a food for the poor to a far more decadent dish.
It wasn’t until the 1880s that chefs began to try different cooking methods and found it was far better to cook lobsters alive. Then, by the mid-1800s, canned lobster meat became the most popular canned product on the market. Later, during World War II, canned lobster was used to feed soldiers.
MODERN DAY LOBSTER
In the early to mid-1900s, chefs in Boston and New York began experimenting with new recipes and lobster meat became a sought-after dish by the wealthy.
At present, we know lobster by its delicate, sweet meat. With a heftier price tag, many people tend to save lobster for special occasions.
