Venerable shrimp cocktail has colorful history, has been around more than 100 years
SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Times Colonist] by Eric Akis Dec 19, 2014
Eric Akis is the author of the hardcover book Everyone Can Cook Everything, and a Times Colonist Food writer
All married couples have stories to tell about their courtship and one of mine revolves around a famous appetizer. My wife and I first met about 33 years ago when we were working in the same hotel kitchen. I was a chef's apprentice, just learning the trade, and she was a garde manger, a cold-food specialist who prepared salads and starters for the hotel restaurant.
A popular appetizer on the menu was shrimp cocktail. And that meant my not-yet-wife had to cook kettles full of large shrimp and cool, peel and devein them.
When I was supposed to be going off shift and noticed her doing that work, I would hang around and help her peel. Not exactly like meeting at a Paris cafe for lunch but, as we did the work, we chatted, got to know each other and became attached.
Other couples have "our song" to remind them of the days of their youth. We have "our appetizer" - shrimp cocktail - to bring back warm memories of those long-ago days at the hotel.
There must be a new generation of young chefs chatting and perhaps falling in love over cold shrimp because, we notice, this appetizer still appears on menus....
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