5 ms·

If you read "Consider the Lobster" (which you should), you'll note that the product did change. Lobster used to be cooked dead, then canned in saltwater. Now i

If you read "Consider the Lobster" (which you should), you'll note that the product did change. Lobster used to be cooked dead, then canned in saltwater. Now it's cooked live and served immediately with a hefty side of melted butter. Sure, maybe the class-based issues made it less likely that people would be willing to try even lobster done right, but I don't think lobster as it was once served would have much more success today.

leeoniya 13y ago
+1 for "Consider the Lobster", i read it for my philosophy/ethics class. full link: http://www.gourmet.com/magazine/2000s/2004/08/consider_the_lobster?printable=true http://www.gourmet.com/magazine/2000s/2004/08/consider_the_l... there's a difference though between "just-killed fresh" and "cooked alive fresh". i would prefer the former without hesitation. though canned is def not a great alternative.
- dunham 13y ago
  These guys recommend you anesthetize the lobster before cooking live: http://www.cookingissues.com/2012/07/04/how-to-become-a-seafood-anesthesiologist-and-kill-your-4th-of-july-lobster&#x2F http://www.cookingissues.com/2012/07/04/how-to-become-a-seaf...;
dhughes 13y ago
That's weird I've never heard of anyone eating dead lobster, anyone around my region wouldn't consider eating a dead (hardshell) lobster even if it died in front of them. I know years ago only the poor kids ate lobster, if you had a lobster sandwich at school you were taunted. First Nations people here used to use lobsters as fertilizer for their crops. There are a lot of lobster fishermen in my region, my uncle and cousins fish lobster, right now there is a glut of lobster and processing plants have put restrictions on how much they will accept from fishermen. This was after a strike by fishermen last month trying to force processors to give them $5/pound but after a few weeks of being on strike they're only going to get $3/pound. I know it's a living creature but it's pretty basic as far as intelligence goes I don't eat it but a knife to the brain or instant death in boiling water doesn't seem too cruel, not nice but not cruel. People eat oysters live, boil mussles and crabs alive and they're not too far from a lobster. Some supermarkets in Germany won't allow lobsters unless they have been killed using a special machine: http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2013/05/03/pei-lobster-stunner-584.html http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2013/05/03/pei-lobst...
indlebe 13y ago
My Grandfather grew up in New Brunswick, Canada. His mother and father were servants and he ate lobster every day for lunch during elementary/grade school. He would hold his sandwich so that no-one could see that it was lobster. They cooked lobster alive back then (1930s), so the cooked dead thing must be region specific.
joonix 13y ago
I still wouldn't want to eat it three times a week. It is quite strange that it's considered a delicacy, if you look at live lobsters up close they are kind of disgusting and really just look like giant insects that happen to live in the water. They do look much more presentable after being boiled/steamed (color change) and presented on a plate with garnish, though.
- integraton 13y ago
  > really just look like giant insects that happen to live in the water That's because they basically are, since crustaceans are likely more closely related to proper insects than millipedes, centipedes, and arachnids are.
- raverbashing 13y ago
  "hey do look much more presentable after being boiled/steamed (color change) and presented on a plate with garnish, though." Well, I guess that's valid for pretty much all food from dead animal origin

leeoniya 13y ago

+1 for "Consider the Lobster", i read it for my philosophy/ethics class. full link: http://www.gourmet.com/magazine/2000s/2004/08/consider_the_lobster?printable=true http://www.gourmet.com/magazine/2000s/2004/08/consider_the_l... there's a difference though between "just-killed fresh" and "cooked alive fresh". i would prefer the former without hesitation. though canned is def not a great alternative.

dunham 13y ago
These guys recommend you anesthetize the lobster before cooking live: http://www.cookingissues.com/2012/07/04/how-to-become-a-seafood-anesthesiologist-and-kill-your-4th-of-july-lobster&#x2F http://www.cookingissues.com/2012/07/04/how-to-become-a-seaf...;

dhughes 13y ago

That's weird I've never heard of anyone eating dead lobster, anyone around my region wouldn't consider eating a dead (hardshell) lobster even if it died in front of them. I know years ago only the poor kids ate lobster, if you had a lobster sandwich at school you were taunted. First Nations people here used to use lobsters as fertilizer for their crops. There are a lot of lobster fishermen in my region, my uncle and cousins fish lobster, right now there is a glut of lobster and processing plants have put restrictions on how much they will accept from fishermen. This was after a strike by fishermen last month trying to force processors to give them $5/pound but after a few weeks of being on strike they're only going to get $3/pound. I know it's a living creature but it's pretty basic as far as intelligence goes I don't eat it but a knife to the brain or instant death in boiling water doesn't seem too cruel, not nice but not cruel. People eat oysters live, boil mussles and crabs alive and they're not too far from a lobster. Some supermarkets in Germany won't allow lobsters unless they have been killed using a special machine: http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2013/05/03/pei-lobster-stunner-584.html http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2013/05/03/pei-lobst...

indlebe 13y ago

My Grandfather grew up in New Brunswick, Canada. His mother and father were servants and he ate lobster every day for lunch during elementary/grade school. He would hold his sandwich so that no-one could see that it was lobster. They cooked lobster alive back then (1930s), so the cooked dead thing must be region specific.

joonix 13y ago

I still wouldn't want to eat it three times a week. It is quite strange that it's considered a delicacy, if you look at live lobsters up close they are kind of disgusting and really just look like giant insects that happen to live in the water. They do look much more presentable after being boiled/steamed (color change) and presented on a plate with garnish, though.

integraton 13y ago
> really just look like giant insects that happen to live in the water That's because they basically are, since crustaceans are likely more closely related to proper insects than millipedes, centipedes, and arachnids are.
raverbashing 13y ago
"hey do look much more presentable after being boiled/steamed (color change) and presented on a plate with garnish, though." Well, I guess that's valid for pretty much all food from dead animal origin