“S” is for Shrimp. South Carolina shrimp are considered among the best in the world. The Gulf and South Atlantic are renowned for commercially landed brown, pink, and white shrimp. Small creek shrimp caught in shallow, brackish waters are thought to be sweeter than those caught further out in the rivers and ocean. A rule of thumb would be jumbo shrimp twenty-one to twenty-five per pound; large from thirty-one to thirty-five; and medium from thirty-five to forty. Shrimp are not eaten raw and are best cooked quickly, a few minutes at most, with the cooking stopped as soon as the shell turns red. In the 1800s shrimp mousses made with butter or cream [also called shrimp butter] were fashionable. In the 21st century shrimp and grits became popular, as did lowcountry shrimp boil.
Dr. Walter Edgar has two programs on South Carolina Public Radio: Walter Edgar's Journal, and South Carolina from A to Z. Dr. Edgar received his B.A. degree from Davidson College in 1965 and his Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina in 1969. After two years in the army (including a tour of duty in Vietnam), he returned to USC as a post-doctoral fellow of the National Archives, assigned to the Papers of Henry Laurens.