How Lobsters Went from Prison Food to The Most Expensive Meal

Summary

The script narrates the remarkable journey of lobster from being despised as 'the cockroach of the sea' to its current status as a delicacy. Once a food for the poor and prisoners, lobsters gained a reputation for wealth in Europe due to their scarcity and the advent of canning which preserved their freshness. Despite a period of overfishing and controversy over boiling methods, the lobster industry rebounded, bolstered by wartime encouragement and a maintained luxury image, leading to today's $6.3 billion market, with challenges in bait scarcity and animal welfare considerations.

Takeaways

• 🦞 Lobster, valued at $6 billion, has a history of being both despised and revered as a food.
• 👑 In Europe, lobsters were a symbol of wealth and privilege due to their scarcity and the logistics of transporting them fresh.
• 🌊 The Viking era saw the rise of deep-sea fishing, which made lobsters more accessible and popular among the rich.
• 🇺🇸 In contrast, in America, lobsters were abundant and considered 'poor man's food,' even used as fertilizer and fish bait.
• 📜 Servants and prisoners were fed lobsters so frequently that it led to contractual stipulations and urban legends of prison riots over the food.
• 🍽️ Poor cooking methods initially gave lobsters a bad reputation, as killing them released an enzyme that caused the meat to rot quickly.
• 🔄 The invention of canning by Nicolas Appert and Peter Durand revolutionized food preservation, including lobster, and helped to change its image.
• 🚂 Railway managers and canneries played a role in rebranding lobster as a luxury item by serving it to unaware passengers and creating an industry.
• 🍳 Chefs discovered that boiling lobsters alive resulted in better taste and texture, increasing demand and leading to a rise in price.
• 📉 Overfishing and the Great Depression temporarily decreased lobster consumption, allowing populations to recover.
• 🇨🇦 World War II saw Canada promoting lobster consumption as a patriotic act, further solidifying its status as a delicacy.
• 💰 Despite challenges such as bait shortages and animal welfare concerns, the lobster market is expected to grow, maintaining its luxury image through high prices.

Q & A

What was the market value of lobster mentioned in the script?

The market value of lobster mentioned in the script is $6 billion.

Why was lobster once considered a food for the poor or prisoners in the Americas?

Lobster was once considered a food for the poor or prisoners in the Americas because it was extremely plentiful, with two-foot high piles washing ashore regularly, leading to its devaluation.

How did the reputation of lobster in Europe differ from that in the Americas?

In Europe, lobster was associated with wealth and privilege due to its scarcity and the ability of only the richest to have it transported fresh. In contrast, in the Americas, it was so abundant that it was considered a poor man's food and was even used as fertilizer and fish bait.

What significant invention in food preservation contributed to the change in lobster's reputation?

The invention of canning by Nicolas Appert, which was improved by Peter Durand using tin-coated cans, contributed to the change in lobster's reputation by allowing it to be preserved and transported without spoiling.

How did railway managers contribute to the shift in perception of lobster as a luxury item?

Railway managers served lobster to passengers who were unaware of its previous reputation, claiming it to be a rare luxury item. Passengers enjoyed it and began requesting it when dining out, which helped to shift the perception of lobster as a luxury item.

Why did the method of cooking lobster initially give it a bad reputation?

The initial method of cooking lobster involved killing it like any other meat, which caused the release of an enzyme that rots the rest of the body, resulting in a bad smell, mushy texture, and terrible taste, earning it the reputation of being the 'cockroaches of the sea'.

What historical event affected the demand for lobster during the Great Depression?

During the Great Depression, almost no one could afford to eat lobster anymore due to economic hardships, which led to less pressure on fishermen to catch lobsters and allowed lobster populations to recover.

How did World War II influence the consumption of lobster in Canada and the U.S.?

During World War II, the Canadian government encouraged civilians to eat surplus foods like lobster instead of rationed items. In the U.S., lobster was already considered a delicacy and its consumption was associated with movie stars, the wealthy Rockefeller family, and new-rich families for special occasions.

What are some of the logistical challenges that contribute to the high cost of lobster today?

Logistical challenges contributing to the high cost of lobster include the need for traps to be dropped to the ocean floor, regulations that require fishermen to throw back full traps, binding lobster claws, keeping them on ice, maintaining them in saltwater tanks before shipping, and ensuring they have enough oxygen during transport.

Why do restaurants often keep the price of lobster high even when the wholesale price decreases?

Restaurants often keep the price of lobster high to maintain its luxury image. Studies show that people associate higher prices with better quality and get more pleasure from expensive products. Keeping the price high also makes other menu items appear more reasonably priced.

What is a potential future challenge for the lobster industry mentioned in the script?

A potential future challenge for the lobster industry is a possible lobster shortage due to the difficulty in finding herring and mackerel, which are used as lobster bait and are being overfished. Additionally, some countries have begun to ban boiling lobsters alive due to animal welfare concerns.