Lobster Mac and Cheese: The Ultimate Fancy Comfort Food
A Complete History of Lobster Mac & Cheese
(and Why it’s so Dang Good!)
Image courtesy of Monika Borys via Unsplash
Ah, macaroni and cheese. One of America’s favorite comfort foods, there is nothing like creamy, cheesy pasta to soothe one’s soul. There have been many variations of mac and cheese invented over the years – baked, spirals, Kraft, Velveeta – the options are endless. Paired with lobster, however, takes macaroni and cheese to another level. It wasn’t all pinkies and teacups for this fancy food, however. Read on to learn about how lobster mac and cheese was born.
History of Lobster and How it Became a “Fancy Food”
First enjoyed during the viking era, lobster was seen as a poor man’s dish through the 1600s. Many washed ashore in large piles in the States, “so plentiful that they would reportedly wash ashore in piles up to 2 feet high,” according to a History article.
Native Americans used lobster as a fertilizer and as bait due to the surplus on America’s shores. It wasn’t until the late 1800’s when lobster began to gain popularity as a finer food. Railway transportation and canned food helped push lobster to the masses, sending making lobster assessable to those who lived inland at a lower cost. Tourism brought upon by railway transportation, especially in New England, fueled the demand for lobster, and by the time World War II came around, it and other shellfish were considered food for the wealthy.
The History of Mac and Cheese
The oldest known recipe of macaroni and cheese can be traced back to the 13th century in Italy, where a text called “the Liber de Coquina” transcribes from Latin into the world’s first mac and cheese recipe, according to History Daily.
There are, however, many theories surrounding the popularity and creation of mac and cheese. One theory says that it evolved from a macaroni pudding recipe served at church gatherings. Another states that President Thomas Jefferson, while visiting France, became so obsessed with the pasta dishes served there, that he began to serve macaroni and cheese at dinner parties. Now that’s a party we can support!
Lobster + Mac & Cheese = <3
The combination of lobster plus noodles and cheese has sparked some serious debate. Is it an abomination, or a genius combo that goes down in the hall of fame? Despite the haters, this now famous dish has made its way onto many a-restaurant menu over the years.
But, pourquoi? For one, lobster mac and cheese has been around longer than we even realize. There is also a heavy debate on where the origins actually come from. Some argue that it was created in the early 1890s, and is closely related to the Swiss recipe Lobster Newberg or or Coquilles St. Jacques. Upon further examination, however, Lobster Newberg does not contain cheese nor even pasta in the dish.
In 1888, a chef by the name of Harriet A. De Salis published a recipe for Sorrento Oysters. According to an article on cuisinology.com, “This appears to be an early upscale version of the dish we know today, if not the earliest, combining cooked macaroni with oysters, Parmesan, and cream, then browning individual servings in scallop shells for an elegant presentation.”
The New York Times published an article in February 2011 implying that the dish was the result of a “record haul” by Maine lobstermen that year, which also brought lobster to market at chains like Panera Bread and Ruby Tuesday.
While there is no exact point to which lobster mac and cheese was officially created, the lobster industry has pushed chefs to new ways that this crustacean can be consumed.
And Now: Timoti’s Mac and Cheese
There is no need to break the bank to score lobster mac and cheese when you’re in Northeast Florida. Timoti’s is now offering our own homemade version every weekend at all locations: Fernandina and Nocatee (for a limited time only!). Just $4.99, make sure you get a bite of it on your next visit at one of our locations.