Lobsters come in all shapes, sizes and colors; and are undeniably seen around the world as a luxury.
There was a time, however, when lobster was “poor man’s food,” only fed to prisoners. When the first settlers to the Northeast United States arrived there was so many lobsters they discovered piles of them, sometimes two feet high, washed up on the shores in Massachusetts. The Native Americans only used them for fertilizer and fish bait.
But, as with many foods, they “got discovered” with the advent of modern transportation, canning, and other industrial developments. Suddenly canned lobster was sought after, and the gourmet-obsessed elite would flock to New England to seek out a fresh version of the delicacy. Fast forward a few decades, and lobster becomes the food of the wealthy, or a rare indulgence. While nowadays the crustacean is a bit more mainstream, it still carries a higher price tag than most seafood.
Lobster’s status as a pricy delicacy has placed it in the same category as caviar or truffles as a food commonly added to more mundane entrees to raise both the price tag, and the flavor.
Here are five extraordinary instances where lobster meets some of America’s (and the world’s) more common dishes.
