While you’re aware of the holiday that takes place on December 25th, another, lesser-known holiday occurs a few days before. December 21st marks a unique celebration, National French Fried Shrimp Day! Shrimp happens to be the most popular seafood in the United States. That’s right, we sure do love our shrimp. We tend to gravitate towards food that’s loaded with flavor, and much like French fries, french-fried shrimp is deep-fried in oil to give it its unique flavor that so many love.
A Brief History in Shrimp
Shrimp as a delicacy has quite an interesting history behind it. While it can be safely assumed that any indigenous culture located near water likely caught shrimp, the first documented use of it in the culinary arts traces back to Ancient Rome. Marcus Apicius, a Roman gourmet published a recipe around 4 AD that described in detail a method of preparation that utilized honey to add flavor after roasting the crustacean.
Fast forward to the 20th century, and America begins its love affair with the shrimp in 1917 when harvesting begins on a large scale and the shrimp cocktail becomes a staple of American dining. After the second world war, frozen shrimp that’s been breaded becomes popular. It’s around this time period that a popular oxymoron “jumbo shrimp” enters the lexicon of popular language.
Dig in and Enjoy
You should never have to worry about consuming too much shrimp. The crustacean is very healthy. Aside from being a reliable source of protein, shrimp contains several fatty acids that promote heart health. Shrimp also contains a substantial number of vitamins and minerals that our bodies need.
Celebrate with Captain Eddie & Crew
At Captain Eddie’s Seafood, we take pride in providing high-quality seafood in a welcoming environment. You don’t need to wait until the 21st to enjoy some French-fried shrimp, because we serve up the best seafood all year long. For a menu, directions, and plenty of other tasty tidbits of information, visit us online to make reservations or give us a call at 941-484-4372. If you’re on the go, consider patronizing our fish market for the best local catches!
Happy Holidays!