Scampi

I've noticed that if you look in the freezer section, some packets do state 'whole scampi', whereas others say it is 'reconstituted'. It's not something I frequently eat, to be honest though.

I read catfood for catfish in your description and nearly hurled!!
I don’t order scampi because they look just as you describe.
Some brands of chicken nuggets and chicken-free chicken nuggets have equally dubious contents.

I thought it was a given that everyone knew what scampi is made with.

"Modern" scampi is not the same asbit used to be petra

Scampi (Scampo) is Italian for Langoustine.

If modern day Scampi was to be made from whole Scampi the price for Scampi & Chips would be north of £25.00.

Cheaper end Scampi is mixed crustaceans, the more expensive is likely to be king prawns, very expensive will be langoustine.

(In the USA it is called shrimp scampi )

MissInterpreted

I've noticed that if you look in the freezer section, some packets do state 'whole scampi', whereas others say it is 'reconstituted'. It's not something I frequently eat, to be honest though.

This.

Look for the bags that say wholetail. They are more expensive but far nicer than the cheap "scampi" that is filled with fishy sludge.

petra

I thought it was a given that everyone knew what scampi is made with.

Well, yes, Petra that is the point, I thought I knew what scampi is, but what I (and you) think it is, is not what is served if you order 'scampi' in the average pub.

Having eaten what is served in the average pub and described as scampi, I would sooner not eat it. The 'scampi' I was served had, to me, an unpleasant taste and an unpleasant texture.

As I said, in future, I will stick to fish and chips.

I've got a pack of Scampi in the freezer so just went and read what it says. It states that it is whole langoustines tails, which I presume is good.
I've eaten some and it's very nice. No problems with the taste.
It's by a particular company, am I allowed to say which?

And not expensive... about £3/4 I think.

In our sea food town, a local supplier of quality foods £7.50 for 300g bag of whole tail Scampi. Expensive, but worth it for a treat. Off shopping!!

Even wholetail scampi can have 2-3 small tails in it. The biggest langoustine tails go to top restaurants and Europe.

It has to have the word "wholetail" for me, the other stuff is broken up squashed pieces.
I eat scampi regularly in Cornwall. A new version creeping in is Monkfish scampi, but I didn't enjoy that. Very chewy.

"Reconstituted " : never a word to inspire, is it?

The menu said 'Scampi and chips' - and that is what I expected - whole tail scampi.

I was completely unaware that anything other than whole tail scampi would be described as scampi or that these low-grade alternatives hiding under the name 'scampi' existed.

henetha

I've got a pack of Scampi in the freezer so just went and read what it says. It states that it is whole langoustines tails, which I presume is good.
I've eaten some and it's very nice. No problems with the taste.
It's by a particular company, am I allowed to say which?

Please do Henetha, just to save me having to google it.

Young's Wholetail Scampi is very good - the Gastro range I think ?

Just looked on line. Lots of frozen whole tail scampi with none of them including the tail!, Just indertminant lumps of something breadcrumbed

Ok Mollygo It's Whitby. 😀

Just found these M0nica
tomthefish.co.uk/products/whole-breaded-scampi-tails

Just looked at the tomthefish website. The price of 1.5kg of breaded scampi tails £59.95!!!!!

Here is a list of the ingredients in Youngs wholetail scampi
Scampi (41%) (Crustacean), Wheat Flour [Wheat Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin (B3), Thiamin (B1)], Water, Rapeseed Oil, Rice Flour, Potato Starch, Wheat Starch, Wheat Gluten,

In fact more or less what I was served in the pub!.

I googled the contents of most of the brands of products describing themselves as 'wholetail scampi' and all of them were this mishmash of ingredients with scampi forming less than 50% of the whole

But if you sign up to emails notaclue you can get 10% off your first order!

And it looks as though this is at least real.

Maybe it's a case of we get what we pay for, and British people in general aren't good at questioning the makeup and provenance of their food. It's only in good posh restaurants that we get a full description of the choices on the menu, although to be fair I have noticed more information recently about catch of the day on menu boards in coastal areas.
Has scampi just become another victim of cheap fast food for undiscerning diners?

Yes, I think so, Joseann.