Live Shrimp?

[cfoodie]

I am looking for information on getting live shrimp in this area. I read about an organic (or almost) shrimp farm on the eastern shore. If anyone has ordered from them, are their shrimps alive when they arrive by express mail? Are there markets where you can access live shrimp, or even buy them at the farm yourself? Any there other suppliers of live shrimp in the area?

Thanks in advance.

[flavrmeistr]

What kind of recipe calls for live shrimp?

[cfoodie]

I guess if you are eating it raw, it makes sense to get the freshest shrimp possible. I am just looking for something without preservatives, which they put in almost all shrimp.

[flavrmeistr]

Well, you could try a bait shop. I've bought plenty of live shrimp for snook fishing. You need an air pump in your bucket to keep them alive. Also, you probably find any north of Hatteras.

[alkapal]

flavrmeistr, you crack me up! bait shop!

i grew up in florida and freshly caught shrimp were always put on ice in the boat ASAP. that's how we bought them, on ice. some shrimpers would sell them chilled from a big ice chest, but it was always better to have them on ice and as cold as possible to prevent the quick spoilage that takes place once they're caught.

[Steve]

I believe shrimp need to be iced within two hours of being caught or all kinds of dangerous organisms multiply. Basically this freezes them.

[alkapal]

two hours seems a long time, but i'm not meaning to quibble.

[VaPaula]

Funny story about that. When I first moved to Lake Charles, LA (from Manhattan!), I answered the phone one day to a muffled voice that said, "Ya want some shrimp?" "Excuse me?" "Ya want some shrimp?" I called my husband at work who told me that was the shrimp guy and to leave an ice chest filled with ice on the front porch, and the shrimp guy would come fill it with shrimp. Totally foreign concept to me on so many levels (e.g. my husband said he would send this guy a check "after awhile"), but they were wonderful shrimp.

Speaking of, the Whole Foods in Vienna had about six different varieties last weekend - 3 U.S., 3 outside the U.S., some previously frozen, some fresh. We went with the fresh U.S. shrimp. Meh.

[cb1]

I could be mistaken, but I believe that any shrimp you get in this area will have been previously frozen. I do know once at the market, I was looking at the "fresh" shrimp at $2 or more per pound than the frozen. The guy behind the counter told me it was the same shrimp, that they just open the same bags and thaw them. Go figure.

[agarnett100]

Its just easier to go to Costco. When shrimp are caught they are placed into a freezer in the cargo hold on board a ship.
http://moosicmountainwild.com/florida...

[VaPaula]

Yeah, I've heard that, too - that most fish is frozen on site because that's really the only way it can travel. So I was curious as to why WF distinguished between them. I think the freezing affects the texture more than anythine else, but these just didn't have much flavor either.

[agarnett100]

Depends on the vendor you can get fish that has not been previously frozen at various fish markets in area. I usually line catch mine so I don't have that problem unless I want something nonlocal

[agarnett100]

Marvesta Shrimp Farm is the only MD farm that I know of
http://marvesta.com/index.php
101 Enterprise Dr
Hurlock, MD 21643
[phone]
I think you can buy them at the farm yourself if you don't mind the drive but I would call ahead to make sure

[cfoodie]

Thanks for the info. I will call them.