When you think about lobster as a food, what do you think of? The image you have of diners enjoying lobster probably includes a romantic, candlelit setting and waiters wearing pressed white outfits.
While it’s undeniable that lobster is now one of the most expensive and highly-regarded seafoods that’s available on the market, the reality is that the world’s conception of this crustacean was once totally different.
These “sea bugs” were discovered by Europeans upon arrival in the Americas in the 16th century. They used to be so plentiful and common in the Northeastern seaboard that they used to wash up onto the shore and rot.
People viewed lobsters as disgusting bottom feeders, and as they weren’t commonly eaten by the Native Americans living there, they were ignored as food.
It wasn’t until the 19th century that people began experimenting eating lobster. It started off as a poor people’s food that was socially stigmatized as the cheapest thing on restaurant menus. However, after vacationers from the South began to travel up to the Northeast during the summer, the price of lobster went up and people began to discover how delicious it truly is. Now, it’s a prized food that is quite expensive.
Isn’t the history of lobster interesting?
