Popcorn shrimps on the right half of the plate

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

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 as of 2021.[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 shrimps can be used as a substitute for crayfish.[9] Eventually, "popcorn shrimp" became associated with Prudhomme.[7] Apart from names, neither Red Lobster's home page nor Prudhomme's book mention the origin of their dishes.

Today as of 2021 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.[7]

References

  1. 1 2 Smith, Andrew F., ed. (2004). "Shrimp and Prawns". The Oxford encyclopedia of food and drink in America. Vol. 1 (1 ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 488. ISBN 0195175514. LCCN 2003024873. Retrieved 2021-08-18.
  2. ↑ Myers, Dan (2015-07-01). "9 Things You Didn't Know About Red Lobster". The Daily Meal. It’s Where Popcorn Shrimp Was Invented. Retrieved 2021-08-18.
  3. ↑ "The story of Red Lobster". Red Lobster. 1974. Archived from the original on 2021-08-11. Retrieved 2021-08-18.
  4. ↑ "Popcorn Shrimp". Red Lobster. Archived from the original on 2021-01-28. Retrieved 2021-08-18.
  5. ↑ "(advertisement) PIER 5". Technician. NC State Student Media. 55 (53[50]): 3. 1975-02-05 – via North Carolina State University. Popcorn Shrimp $1.99
  6. ↑ "US Registration Number: 1480922 POPCORN SHRIMP". USPTO. Retrieved 2021-08-18.
  7. 1 2 3 Dupleix, Jill (2012-11-06). "Popcorn shrimp". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 2021-08-18. Retrieved 2021-08-18.
  8. ↑ Grimes, William (2015-10-13). "Paul Prudhomme, famed Cajun chef, dies at 75". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on 2021-08-18. Retrieved 2021-08-18.
  9. 1 2 Prudhomme, Paul (1984). "Cajun popcorn with sherry wine sauce". Chef Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen. New York: William Morrow and Company. pp. 281–283. ISBN 0-688-02847-0. Retrieved 2021-08-16.
  10. ↑ "Louisiana chef's Cajun 'popcorn' is really batter-fried crawfish". UPI. 1984-04-17. Retrieved 2021-08-18.
    • 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. ↑ "Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS)". USPTO. Retrieved 2021-08-18.
    • 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. ↑ "(search) popcorn shrimp". FoodData Central. United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 2021-08-16.
    • 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. ↑ "Popcorn Shrimp Recipe". NDTV. Retrieved 2021-08-18.

See also

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