HISTORY OF LOBSTER

From RAGS TO RICHES

C O C K R O A C H E S O F T H E S E A

Back in the day, lobster was not the catch that it is today in fact it was far from it. Once known as the “cockroaches of the sea, ” this seafood dish has become a widespread wealthy meal. On the east coast, in the 1700s lobster would wash ashore and pile up to 2 feet high. Therefore, they would use these excess lobster to feed prisoners, slaves, or for fertilizer in the fields. Lobster was the meat that was thrown this way and that, considered “ poor man ’ s chicken,” some servants even began revolting against this meal choice. When it is what you are consistently fed day after day, naturally one would get sick of it

S E A F O O D R O Y A L T Y ”

Times have changed and today about 4 pounds of lobster sells for about $105 Very differently from the 1700s when lobster was served to the lower class, now it is socially accepted as a wealthy or sort of rich meat. The texture and delicacy of this meat makes it a wanted meal by many A few things have contributed to the price of lobster highly increasing since the 1700s. The lobster population has diminished due to overfishing and habitat loss and in the world today Lobsters are harvested by hand and therefore a difficult and laborious meat to catch, not to mention a time consuming process Traps are set up on shore to try to catch as many as possible, whereas in the 1700s lobsters would wash ashore and piles of them would lay on the beach All of these factors have led to the luxury lobster we know and love today.

PARTS OF THE

antenna antenna

tactile organs, have a sense of touch to be able to search the ocean floor

walking legs walking legs

the two sets of walking legs placed behind the claws are used for catching & eating food & have many taste sensors the last two sets of legs are primarily used for walking

ttail ail

tail fins that help it move through the water & escape predators due to its muscles most commonly eaten part

LOBSTER BODY

claw claw

used for crushing prey, breaking shells, & tearing food apart

eye eye

provide a sense of sight

body body

cephalothorax contains the head & body, carapace is the outer shell of this, good amount of rib meat that is commonly served as a dish

abdomen abdomen

abdomen is commonly referred to as the “tail”

BEST LOCATIONS TO BUY LOBSTER

Infamous lobster comes from the East Coast, the fresh fishing and salt in the air makes the climate perfect for lobster. And the MAINe lobster tends to be the best one out there. In the olden days when lobster would pile high on the shore. People could just go grab a bite to eat. Nowadays, Maine lobster is a delicacy and a superior lobster to all the others. These lobsters are bigger, with much larger claws, and they grow at a slower rate, making the meat tastier. Maine lobster is also much sweeter and more tender than lobsters living in warmer climates. These more nutritious and easy to fish lobsters are the reason that these lobsters are the MAINe ones!!

AmyTraverso

FUN FACTS

lobsters are not red - they turn red when cooked but in the ocean they are naturally green, yellow, or blue

Lobsters heavily populate the East Coast

Each year nearly $300 million dollars of lobster is sold in the United States

when food is scarce, lobsters turn into cannibals and dine on the smaller lobsters

Spicy Caribbean lobsters have no claws and are sold mainly for their tails

In Maine, lobsters must be at least 3 1/4. inches and not exceeding 5 inches to be kept

Lobsters are nocturnal