From delicacy to cultural icon: The rise of lobster as a global phenomenon

ne crustaceans that live in the ocean—are becoming increasingly valuable around the world. Lobster demand and prices along the New England coast continue to rise, local nonprofit media Maine Public reports.

On social media today, lobsters are often portrayed as a luxury dish, but historically, they were considered a food for the poor and prisoners in the 19th century due to their unpopularity. “This marine creature has been a staple in the human diet for about 250 million years,” author Elisabeth Townsend notes in her book “Lobster: A Global History.”

From America’s large-clawed lobster to the spiny lobster in Japan, from the rock lobster beloved in South Africa and Australia to the crayfish revered in French cuisine, CNN highlights, lobsters boast a rich history. culinary history is rich and diverse around the globe.

“The world’s relationship with this delicacy began with necessity. People need to eat and lobsters are easily accessible in the ocean. But now, these shellfish are more than just food; it is also considered a cultural icon,” Townsend writes.

According to Townsend, historically, lobsters have been considered a “survival food” since the Stone Age. However, today lobsters are much more expensive due to difficulty in harvesting and transporting.

“Lobsters were revered at certain times in ancient times. They even appear as symbols in a 15th-century BC Egyptian temple and a 1st-century BC mosaic in Pompeii,” Townsend explains. Similarly, lobster motifs on ceramics from the Moche culture of Peru, dating from the 1st to 8th centuries, demonstrate the long-standing value of this crustacean in coastal communities.

Through different eras and regions, lobsters have been consumed in many different ways. The simplest preparation — boiled, smoked or grilled — was popular in Native American coastal communities long before New England became famous for its clam bakes.

By the time Europe entered the Middle Ages, cookbooks recommended spiced lobster soup, although the ingredients were expensive due to transportation costs. As maritime trade expanded globally, lobster became a staple ingredient in aristocratic European cuisine.

In Dutch art, the lobster had considerable importance, while the mid-20th century Surrealist movement embraced the lobster as a symbol of high fashion, inspiring modern dresses through collaborations. creation between artist Salvador Dalí and Italian fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli.

“Elsa Schiaparelli felt aligned with the Surrealist movement to explore the imagination,” explains Marie-Sophie Carron de la Carrière, who organized an exhibition of Schiaparelli’s work at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris in 2022. and the unexpected in her designs.”

In the 1930s, during the duo’s collaboration, lobster also became a staple in gourmet cuisine.

Today, lobster motifs often appear in high fashion. Anna Wintour, considered one of the most influential figures in the fashion world, wore a Prada lobster-themed dress to the 2012 Met Gala. Similarly, American actress Zendaya also wore a lobster-print dress last year. Both influential figures evoke memories of Schiaparelli’s earlier fashion creations.

Bertrand Guyon, Schiaparelli’s successor, also recreated this design in a dress from the Spring 2017 Haute Couture collection, celebrating the fashion house’s 80th anniversary.

With its influential position in both the world of cuisine and visual culture, the image of the lobster will likely continue to symbolize status and style well into the future, reflecting the world’s continuing passion. world for this marine creature.