National Shrimp Day

May 10th is National Shrimp Day in the United States.

The first thing that needs to be determined is what a shrimp actually is. Yes, it's a type of shellfish, but the precise definition can vary from country to country. The name shrimp refers to a wide range of crustaceans, and can cover different groups of them. They can also be called prawns; this name is usually used for the larger species, especially in Britain, whereas in the US the name shrimp is more common. In general, the name shrimp is used to refer to any small crustacean that looks like a shrimp - even if they technically aren't.

Shrimps have been eaten for well over a thousand years, getting on for at least two thousand, maybe more. Shrimp are nutritionally good for you, although allergies are common, and, being near the bottom of the food chain, they have low levels of mercury. There are many different ways of preparing shrimp, but the shell needs removing from them at some point before eating.

National Shrimp Scampi Day

National Shrimp Scampi Day is on April 29th in the United States.

The name of this may be confusing to those who aren't American. In many other countries, the name "scampi" is actually used to refer to a specific type of shellfish. In the US, it is often used either to refer to a way of preparing shrimp, or as simply as referring to shrimp on the menu. Whatever the usage, it refers to a white fleshed crustacean.

The dish shrimp scampi is made from shrimp, naturally enough, which is then cooked in garlic butter and dry white wine. It may then be served with other things, such as bread, or with either pasta or rice, but it can also be served by itself. In this case, "scampi" is a dish rather than a type of food.

National Fried Shrimp Day

National Fried Shrimp Day is on December 21st in the United States.

This is another national day that is supposedly rather specific - a certain type of seafood prepared in a certain way - but is actually rather vaguer, depending on the region, than you might think.

Shrimps are a type of crustacean that is also, depending on the region, referred to as prawns. In North America they would normally be called shrimps; in the United Kingdom, prawns. The two species are actually different, but are so close in appearance that they are often called by both names. In reference material, though, prawn is being used to describe the freshwater variety and shrimp the marine ones.

Shrimps (or prawns) vary in size, from small to large, with the large types being known as king prawns, or jumbo shrimps. They are used in a lot of dishes and, as far as mercury content is concerned, are one of the safest types of seafood, as they are so low on the food chain they contain one of the smallest amounts.

There are many different ways to fry shrimp. They can be shallow or deep fried, with or without batter. Quite often, when battered, the shell isn't removed first - which seems a bit pointless, as the shell, and thus the batter, is then removed to eat them.