Shrimp is one of my favorite protein foods and it is so fast and so easy to prepare. It is perfect for those days when you don't have long to fix dinner and want something really satisfying and flavorful.

When I started writing shrimp recipes in 1992, there were not very many choices when it came to shrimp. Most of the shrimp for sale in the USA were caught here and most were from the ocean. That is no longer true....

Today there are shrimp available from all over the world and most of them are not ocean shrimp. Although some of the farmed shrimps are farmed in salt or brackish water ponds near the ocean, many of them are fresh water prawns and are farmed in fresh water ponds inland. I have sampled as may of these different varieties of shrimps as I can find.....

There follows a difinitive guide to the different varieties and sources of shrimp on the market today....