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National Lobster Day is celebrated on two different days: June 15th September 25th (see the *footnote for why there are two).
Below:
> The history of lobster, from trash seafood to cash crop.
> Lobster-producing regions.
> Other foods that went from common to coveted.
> The year’s lobster holidays.
> Why are lobsters boiled alive?
Elsewhere on The Nibble:
> 30+ lobster recipes for every meal of the day.
> The interesting anatomy and biology of a lobster.
> The different types of seafood: a photo glossary.
> The year’s 60+ fish and seafood holidays.
THE HISTORY OF LOBSTER
Today, lobster is one of the most prized and expensive foods in the world. Yet for much of North American history, it was considered a low-status food, fed to enslaved laborers, prisoners, servants, orphans, and the poor. The transformation of lobster from a disparaged crustacean to a symbol of luxury is one of the most remarkable reversals in culinary history.
For thousands of years, Indigenous peoples along the Atlantic coast harvested lobsters as part of their regular diet. Native communities used lobster not only as food but also as bait and fertilizer for crops.
When European settlers arrived in New England during the 17th century, they found astonishing numbers of lobsters along the coast. Historical accounts describe lobsters washing ashore in piles after storms and being so plentiful that they could be gathered by hand in shallow water.
It’s hard for us to believe today since they’re so delicious, but because they were so abundant and easy to obtain, lobsters carried no prestige. In societies where scarcity often determines value, lobster’s overwhelming availability worked against it.
By the 18th and early 19th centuries, lobster had become associated with poverty, often viewed as a food of last resort.
Why did people disdain a food we find so delicious today?
As an institutional food for prisoners and the poor, lobster was often boiled in massive batches until it was overcooked and rubbery. Even worse, it was frequently cooked with ground-up—shells into a sort of coarse, gritty paste or pottage to stretch the protein further.
Even attempts at canning produced a poor quality product, which contributed to its besmirched reputation.
Prisoners & Servants Revolt Against Lobster
An anecdote of the time claimed that prisoners in New England revolted because they were forced to eat lobster every day. While this may be exaggerated, there is historical evidence that lobster—poorly prepared, as noted above—was indeed fed frequently to prisoners.
In parts of New England, prison labor contracts reportedly included provisions limiting the number of lobster meals served each week. Although some of these stories have become embellished over time, the existence of such complaints indicates lobster’s low status.
Another often-cited account describes servants objecting to being fed lobster too often, considering it degrading and monotonous. Some requested employment contracts stipulating a limit on how much they could be given.
Some people even referred to lobster as the “cockroach of the sea,” a reference that emphasized its bottom-dwelling habits and scavenging behavior.
Lobster Begins A “Sea Change”
Fortunately, during the mid-to-late 19th century, lobster’s fortunes began to change.
Railroads made it possible to transport live or freshly cooked lobster inland.
Commercial canneries developed techniques for preserving lobster meat.
At the same time, tourism along the New England coast expanded. Wealthy vacationers visiting Maine and Massachusetts encountered fresh lobster prepared by local chefs who knew how to steam it properly.
For many visitors, lobster was a novelty rather than a necessity. What coastal residents regarded as common seemed exotic and memorable to tourists.
Lobster Becomes Luxurious
The “pleasure” of lobster exploded with the late 19th-century tourism industry. Maine resort chefs realized that if they served only the tail and claws (the “clean” parts), steamed them perfectly, and served them with expensive, hot clarified butter, they could rebrand the experience.
Once the wealthy started traveling by train to the Maine coast and paying high prices for “fresh shore dinners,” lobster suddenly became “refined.” As soon as the price went up and the social status changed, people suddenly started to discover how delicious lobster had always been.
By the early 20th century, lobster had acquired an upscale image.
Restaurants promoted lobster as a premium seafood.
Hotels featured lobster in fine dining menus.
Declining lobster stocks made the product more exclusive…and if it costs a lot, it’s prestigious.
Lobster became connected to celebration and indulgence.
[8] New England resort chefs made lobster appealing to wealthy vacationers with precise steaming, clarified butter and fresh lemon (photo: The Nibble).
MAJOR LOBSTER PRODUCING REGIONS
American Lobster
There are different species of clawed lobster. The species Homarus americanus, American lobster, is called by different names, including Canadian lobster and Maine lobster.
Even if a lobster is caught in Massachusetts or New Hampshire, it is typically called a “Maine lobster” simply because “Maine” is a recognized name.
Canadian lobster is cauaght in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island.
All of these are also called Atlantic lobster; however, there is another clawed lobster that is also an Atlantic lobster, but comes from the western side of the Atlantic.
European Lobster
Homarus gammarus, the European lobster, is a different species from American lobster.
It’s found in the Northeast Atlantic off the coasts of France, Ireland, Norway, and the U.K., but even though it comes from the Atlantic Ocean, it isn’t called Atlantic lobster.
The easiest way to think of them:
American lobster is the standard term used by the seafood industry to cover both Maine and Canadian harvests.
European Lobster: This is the standard term for the species found in European waters.
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