| DID YOU KNOW in the 1800's lobster was known as | | | | on the menu and is not cheap to buy in markets |
| a "poor mans food"? Poor colonial families, prisoners, | | | | either. Now, branded as a delicacy, lobster is featured |
| servants and children often ate lobster because of its | | | | all over the world on cooking shows and prepared in |
| huge abundance and easy accessibility. Yes, it is hard | | | | exotic assortments in world-renowned restaurants. |
| to imagine, but there was a time when this seafood | | | | So enjoy your "Scavenger of the Sea" or "Poor |
| delicacy was embarrassing to eat and often shunned | | | | Man's Chicken," whatever you call it….it's |
| upon. You see, in the 1800's people with money could | | | | delicious! |
| afford healthy meat such as cattle and beef, but for | | | | Top 13 Things to Know about Lobsters: |
| people living along the coast, lobster and other | | | | 1. Once lobsters catch their prey, they use the teeth |
| seafood were seen as a cheap, attainable way to | | | | in their stomachs for chewing |
| feed the mouths of their hungry families. Instead of | | | | 2. Summer and Fall are peak lobstering seasons |
| throwing away lobster shells with the rest of their | | | | 3. The largest lobster was found in Nova Scotia in |
| trash, colonial families dug holes in their backyard to | | | | 1977 weighing 44lbs and 4 ft long |
| dispose of the lobster shells in hopes that no one | | | | 4. Maine is the largest lobster producing state in the |
| would notice last night's meal. | | | | country |
| Not only was lobster used for a poor family's dinner, | | | | 5. Lobsters "molt" or shed their shell hundreds of |
| but for fish bait and fertilizer for Native American | | | | times before their death |
| crops. Lobster was so plentiful that they could pile up | | | | 6. Lobsters' sense of smell is their greatest trait in |
| to 2 feet high on the shores of Plymouth where | | | | helping them find food |
| people would gather them by hand. These were not | | | | 7. For every 1 pound a lobster weighs, they are 5-7 |
| 2-pound lobsters we are familiar with today, these | | | | years of age |
| lobsters could weigh up to 40 pounds and measure | | | | 8. Lobsters are most closely related to the insect |
| about 4 feet in length. They would crawl out the | | | | family |
| ocean's waves onto the shore and lay there upon | | | | 9. Lobsters have no vocal chords |
| the thousands. Can you imagine if this was the case | | | | 10. Humans are the main predators of lobster |
| today? It would be impossible to find a space on the | | | | 11. A wild lobster will continue to grow its entire life |
| beach! | | | | 12. Lobsters eat other lobsters |
| Needless to say, the degrading lobster nicknames like, | | | | 13. In bright light, a lobster is nearly blind |
| "Poor Man's Chicken" and "Scavengers of the Sea" | | | | Author Bio: |
| did not last long. In the 1850's lobster trap fishing | | | | Jimmy Faro is the Owner of ( a division of |
| became a profession where men would go out and | | | | Constitution Seafood. A fourth generation Lobster & |
| hunt for these scorpion related species in boats that | | | | Seafood New Englander born in the business in a |
| circulated salt water to keep their lobsters alive and | | | | small seaside town in Massachusetts, he and the |
| by 1885 the lobster industry was thriving and selling | | | | staff at work directly with lobster boats and seafood |
| for 10-12 cents a pound. Now, everyone from New | | | | dealers from Maine to Rhode Island to give you the |
| York to Chicago was enjoying Maine lobsters and | | | | freshest lobsters and seafood that you would |
| expensive restaurants were using them in their pies | | | | expect from New England's pristine coast and pure |
| and sauces. | | | | cold Atlantic waters. |
| Today, lobster is one of the most expensive items | | | | |