Popcorn shrimp explained

Popcorn shrimp is the name of several small shrimp fritter dishes,[1] so called because they are finger foods eaten like popcorn.

In 1974, the American restaurant chain Red Lobster introduced a menu item called "popcorn shrimp",[2] [3] a fritter of small shrimp meat, which they still offer .[4]

Other restaurants were also serving menu items named "popcorn shrimp" as early as 1975.[5]

In 1986, General Mills, the owner of Red Lobster at the time, applied to register the trademark "popcorn shrimp" with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, stating they had been using it since 1977. It took two years to be granted, but then General Mills cancelled it the following year.[6]

Some sources suggest that popcorn shrimp originated as a Louisiana cuisine, and chef Paul Prudhomme made it famous.[7] However, at least for the name, what Prudhomme invented was Cajun popcorn, which he put on the menu of the restaurant he worked, sometime later than 1975.[8] Prudhomme published a recipe of Cajun popcorn in his cookbook in 1984. It is fritter of crayfish, made by dipping peeled crayfish tails in a batter of eggs, milk, corn flour, wheat flour, and spices, then deep-fryed, and served with sherry wine sauce.[9] [10] He added that shrimp can be used as a substitute for crayfish. Eventually, "popcorn shrimp" became associated with Prudhomme. Apart from names, neither Red Lobster's home page nor Prudhomme's book mention the origin of their dishes.

Today in the US, the words "popcorn shrimp" has no live trademark registration for foods,[11] and over 20 companies sell packaged foods by that name.[12]

Variations of popcorn shrimp span from heavily breaded styles,[13] to light tempura-style.

References

  1. Encyclopedia: Shrimp and Prawns. The Oxford encyclopedia of food and drink in America. 2004. Oxford University Press. New York. 2021-08-18. registration. Smith. Andrew F.. 1. 1. 488. en. 0195175514. 2003024873.
  2. Web site: 9 Things You Didn't Know About Red Lobster. 2015-07-01. 2021-08-18. The Daily Meal. Myers. Dan. It’s Where Popcorn Shrimp Was Invented. en.
  3. Web site: The story of Red Lobster. 2021-08-18. Red Lobster. https://web.archive.org/web/20210811235158/https://www.redlobster.com/our-story/our-heritage. 2021-08-11. live. 1974. en.
  4. Web site: Popcorn Shrimp. 2021-08-18. Red Lobster. https://web.archive.org/web/20210128085352/https://www.redlobster.com/menu/kids/popcorn-shrimp. 2021-01-28. live.
  5. (advertisement) PIER 5. Technician. 1975-02-05. 55. North Carolina State University. NC State Student Media. 53[50]. 3. Popcorn Shrimp $1.99.
  6. Web site: US Registration Number: 1480922 POPCORN SHRIMP. 2021-08-18. USPTO.
  7. Web site: Popcorn shrimp. 2012-11-06. 2021-08-18. The Sydney Morning Herald. Dupleix. Jill. https://web.archive.org/web/20210818175124/https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/popcorn-shrimp-20121104-28rpt.html. 2021-08-18. live.
  8. Web site: Paul Prudhomme, famed Cajun chef, dies at 75. 2015-10-13. 2021-08-18. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Grimes. William. https://web.archive.org/web/20210818180342/https://www.ajc.com/lifestyles/food--cooking/paul-prudhomme-famed-cajun-chef-dies/sxWghVa0a5iccUDT8cJn9L/. 2021-08-18. live.
  9. Encyclopedia: Cajun popcorn with sherry wine sauce. Chef Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen. Prudhomme. Paul. 1984. William Morrow and Company. New York. 2021-08-16. Paul Prudhomme. 281–283. en. 0-688-02847-0.
  10. Web site: Louisiana chef's Cajun 'popcorn' is really batter-fried crawfish. 1984-04-17. 2021-08-18. UPI.
    • A copy of the recipe in Chef Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen but fraction numbers were lost in OCR, so some measurements are blank or wrong.
  11. Web site: Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS). 2021-08-18. USPTO.
    • in "Search Term:" enter "popcorn shrimp" and submit query. Examine each results' Live/dead indicator, Disclaimer (whether it covers the words themselves or only graphic designs), Goods and services
  12. Web site: (search) popcorn shrimp. 2021-08-16. FoodData Central. United States Department of Agriculture.
    • Search by string "popcorn shrimp". Click "Branded Foods" tab. As of 2021, 34 results from 21 owners were found.
    • Raw data can be obtained at Download FoodData Central Data
  13. Web site: Popcorn Shrimp Recipe. 2021-08-18. NDTV.

See also

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Popcorn shrimp".

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