National Lobster Day

National Lobster Day is on June 15th in the United States. Today, lobster is considered a luxurious delicacy all over the world. This was not always the case.

National Lobster Day is on June 15th in the United States.

Nowadays, it’s hard to believe that lobster was once considered peasant food! It’s true! In the 1800s, lobsters were so abundant that residents on the New Englander coast would be able to just walk down the beach and capture them during low tide. Dirt-cheap because they were so plentiful, lobsters were routinely fed to prisoners, apprentices, slaves and children during the colonial era.

Prior to that, Native Americans regularly utilized lobsters to fertilize their crops and as bait for their fishing hooks. Of course, they also ate the abundant crustaceans. Preparing involved covering them in seaweed and baking them over hot rocks. According to tradition, this cooking method inspired the classic New England clambake.

A dash of history

During the 1880s, lobster began to shed some of its negative reputation when discriminating diners in some of the larger cities, such as Boston and New York, began to enjoy the lobster dinner. 

Today, lobster is considered a luxurious delicacy all over the world. In New England, alone, lobster fishing is over a $1 billion industry. There are many ways to enjoy lobster, but the most popular cooking methods are boiling, baking, steaming, and grilling.

The lobster has changed little over the last 100 million years! It is known for its unusual anatomy. Did you know that its brain is located in its throat? Its nervous system in its abdomen, its teeth in its stomach and its kidneys in its head! Get this – the lobster hears using its legs and tastes with its feet. There is at least one thing that lobsters have in common with humans. They tend to favor one front limb, meaning they can be right-clawed or left-clawed. Lobsters have a tendency to become cannibalistic when they are crowded into tight quarters (such as store display tanks). That is why you often observe that sellers will tightly band their claws to prevent them from feasting on their neighbors.

People often think of lobster as a rich and decadent food, but, in reality, lobster meat contains fewer calories than an equal portion of skinless chicken breast. Additionally, it offers a significant dose of healthy omega-3 fatty acids, potassium and the vitamins E, B-12 and B-6.

Lobster facts

We leave you with this fun lobster fact: Lobsters pee out of their faces. They have urine-release nozzles right under their eyes. They urinate in each other’s faces as a way of communicating, either when fighting or mating. That not-so-tasty and others can be found on Huffington Post’s 9 Facts About Lobsters.

If you would like to speak to a real lobster expert – especially in regards to serving lobster up at your next event, be sure to contact Tim, our own crusty crustacean maven.  He will have all of the answers for your clambake or surf n’ turf menu needs.

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