The Tinyness of Shrimp

Is there a food item more overrated than the shrimp? These decapod crustaceans are expensive and often frozen multiple times before you buy them from your fishmonger. My friend Tim is convinced that if they cost about .40 cents/lb. nobody would buy them. I'm not sure that's true since their unearned reputation as a luxury food item has gone unchecked for years. Shrimp farming has become a huge environmental issue in many countries as native reefs and habitat have been destroyed to make room for these "farms".

I remember as a kid on vacation in Florida eating amazing, huge, sweet shrimp from the Gulf of Mexico being sold by fishermen with coolers who had just returned from their day boats. I also remember buying so called "rock shrimp" while I lived in California which were cold water shrimp or maybe they were technically prawns. Either way these items seem to have disappeared.

There is some hope however...Recently a group of shrimp fishermen joined together founded a collective of sorts called Wild American Shrimp. This group claims that 85% of the shrimp on the US market is imported and pond raised. Wild American Shrimp are certified to meet specific criteria which include the environment, size specifications, flavor and texture. I'm not sure certification is really the answer for quality in the shrimp world but raising awareness about the realities of the industry seems to make sense. The missing link of quality though is the constant thawing and re-freezing which ultimately makes the flesh turn into mealy mush.

I've had the chance to taste a few of these certified varieties including the "Royal Red" and "Pink". They were both sweet, had great texture, and worked nicely on the grill or saute pan. Check out the site. http://www.wildamericanshrimp.com/main.html