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Coldspark824 t1_jac0sf4 wrote

Reply to comment by AboveAverageIQtoo in [homemade] lobster by Professional_End5908

Lobster used to be backwater food for poor dockworkers. In some places it still is common fare.

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Kiltymchaggismuncher t1_jac398j wrote

A lot of seafood did. Oysters were cheap, and the rich wouldn't consider eating them. Same with eels.

As soon as something becomes more expensive, it is a delicacy that the upper classes want to have.

White bread was another example, since it required extra processing. For much of their history, the poor had a better balanced diet than the rich. Even when a food is relatively cheap to produce, crazes like "superfoods" will drive the price up. Quiona is a good example. Its a cheap staple for many in south America. But the price has exploded in recent years. Certainly good for farmers and those associated with the industry, but not great for those at the bottom of society

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A911owner t1_jaet0ie wrote

When I was working in the restaurant, there was one year that the iceberg lettuce crop was severely damaged (I think from cold, but I don't remember) the price of iceberg shot through the roof, and suddenly it was a delicacy being served by high end restaurants. They would literally serve a quarter head of iceberg with some blue cheese dressing as an appetizer for like 15 bucks. Once the price dropped again, it went back to being a "cheap food" for diners.

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Kiltymchaggismuncher t1_jaetrnr wrote

I remember that period, though i wasn't aware restaurants tried to mark it as upmarket.

A fool and his money, shall soon be parted.

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barrymyhoginher_ t1_jad20pn wrote

They were fed to prisoners during colonial times

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LeaperLeperLemur t1_jadf0oc wrote

It was considered cruel to serve prisoners lobster too often.

Though to be fair, it was served with the meat and shell all crushed up together and likely without salt/butter/lemon/etc.

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emilycecilia t1_jadkc92 wrote

Yeah, that's the bit people forget when they say "lobster was served to prisoners!" The entire lobster, shell and all, ground into goop. They weren't eating lobster tails with drawn butter and herbs!

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