# Shrimp Tails



## ctenidae (Dec 18, 2012)

Why do they leave the end of the shells on shrimp? It's a terrible pain in the ass, and doesn't help presentation. Plus, you lose the end of the shrimp, and get sauce all over your fingers.

Makes me angry.


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## Nick (Dec 18, 2012)

This is the question of our times.


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## Geoff (Dec 18, 2012)

First world problem


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## Puck it (Dec 18, 2012)

It is a handle, you dope!!!!


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## St. Bear (Dec 18, 2012)

ctenidae said:


> Plus, you lose the end of the shrimp, and get sauce all over your fingers.



You're doing it wrong.  The tails are a convenient holder that allow you to get maximum sauce-to-shrimp ratio.  It takes a delicate bite from years of practice, and the entire shrimp comes out, leaving just the empty shell.

Now, if you want to talk about why they leave the tails on in sauteed dishes and pasta, then I'm with you.


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## ctenidae (Dec 18, 2012)

St. Bear said:


> You're doing it wrong.  The tails are a convenient holder that allow you to get maximum sauce-to-shrimp ratio.  It takes a delicate bite from years of practice, and the entire shrimp comes out, leaving just the empty shell.
> 
> Now, if you want to talk about why they leave the tails on in sauteed dishes and pasta, then I'm with you.



I'm eating shrimp in a soup now, so, like pasta and sauteed dishes, that is the problem. It is a good handle for fried shrimp, I'll grant you that.

And it's soup from a Thai restaurant, so clearly not just a 1st world problem. Really, I blame the Spanish.


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## Puck it (Dec 18, 2012)

ctenidae said:


> I'm eating shrimp in a soup now, so, like pasta and sauteed dishes, that is the problem. It is a good handle for fried shrimp, I'll grant you that.
> 
> And it's soup from a Thai restaurant, so clearly not just a 1st world problem. Really, I blame the Spanish.



Why the Spanish?  I blame the Brits for rest of the problems though.


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## St. Bear (Dec 18, 2012)

ctenidae said:


> I'm eating shrimp in a soup now, so, like pasta and sauteed dishes, that is the problem. It is a good handle for fried shrimp, I'll grant you that.
> 
> And it's soup from a Thai restaurant, so clearly not just a 1st world problem. Really, I blame the Spanish.



Ah, I thought you were talking about shrimp cocktail.

In cooked dishes, yes it's terribly annoying.


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## Nick (Dec 18, 2012)

Yeah, i mean if shrimp cocktail didn't have the tail, then you would just be eating shrimp cock.


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## St. Bear (Dec 18, 2012)

Nick said:


> Yeah, i mean if shrimp cocktail didn't have the tail, then you would just be eating shrimp cock.



Whoa!  I thought this was a family friendly forum here!


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## deadheadskier (Dec 18, 2012)

Puck it said:


> It is a handle, you dope!!!!



I'm perfectly fine with the tales left on when the shrimp are supposed to be a finger food.

Anything that involves a fork and knife, I see no point.


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## thetrailboss (Dec 18, 2012)

Yet another first world problem.


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## bdfreetuna (Dec 18, 2012)

You're all doing it wrong.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mocLWLVgQk


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## Nick (Dec 18, 2012)

St. Bear said:


> Whoa!  I thought this was a family friendly forum here!



I know I just couldn't help myself.... apologies in advance if that offended anyone


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## ctenidae (Dec 18, 2012)

Puck it said:


> Why the Spanish?



Why not? I mean, it's impossible to eat anything at all in Barcelona without picking various bits of shrimp shell out. And, generally, they screw stuff up a lot, so I think it's a decent general rule.


@Nick- nice.


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## thetrailboss (Dec 18, 2012)

Nick said:


> Yeah, i mean if shrimp cocktail didn't have the tail, then you would just be eating shrimp cock.




That would be pretty small I'd imagine.


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## Mpdsnowman (Dec 18, 2012)

You would be amazed as to how many people dont even realize what a prawn looks like whole. Serve some salted fried shrimp with the heads still on and watch their reaction lol


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## Nick (Dec 18, 2012)

thetrailboss said:


> That would be pretty small I'd imagine.



Even on a jumbo shrimp? :lol:


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## ctenidae (Dec 18, 2012)

Mpdsnowman said:


> You would be amazed as to how many people dont even realize what a prawn looks like whole. Serve some salted fried shrimp with the heads still on and watch their reaction lol



Well, they are pretty unappetizing whole.


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## Nick (Dec 18, 2012)

ps yeah my father in law makes shrimp scampi all the time and he leaves the tails on. I don't know why. I need to pull them off and I end up spraying butter everywhere.


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## drjeff (Dec 18, 2012)

Nick said:


> Even on a jumbo shrimp? :lol:



One of the tastiest oxymorons of all time if you ask me


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## Cheese (Dec 18, 2012)

Nick said:


> Yeah, i mean if shrimp cocktail didn't have the tail, then you would just be eating shrimp cock.



Well played!


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## Edd (Dec 18, 2012)

St. Bear said:


> Now, if you want to talk about why they leave the tails on in sauteed dishes and pasta, then I'm with you.



I've asked waitstaff about this and the best guess was a presentation decision. I wish they would cut them off. I've complained about this many times.


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## JimG. (Dec 18, 2012)

Definitely a first world problem.


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## ctenidae (Dec 19, 2012)

JimG. said:


> Definitely a first world problem.



It's still a problem. Not, perhaps, as big a problem as, say, typhoid contaminated water, or ramapging rabid rhinos, but still, a bit of an issue, especiall when you end up getting butter from your scampi on your tie. That sucks.


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## Cheese (Dec 19, 2012)

JimG. said:


> Definitely a first world problem.



Right up there with shells in Fra Diavolo.  What's this world coming to?


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## SKIQUATTRO (Dec 19, 2012)

agree with you on the shrimp....if in a pasta dish, no tail...if cocktail, leave the tail

also, why is (or was) lobster the most expensive thing on the menu, but you have to do all the work for not a whole lotta meat.....


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## Mpdsnowman (Dec 19, 2012)

Lol in all honesty...when I eat shrimp I always eat the tail too. Just pop the whole thing in my mouth lol..I like the crunchiness....they say its not good for you. but it hasnt killed me yet lol


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## St. Bear (Dec 19, 2012)

SKIQUATTRO said:


> also, why is (or was) lobster the most expensive thing on the menu, but you have to do all the work for not a whole lotta meat.....



This should answer all your questions...


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## St. Bear (Dec 19, 2012)

Mpdsnowman said:


> Lol in all honesty...when I eat shrimp I always eat the tail too. Just pop the whole thing in my mouth lol..I like the crunchiness....they say its not good for you. but it hasnt killed me yet lol



Nobody has told you that blood in your stool isn't normal?


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## Nick (Dec 19, 2012)

I always eat the skin on the salmon. Apparently you aren't supposed to do that either.


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## o3jeff (Dec 19, 2012)

Nick said:


> I always eat the skin on the salmon. Apparently you aren't supposed to do that either.



Do you pronounce it saLmon or samon?


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## ctenidae (Dec 19, 2012)

o3jeff said:


> Do you pronounce it saLmon or samon?



Or like my wife, who says Sal-o-mon


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## o3jeff (Dec 19, 2012)

ctenidae said:


> Or like my wife, who says Sal-o-mon



Is she Jamaican?


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## Nick (Dec 19, 2012)

She's jamaican me crazy (mon)


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## ctenidae (Dec 19, 2012)

o3jeff said:


> Is she Jamaican?



Close- Polish.


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## soposkier (Dec 19, 2012)

Nick said:


> I always eat the skin on the salmon. Apparently you aren't supposed to do that either.



You aren't suppose to eat it?  I love it when it is nice and crispy


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## drjeff (Dec 19, 2012)

o3jeff said:


> Do you pronounce it saLmon or samon?





ctenidae said:


> Or like my wife, who says Sal-o-mon



To which my reply would be "why are you EATING skis/boots/bndings?"  

(and then I'd quickly duck under the table to hide from the sharp object that would likely be thrown at me at that moment in time  )


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## Mpdsnowman (Dec 19, 2012)

St. Bear said:


> Nobody has told you that blood in your stool isn't normal?



Lol naaa but then again if the gallons of mayo and blue cheeze I eat with food dont kill me, those occasional tails should pretty much be harmless to me lol


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