National Shrimp Scampi Day is a holiday that falls on the 29th of April every year. Shrimp scampi is a delicious dish that’s made with white wine, butter, garlic, lemon juice, and of course, shrimp. It’s a dish that was first mentioned in U.S. cookbooks over a hundred years ago but really didn’t become popular until after World War II. Nowadays, it’s not as popular as it once was, but it’s still a dish worth celebrating on this holiday.

The History of Shrimp Scampi

Although shrimp has been used in plenty of different dishes for thousands of years, especially in the Mediterranean, the unique combination of ingredients wouldn’t come together to form shrimp scampi until the beginning of the 20th century. This dish was likely made for several years before it was finally first mentioned in an American cookbook that was published in 1920. This recipe was made with shrimp, olive oil, butter, garlic, and white wine. After World War II, an Italian version of scampi became extremely popular.

Facts About Shrimp Scampi

Although not everyone is familiar with shrimp scampi, it is a rather remarkable dish with a storied history. To prove this fact, we’re going to offer some of the most fascinating facts we could find about shrimp and shrimp scampi.

• Most American versions of shrimp scampi are served with butter, garlic, and white wine.
• UK versions of this recipe are made with battered Norway lobster deep-fried.
• Italian versions of this recipe are served with black pepper and linguine.
• California scampi is often made using marjoram and sage.
• The word ‘scampi’ means shrimp. That means shrimp scampi actually means ‘shrimp shrimp’.
• Shrimp are born male and then some of them become female.
• Shrimp can be as small as 1/2 inch or as long as 12 inches.
• Some shrimp can glow in the dark.
• Americans eat over a billion pounds of shrimp every year.
• Worldwide, over 5 billion pounds of shrimp are harvested.
• At this time, there are almost 130 different species of shrimp.
• Shrimp pass through 16 life stages on their journey from egg to adult.
• Most shrimp are omnivorous, although some shrimp prefer to feed off of a particular type of food.
• Uncooked shrimp is often called ‘green shrimp’.
• The average shrimp has about 10 legs.
• Some female shrimp can lay up to 14,000 eggs at a time.
• Shrimp is often eaten by whales and other large marine life.

Observing National Shrimp Scampi Day

National Shrimp Scampi Day can be observed by serving up a couple of plates of this tasty food to friends and family. There are dozens of different shrimp scampi recipes, so there’s bound to be one that suits your taste. While you’re making your shrimp scampi, use the hashtag #NationalShrimpScampiDay on your social media accounts to let everyone know that you’re enjoying this holiday.