Shrimp Facts

Everyone love shrimp.It's so common that it"s part of our weekly diets,,thanks to fast food chains and all you can eat buffets.Yet do most shrimp lovers know what kind they're really eating? Is this love helping or harming the environment? it 's not just prawns in cocktail sauce anymore.It's a whole new world, as deep and complex asvthe oceans that give us these tasty morsels. Luckily regular contributor,Kim Severson,The New York Times Wednesday Dining section explored this along with giving us really good recipes.There's a wealth of knowledge to grasp before buying shrimp though.Most shrimp come from Asia, primarily Thailand .However if you're fortunate to live in the Southeast, you have your own kinds.The Gulf Coast produces brown shrimp ,from the Gulf of Mexico.This is an acquired taste because the shrimp has a strong iodine taste yet most natives of the area swear only by it.The waters off South Carolina gives us white shrimp while eastern Florida has pink.The Sunshine State also has the much treasured Royal Reds, a rare variety because they are pulled from very deep water and spoil quickly.As with salmon, there are shrimp farms on both American coasts.When buying in your local grocery store make sure that the shrimp have their shells still on.Shelled varieties are usually treated with chemicals to preserve them.Also look for the letters I.Q.F. Which stands for individually quick frozen..The lack or abundance of the crustacean on the market also depends on the season, government regulations and reproductive cycles. Shrimp also come with an environmental price too.Firstly the are affected by pollution. Louisianan shrimpers saw this when BP created that ghastly spill a few years ago.The result is deformed animals that can't be eaten and must be discarded..Other animals suffer too in the shrimping industry.Fish and turtles get caught in the large nets that shrimpers use however there are now devices that they must use.This allows freeing the turtles.Before buying research where the store or fish market has acquired them.Despite all this shrimp always has been and still is addictive.They meld well with any seasoning and cooking method.Ms Severson offers some tasty recipes such as spiced salt baked shrimp.This is a salt rub, enhanced by cardamon, cinnamon and peppercorns and baked around the shrimp in a kind of casing.there's also a scampi made with wild shrimp along with pan roast shrimp with mescal, tomatoes and arbor chiles..The last is broth cooked and fired up with poblamo chiles and a shot of the Mexican liqueur ,mescal.This last is the perfect dish for a Saturday night with friends. Shrimp may be a simple dish to create but it comes with a complexity of quandaries.The best bet is having an open dialogue with your purveyor about it's origins and how it was caught.Then enjoy it.It's is excellent in a salt rub or spice with peppers or a shot of mescal.