Those Little Freeze Dried Shrimp

[LiveOak]

So, I have been seeing these at the counter of every convenience store I've entered my entire life. Bought some on a whim tonight...and promptly spit them out. Horrendous! I had wondered for 40 years, and now I know. Anyone else ever eat these?:eek:

[Oyster]

I did the same thing, only about 40 years ago when they were a dime. They looked so delicious in that little bag, I couldn't resist. I do not think there is any "freeze" involved in the process. They are actually just "dried" as in laid out in the sun for a few days after boiling. That accounts for the horrendous taste. Goes back to the way shrimp were procesed in the days before refrigeration. There were huge structures in the Barataria Bay area where platforms were built to lay shrimp out to dry. These were Filipino camps, the largest of which was Manilla Village, remnants which today still remain, and is a famous fishing area for speckled trout. Hurricane Betsy wiped out the entire village bringing an end to a long run.

I did see Frank Davis use them in a gumbo stock once...

Link to Manilla Village:
http://philipppines.tripod.com/reggie/manilav.html

[Yvette]

Never in my life have I ever tried them.

[dragongrrl]

A friend of mine was eating them and I said, "I've always been curious about those. Are they good?" He said "I like them. Want some?" and passed the bag to me and I got an unexpected whiff. EEEEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWW. They STUNK. I don't see how anyone gets them past their sense of smell to get them into their mouths. He just shrugged and finished the bag.

[NoNoNanette]

Sadly did it 25 years ago as a stupid Ohio gal...YUCKERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[hungryone]

They're delicious, completely natural, and a traditional food of coastal Louisiana since the days before refrigeration, delivering a concentrated, seafood-y punch. Try re-hydrating in a little hot water and using in an okra & sausage gumbo, in smothered okra & tomatoes, or in a potato stew (esp delicious, I think). Also good with a cold beer. Celestine Dunbar at Dunbar's (corner of Pine & Dominican on the Loyola Law campus) uses dried shrimp in her Friday-special seafood gumbo.

Dried shrimp crop up in SE Asian cooking as well. One delicious Thai salad (can't remember the name in Thai, but David Thompson's peerless Thai cookbook contains a recipe for it) has a garnish of dried shrimp, pounded/processed to make a kind of shrimp floss...ethereal in texture and lovely to see.

As a side note, I trained my cat to stand on her hind legs and beg for dried shrimp; she goes nuts for 'em. (Though I can see how any food with potential as a cat treat might not appeal to the squeamish & non-seafood-centric.)

You know people are buying dried shrimp if they're still being sold at virtually every gas station, grocery store, and even at Wal-Mart. One local processor is Blum & Bergeron in Houma, still located downtown on Bayou Terrebonne in a shrimp-pink building for the last 75 or so years: http://www.driedshrimp.com/

[LiveOak]

You're right, people must be buying them if they've been ubiquitous for generations. The funny thing is, I have never witnessed anyone actually tear a pack from those staple cards by the the checkout that they come on...not once.

I also realized that I could never be a replacement for Andrew Zimmern on Bizarre Foods. If I can't down the dried shrimp I need not apply.

[DivaKitty]

Thanks Hungryone for the info. I have used dried shrimp in Thai recipes, but assumed these must be for snacking since they're always right by the check-out. Never tried them, but will get some. Can always make some killer pad thai if they don't go down on their own (I'll probably like them though!)

[Andouille]

I grew up loving them. My uncle used to take us fishing on his boat, we would fish for a while and catch a few croakers then he would pull the boat up to a bar. He would feed us bar food, dried shrimp, sausages, chips, we played the pinball machines and drank cokes while he had a few cold beers.

I still pick up a bag now and then, the briny taste reminds me of fun times with Uncle Riley.

[Mrs. Fury]

Link to Manilla Village:
http://philipppines.tripod.com/reggie/manilav.html

While fishing that area once we became surrounded by dolphins. It was strange.

I have never eaten those shrimp either. I guess I never considered the smell until now. I think I'll pass.