Roach of the Sea

"The Roach of the Sea - How the poor man's protein became a luxury meal" tells the improbable rags-to-riches story of the lobster. In 17th-century America, lobsters were so abundant they washed up on beaches in piles. They were considered "sea cockroaches," fit only for fertilizer, prisoners, and indentured servants. There were even laws forbidding masters from feeding lobster to their servants more than three times a week because it was cruel. Food historian Emily Cook tracks the transformation. With the advent of canning and railways, lobster could be shipped to inlanders who didn't know its reputation. Chefs rebranded it with butter and status. This book is a case study in perceived value. It illustrates how marketing and scarcity can flip an object from garbage to gold, proving that taste is often more about culture than flavor.