Pod Coffee Makers 411

Shrimp are a wonderful thing. They can be found in many different sizes and all of them are delicious. Yet there are so many things most people do not know about shrimp, even though they are the most popular seafood in the world. Their secrets abound. Here is the first little known fact: raw shrimp are often called “green” shrimp.

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.”

In the United States, we eat a billion pounds of shrimp per year. In fact, in Las Vegas, Nevada, 60,000 pounds of shrimp are consumed every day… that is more than everywhere else in the U. S. combined! Wow, that is a lot of shrimp! Almost 90% of that is imported from Central America and Asia, and 40% of that is farmed shrimp. Almost 80% of the shrimp we eat here is consumed in restaurants. We like to eat them, but apparently, we do not like to cook them ourselves. Once you have tried cooking them a few times, you will see how easy it really is.

To quote Forrest Gump, “Shrimp is the fruit of the sea.” Of course, he then lists 21 different methods to prepare shrimp. He’s right, too. Shrimp is a very versatile food. You can use shrimp in soups, appetizers, snacks, and main dishes. You can add them to salads and almost anything else you wish. Broil them, saute them or fry them. They are all delicious.

The terms “prawn” and “shrimp” are often used interchangeably, when in fact they are two separate creatures. This is confusing even for the experts. For example, the California spot prawn is really a shrimp while the ridgeback shrimp is really a prawn. Fish markets often label every large shrimp as a prawn, but there are physical differences between the two. Shrimp have side flaps that overlap while prawns have two segments on their tail that are the same size.

Shrimp make great easy party appetizers that everyone will love at any party because people love shrimp appetizers more than any other appetizer. You can purchase them in a variety of sizes like small, medium, large, jumbo, and colossal. They are sold by count. For example, jumbo shrimp would be labeled 21/25 on the package. This means there are 21 to 25 shrimp per pound. You can serve them lightly cooked in all of their glory or you can add them to 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.

Choosing a cold appetizer recipe can be a bit difficult just because there are so many to choose from! You can do elaborate appetizers like stuffed olives or you can keep it simple and serve cheese and crackers. Appetizers are a great way to break the ice for any group.

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