Wild Gulf of Mexico White Colossal Shrimp
Whew! That was a mouth full--and so were the U/15 count shrimp, (meaning under 15 per pound), which I used in this easy to prepare shrimp cocktail recipe.
Shrimp are decapod crustaceans (ten legs). Like lobsters, crabs, and crayfish, shrimp are fascinating and busy underwater workers and a delightful addition to the culinary desires and tastes of diners throughout the world.
Out of the nearly 5 million tons of shrimp harvested annually, the largest importer is none other than the United States. Americans, no-doubt, love to eat shrimp.
Worldwide there are about 300 known species of shrimp ... but the world's best eating variety (the Wild Gulf of Mexico White Shrimp), is highly coveted for its firm texture; its uniquely delicate taste, and ease of preparation.
Today's chefs purchase shrimp and other seafood in an IQF state (Individually Quick Frozen), with convenience and preservation being the main consideration. By stocking an inventory of IQF shrimp, restaurant cooks (and home cooks, too) can remove as much as needed from the freezer, individually. They are not all stuck together.
Large shrimp boats are able to venture farther out in the waters these days to discover shrimp because they utilize spacious on-board arctic blast freezers. These blast freezers can render the entire catch into a sub-zero rock-hard state within moments after hitting the deck.
In this highly frozen state, the shrimp are less likely to attract harmful bacteria. Some boats stay out on the waters for weeks and months at the time before returning to dock with the knowledge that their seafood are as fresh as the moment they were harvested. The quality and freshness have been cryogenically frozen in time.
In the past decade or so, discussions on health-safety issues and the consumption of imported farm-raised shrimp (especially the popular Asian Black Tiger variety often seen in U.S. supermarkets and restaurants) have been swimming around in a sea of controversy.
The main issue seems to be the negative environmental impact created when foreign shrimp ponds are abandoned or misused versus harvesting the shrimp (in the wild) from the world's oceans, gulfs and bays.
Since the U.S. is the world's largest importer, any embargo or strict import regulations would present serious problems to the consumer by driving the prices up sky-high. To cover the present demand, should the foreign farm-raised shrimp become unavailable for any reason, would be practically impossible. The void could not be filled solely with "wild" shrimp. The oceans could become depleted in record-time.
The other concern has to do with the quality and safety of consuming overseas products which are not under the direct auspices of our own federal regulatory agencies. We are all privy to some of the tainted Chinese products (like animal foods, baby formulas and toys) that have been recently discovered and subsequently banned from the U.S. market place.
In other words, it's tough to keep a close-eye on foreign shrimp growers and suppliers. The U.S. cannot impose regulations on foreign growers with respect to using safe protocols as it does with its own shrimp farmers, nor can it filter-out any potentially harmful substances which may have been passed-on through the food chain into the mouths of the consumers. Most of the time, unfortunately, the discovery of unsafe products is usually made after-the-fact.
This is not the case with Wild White Gulf of Mexico Shrimp (or the pink and brown varieties for that matter) because all three American varieties are safe and good to eat.
In conclusion, if you are intent on buying farm-raised shrimp, you might consider purchasing the ones grown in America. The shrimp farmers there offer a safe product.
Bon jour!
