Scampi

Photo © Anne-Marie Minhall

Who invented scampi?

It's delicious, that's a given, right?

Growing up I remember that scampi in a basket was a real treat. There would be chips, too, of course. Lemon. Salt. Vinegar.

All were enjoyed at various times. Sometimes, after my father had been playing cricket on a sunny Saturday afternoon, we'd be heading home from parts of Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire or Derbyshire & there would be a decision made for a supper stop. Usually a pub. In those times the menu would also feature chicken in a basket with chips. Talking of which .. I stumbled across this quote from the Slade guitarist, Dave Hill, about when the band was enduring a fall in the popularity stakes:

“(We) played the difficult gigs, the gigs where people have chicken in a basket and then go on the dancefloor."

No dancing, I was far too young & probably only allowed inside the hostelry as a child because the family was there to eat. I never bothered with the chuck, it was always the scampi I wanted & so the love affair with it began & has endured. The crispy outside concealing the soft & sweet shellfish inside.

Back to the question .. 

According to one source we head back to the 1700's to find Hannah Glasse, an English cookery writer. 

Hannah, who, by the way, also came up with the first written curry recipe for these isles, used shrimps for her scampi.

We can also look back further in history & to a different country. 

Genoa in the 14th Century anyone?

This is where crayfish were used to make the delicious deep-fried morsels.

In the 20th Century, across the pond, some Americans referred to a cookbook where scampi was made from shrimp which had been basted with olive oil, white wine, garlic & butter before being fried.

In the 21st Century, it could be monkfish landing on your plate.

For a friend's birthday we visited here: https://www.goldenhindrestaurant.com

Tasty, brought back childhood memories but was it frozen & then fried? Hmm.

My pal went for the cod and loved the batter: "Very light .." ..

The chips? 

To my mind, they didn't taste like freshly cooked potatoes, frozen chips? They were pale, no colour, there was no crispiness. Bland.

Mushy peas, generous portions for two. Tasty.

Photo © Anne-Marie Minhall

The meals were enjoyed, but, hmm ..

Anyway .. I liked the scampi the most ..

Mainly for the memories.

AMM