Christmas is green (the tree), white (the snow) but also red. Red is not only found on Santa’s clothes or on Christmas baubles, it is also present on the plate. So, we don’t hesitate to prepare lobster, this beautiful crustacean which turns red when cooked, in various forms: roasted, sliced, or simply boiled to be presented on a seafood platter.
Why is lobster a festive food?
Lobster, this friendly-looking crustacean, has been synonymous with luxury for decades. It is even the icon of several fashion designers, whether it is the lobster dress designed by Elsa Schiaparelli in 1937 – with a design by Salvador Dalí – or, more recently, the lobster necklace by Acne Studios. In short, lobster is haute couture, it’s luxury, it’s chic. Before being a fashion icon, the lobster is the muse of restaurateurs and chefs. Its presence at the table during the end-of-year celebrations is obvious, during this period when we seek to delight our guests.
Yet, like caviar, lobster has not always been considered a premium product. Before becoming an exceptional dish, lobster was for a long time a cheap product, intended more for the poorest, even convicts, due to its abundance. It was from the 1920s that lobster became an expensive commodity, as overfishing reduced supply. And we know that everything that is rare is (often) expensive. From now on, this seafood is a product that is often reserved for special occasions such as end-of-year celebrations.
A luxurious dish, however more accessible than lobster
Even rarer, lobster is sold more expensive than lobster. Often confused because of their similar appearance, the trick to telling them apart lies mainly in the presence of claws in the lobster. For people who love the meat of crustaceans located in the claws (like crab), lobster is the best choice. In terms of taste, lobster is more popular, because its flavor is more pronounced than that of lobster. A strong taste that we associate with
