Scampi, prawns, shrimp, langoustines ...

[nacho]

"Shrimp" is used in the US English for all sizes of similar decapod crustaceans, where as in British English, shrimp would refer to the smaller species, prawns to the larger species.

Australians say use the British preferance.

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I'm not so sure that that is true in the US - I've always taken prawn to refer to the larger species.

I have the impression that I picked up this usage on childhood trips to San Francisco in the early 1960s.

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That is interesting, I haven't heard an American use the term prawn very often. Do you think that this is an east v west coast thing?

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Growing up along the Texas Gulf Coast, I don't think I ever heard of prawns. We had "shrimp." And the very large shrimp are "jumbo shrimp."

Once I started travelling a little, I ran into "prawns" in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Australia. The first time I ordered them, I was expecting shrimp the size of lobsters! So needless to say, I was pretty disappointed when my plate of plain ol' shrimp arrived.

[Gifted Gourmet]

I always thought that use of the term "prawn" was something British, and European ... sort of like the use of "aubergine" for the American term eggplant ... I personally like both of those terms and it does make one sound so, you know, cosmopolitan ...

As far as Adam Balic's comments on Rock Lobster: wasn't that a song made famous by The B-52's from Athens, Georgia, in 1978?

[stovetop]

Prawns seems to be a regional thing-I think it is a sub species of shrimp- certain regions have prawns and certain regions have shrimp. In Canada they are all wild ( I think)

But we have side strip shrimp and prawns

steve

[stovetop]

aubergine

It is just a French word

Prawns and shrimp are more then just different words or different language

I have been looking for answers for about 20 years and have not had a same answer from anybody

crevette is the french word( spelling)

Edited May 11, 2006 by stovetop (log)

[Adam Balic]

I always thought that use of the term "prawn" was something British, and European ... sort of like the use of "aubergine" for the American term eggplant ...  I personally like both of those terms and it does make one sound so, you know, cosmopolitan ...

As far as Adam Balic's comments on Rock Lobster: wasn't that a song made famous by The B-52's from Athens, Georgia, in 1978? 

←

We were at a party

His ear lobe fell in the deep

Someone reached in and grabbed it

It was a rock lobster

We were at the beach

Everybody had matching towels

Somebody went under a dock

And there they saw a rock

It wasn't a rock

It was a rock lobster ....

These guys on the left.

[johnnyd]

A shrimper told me on vancouver island that one has more legs and one is a vegetarian

Sounds like a typical fisherman!

Like Gifted, I've always heard PRAWN when the menu is associated with the British Empire in some way - either of origin or as a destination. If a place is frequented by UK tourists, the english menu will almost always say "prawns".

Here's a re-post of the North Atlantic Shrimp, harvested off the Gulf of Maine, waiting to be auctioned at the Portland Fish Exchange that I took last year:

These are only about two to three inches long. The females have roe tucked between the legs.

[miladyinsanity]

I usually say prawns, but in restaurant menus, it depends.

Sometimes it's prawns, and sometimes it's shrimp--this seems more common in Western cuisine.

I do not expect a size difference between shrimp and prawns. As far as I am concerned, they are the same thing.

[MetsFan5]

On 3/21/2023 at 2:33 AM, liuzhou said:

Prawns with couscous.

 

The prawns were fried with garlic and culantro then garnished with Japanese chilli threads probably too many aesthetically. The couscous is carrying some salmon roe.

 

Plating could have been better but the flavours were great and it was only for me.

 

 

it’s my understanding prawns are much larger than shrimp. These look like baby shrimp, not prawns. 
 

 

Edited March 24, 2023 by MetsFan5 (log)

[KennethT]

8 hours ago, MetsFan5 said:

 

it’s my understanding prawns are much larger than shrimp. These look like baby shrimp, not prawns. 
 

 

Most places around the world (other than the US) call them prawns regardless of size.  What we in the US would call prawns, I've seen overseas called scampi, even though, to those in the US, scampi is a preparation, not an ingredient.  but then I've also seen langoustine called scampi also (not in the US) so who knows!

[liuzhou]

1 hour ago, KennethT said:

Most places around the world (other than the US) call them prawns regardless of size.  What we in the US would call prawns, I've seen overseas called scampi, even though, to those in the US, scampi is a preparation, not an ingredient.  but then I've also seen langoustine called scampi also (not in the US) so who knows!

 

Prawns and shrimp are actually two different species.

 

Californian spot prawns are shrimp!

Size doesn't matter!

https://www.thespruceeats.com/difference-between-shrimp-and-prawns-2217280 and

https://www.thekitchn.com/whats-the-difference-between-a-92489 are helpful.
 

What I posted were prawns.

[KennethT]

17 minutes ago, liuzhou said:

 

Prawns and shrimp are actually two different species.

 

Californian spot prawns are shrimp!

Size doesn't matter!

https://www.thespruceeats.com/difference-between-shrimp-and-prawns-2217280 and

https://www.thekitchn.com/whats-the-difference-between-a-92489 are helpful.
 

What I posted were prawns.

Fascinating! I had no idea!  Thanks!

[Guest]

38 minutes ago, liuzhou said:

 

Prawns and shrimp are actually two different species.

 

Californian spot prawns are shrimp!

Size doesn't matter!

https://www.thespruceeats.com/difference-between-shrimp-and-prawns-2217280 and

https://www.thekitchn.com/whats-the-difference-between-a-92489 are helpful.
 

What I posted were prawns.

 

Very interesting 👍

As you know they’re all called prawns in the UK. Prawns or King Prawns, hugely popular and sold in every possible way.

 

In Spain their take on prawns is different. Fish on Friday is a BIG thing here. The fish counter that’s only a quarter full the rest of the week will be groaning under the weight of half the seabed 😔 and theres a longish queue to pick up their friday fish. You can get prawns/shrimp fresh from the fish counter in their shells cooked or uncooked but as for fresh prepared shelled ready to use - nope. 

 

They sell frozen prawns and I’ve waded through almost every brand looking for a convenient store cupboard (freezer) staple and they are poor quality, like British supermarket prawns used to be a decade or so ago. Covered in more salty glaze than actual prawn and woefully overcooked. Plus they don’t purge their shellfish so they have very full intestines and need ‘deveining’ if you don’t like to eat fish poop.

 

So there you have it, the Spanish love their fish but if you want prawns in Spain you have to set aside the prep time. 

[liuzhou]

18 minutes ago, Not The Full Shilling said:

 

Very interesting 👍

As you know they’re all called prawns in the UK. Prawns or King Prawns, hugely popular and sold in every possible way.

 

In Spain their take on prawns is different. Fish on Friday is a BIG thing here. The fish counter that’s only a quarter full the rest of the week will be groaning under the weight of half the seabed 😔 and theres a longish queue to pick up their friday fish. You can get prawns/shrimp fresh from the fish counter in their shells cooked or uncooked but as for fresh prepared shelled ready to use - nope. 

 

They sell frozen prawns and I’ve waded through almost every brand looking for a convenient store cupboard (freezer) staple and they are poor quality, like British supermarket prawns used to be a decade or so ago. Covered in more salty glaze than actual prawn and woefully overcooked. Plus they don’t purge their shellfish so they have very full intestines and need ‘deveining’ if you don’t like to eat fish poop.

 

So there you have it, the Spanish love their fish but if you want prawns in Spain you have to set aside the prep time. 

 

I don't agree that they are always called prawns in the UK. What about the wonderful potted shrimp?

 

Here in Chinaland,  I buy all my shrimp or prawns live (except obviously the dried ones). Depending on where I buy them, they may or not be "purged". My favourite market people do purge them, but they don't always have them.

I don't mind deveining them, though. Yes, it takes a few minutes longer but I am not in a hurry.

 

Edited March 24, 2023 by liuzhou (log)

[heidih]

9 minutes ago, Not The Full Shilling said:

. Fish on Friday is a BIG thing here. The fish counter that’s only a quarter full the rest of the week will be groaning under the weight of half the seabed 😔 and theres a longish queue to pick up their friday fish.  

Oh big here also with Latin Americans. Probably a religion artifact. The population shifts from Asian to Latino in the big Chinese market that day - and every other person is waiting for their fish to be fried - a free service. They don't bother with the take a number machine - it is just a madhouse.

Edited March 24, 2023 by heidih (log)

[Guest]

5 minutes ago, liuzhou said:

 

I don't agree they are always called prawns in the UK. What about the wonderful potted shrimp?

 

Here in Chinaland,  I buy all my shrimp of prawns live (except obviously the dried ones). Depending on where I buy them, they may or not be "purged". My favourite market people do purge them, but they don't always have them.

I don't mind deveining them, though. Yes it takes a few minutes longer but I am not in a hurry.

 

 

Oh yes I forgot about those but if you want to make potted shrimp you will be buying ‘prawns’ to do it 🤣

 

I think they taste better when you do it yourself but they have always been my favourite convenience food.

You know when you finish work are knackered and just want something fast and easy without having to add going to the supermarket to your job list. 

[AlaMoi]

side note of little linguistic importance:

 

shrimp and prawns are scientifically not the same item.

"Shrimp belong to the pleocyemata suborder, which also includes crayfish, lobsters and crabs. On the other hand, prawns belong to the dendrobranchiata suborder."

 

"shrimp scampi" is a pet peeve - I must say I've never encountered "prawn scampi"

 

in the Mediterranean, langosta are aka lobster - but don't go looking for them big claws . . .

this side of the pond, the distinction between 'warm water' lobster and 'cold water' lobster exists....