The Food Almanac: May 10, 2011
In The Food Almanac, Tom Fitzmorris of the online newsletter, The New Orleans Menu notes food facts and sayings.
Eating Calendar
Today is National Shrimp Day. Shrimp are probably the favorite seafood of Americans. They're found on menus of every kind, all over the country. The Louisiana shrimp industry recently supplied more than 80% of the American shrimp eaten in this country. That is way down because of ungrounded fears about the oil spill's effect on our shrimp (there was actually very little), and because of a flood of imported shrimp from Southeast Asia. Why anyone would turn away from Gulf shrimp — arguably the world's best — to save 50 cents a pound is a mystery to me.
You can cook shrimp thousands of ways. Here in New Orleans, the best shrimp dishes are New Orleans-style barbecue shrimp and shrimp rémoulade. I can't get enough of either of these two dishes. The two main species are white shrimp and brown shrimp, in alternating seasons. I prefer white shrimp, particularly for broiling, but the distinction is not great.
Shrimp are sized according to the "count" of shrimp per pound. This ranges from under 10 count for grilling and barbecuing, down to 40 or more count for frying, salads, gumbo, and stews.
Gourmet Gazetteer
Boiling Point is an area — you couldn't call it a neighborhood, exactly, although quite a few residences are there — in the mountains just north of Los Angeles. It's on the Sierra Highway in Agua Dulce Canyon, at the 3,200-foot level. The reason for the name is a mystery. Nice overlook of L.A. from up there. The nearest restaurant of note is the Sweetwater Cafe, appropriately located in Agua Dulce, four miles west of Boiling Point.
Edible Dictionary
rock shrimp, n. — A medium-size shrimp with a hard, lobster-like shell. They're harvested at depths of over a hundred feet, mostly off the coast of Florida. They're closely related to the more familiar Gulf white and brown shrimp. It's only in relatively recent times that a commercial market for rock shrimp emerged. The animals are so difficult to peel that special equipment had to be invented for the purpose. They can be bought with the shell on, but use shears to peel them, not a knife. A ridge running up the shrimp's back makes them hard to handle. They cook rapidly, and are particularly good in pasta dishes with cream sauces.
The Old Kitchen Sage Sez
Whenever you cook shrimp, the moment you have the first thought as to whether they're cooked well enough is the time to remove the shrimp from the heat, immediately. Overcooked shrimp stick to the shells.
Food Through History
The ten-day Battle of Hamburger Hill began today in 1969. It was a disaster allround, and was the last major ground offensive in the Vietnam War. The tide of American opinion turned against the war as a result.
French king Louis XVI, for whom a very fancy New Orleans French restaurant was named, ascended the throne on this date in 1774. He would be the regal victim of the French Revolution 18 years later. His namesake restaurant is still here, but only for hotel breakfasts and private parties.
Annals of Herbal Beverages
Thomas J. Lipton, tea merchant and avid sailor, was born today in 1850, in Glasgow, Scotland. Lipton is the leading name in tea in this country, but it was one of many until it started advertising on radio, with the medium's most persuasive spokesman: Arthur Godfrey.
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Deft Dining Rule #412
The worst cold root beer is better with a roast beef po'boy sandwich than the best red wine.
Music to Eat Bouillabaisse By
Donovan Leitch, was born today in 1943. According to one of his hit songs, he was mad about saffron. He started out as a Bob Dylan soundalike, but evolved into the ultimate hippy-dippy singer, using just his first name.
Food Namesakes
Movie producer Jeff Apple fell from the tree today in 1954. Mike Butcher, a pitcher for the California Angels in the 1990s, took The Big Mound in 1965. Another baseball pro, Ken Berry, hit The Big Basepath in 1941. Ollie Le Roux, who plays rugby professionally in South Africa, kicked off today in 1973.
Words To Eat By
"The term 'jumbo shrimp' has always amazed me. What is a jumbo shrimp? I mean, it's like Military Intelligence. The words don't go together." — George Carlin.
Words To Drink By
"I drink only to make my friends seem interesting." — Don Marquis.