Lobster's Lowly Past: From Prison Fare to Prized Delicacy

In the 17th and 18th centuries, shores teemed with so many lobsters they'd wash ashore in massive piles after storms, making them a cheap, readily available protein. This abundance cemented their reputation as food for the lowest social classes. It wasn't until the mid-19th century, with the development of canning and later refrigerated transport, that lobster could be shipped inland and to distant markets. Its newfound scarcity in these new markets, combined with its unique flavor, dramatically elevated its status to the expensive delicacy we cherish today.