All About Shrimp
Have you ever really looked at a shrimp? They are amazing creatures. Different kinds of shrimp grow to different sizes, yet all of them taste delicious. Nevertheless, there is a lot about shrimp that many people do not know. For instance, do you know that they refer to raw shrimp as being green?
Shrimp have ten legs. Since most of us do not see shrimp before they are shelled, we do not see the legs. What we call the head of the shrimp is actually the head and the thorax. It takes up half the body size of the shrimp. They are cousins to other crustaceans such as crabs and lobsters. They also are not far from insects on the old family tree, which is the reason some chefs call them "bugs."
Americans eat a billion pounds of shrimp every year. The place where the most shrimp are eaten is Las Vegas, Nevada, where 60,000 pounds of shrimp are eaten every single day. That is more than the rest of the United States combined! What a lot of shrimp! A whopping 90% of those billion pounds is brought in from Asia and Central America, with 40% being farmed shrimp. Another astounding fact: 80% of the shrimp eaten in the United States is consumed in restaurants. It appears that we like to eat them, but we do not like to cook them ourselves. Shrimp really is simple to cook, so try it out!
In the immortal words of Forrest Gump, "Shrimp is the fruit of the sea." He then proceeds to describe 21 different ways to prepare shrimp, including three different frying methods. The versatile shrimp can be added to stews and soups. It can be used as appetizers, snacks, and main dishes. You can add shrimp to just about anything. Broil them, saute them, fry them... they all taste fabulous.
If the terms "prawn" and "shrimp" are confusing to you, you are not alone. Even shrimp experts can mix them up. For example, the California spot prawn is really a shrimp while the ridgeback shrimp is truly a prawn. In most fish markets, any large shrimp may be called a prawn, but in actuality, there is a physical difference between the two. Shrimp have side flaps that overlap on their first three abdominal segments, while prawns first two segments are the same size.
Shrimp are a great choice for easy appetizers at any party or diner to start your meal off just right. They are available in a wide variety of sizes so you can choose some that fit your recipes and your budget. Shrimp are sold by count. This will tell you what size the shrimp are, such as colossal, jumbo, large, medium, or small. Jumbo shrimp, for example, would be labeled 21/25 on the wrapper. This means you will find 21 to 25 shrimp per pound. Serve them up to show off their pearly pink shrimpness or add them to other recipes.
You will notice that different types of shrimp exhibit different textures and flavors. These factors are influenced by what they eat as well as the water they live in. Wild shrimp have a more complex flavor due to their varied diet. They also have firmer meat since they need to search for their food. Farmed shrimp have a softer texture since they know where to get their food.
Shrimp have ten legs. Since most of us do not see shrimp before they are shelled, we do not see the legs. What we call the head of the shrimp is actually the head and the thorax. It takes up half the body size of the shrimp. They are cousins to other crustaceans such as crabs and lobsters. They also are not far from insects on the old family tree, which is the reason some chefs call them "bugs."
Americans eat a billion pounds of shrimp every year. The place where the most shrimp are eaten is Las Vegas, Nevada, where 60,000 pounds of shrimp are eaten every single day. That is more than the rest of the United States combined! What a lot of shrimp! A whopping 90% of those billion pounds is brought in from Asia and Central America, with 40% being farmed shrimp. Another astounding fact: 80% of the shrimp eaten in the United States is consumed in restaurants. It appears that we like to eat them, but we do not like to cook them ourselves. Shrimp really is simple to cook, so try it out!
In the immortal words of Forrest Gump, "Shrimp is the fruit of the sea." He then proceeds to describe 21 different ways to prepare shrimp, including three different frying methods. The versatile shrimp can be added to stews and soups. It can be used as appetizers, snacks, and main dishes. You can add shrimp to just about anything. Broil them, saute them, fry them... they all taste fabulous.
If the terms "prawn" and "shrimp" are confusing to you, you are not alone. Even shrimp experts can mix them up. For example, the California spot prawn is really a shrimp while the ridgeback shrimp is truly a prawn. In most fish markets, any large shrimp may be called a prawn, but in actuality, there is a physical difference between the two. Shrimp have side flaps that overlap on their first three abdominal segments, while prawns first two segments are the same size.
Shrimp are a great choice for easy appetizers at any party or diner to start your meal off just right. They are available in a wide variety of sizes so you can choose some that fit your recipes and your budget. Shrimp are sold by count. This will tell you what size the shrimp are, such as colossal, jumbo, large, medium, or small. Jumbo shrimp, for example, would be labeled 21/25 on the wrapper. This means you will find 21 to 25 shrimp per pound. Serve them up to show off their pearly pink shrimpness or add them to other recipes.
You will notice that different types of shrimp exhibit different textures and flavors. These factors are influenced by what they eat as well as the water they live in. Wild shrimp have a more complex flavor due to their varied diet. They also have firmer meat since they need to search for their food. Farmed shrimp have a softer texture since they know where to get their food.
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