The Fancy Lobster

It is interesting to read that the $7.99 per pound lobster was once…cat food! Considered “the cockroach of the ocean”, lobster was so abundant in the very early days that it was called trash food. Only the poor, servants, and prisoners ate lobster. And oh, cats, as owners would feed them this cheap seafood.

So, how did this lowly crustacean move up the ladder of gourmet society? The gist of it is, when trains became popular in the 1800’s, chefs thought inland passengers did not know what lobster was and they marketed lobster as a rare and exotic item. Thus, everyone from far and wide heard of the delicious lobster. The demand increased, the supply of lobster decreased, and the price increased.

Today, the previously lowly lobster is a delicacy. People seek lobster restaurants like

and

or lobster roll stands like

to have a taste of the subtle and delicate lobster.

Or have a bite of lobster roll.

Yum! 😉