(Originally posted by Teacher)

What's the difference between scampi, prawns and shrimp
and between crayfish and lobster, who knows?
best regards, teacher.

If you ask most people, it is size, but Scampi generally refers to the species caught in the Adriatic. It is banded red and white and has a delicious, buttery flesh and pincers like a lobster. Pretty much everyone knows what shrimp are and prawns can be a lot of different things depending on the store you are in. Most places refer to anything in the U-6 range to be prawns. Crayfish are fresh water crustaceans, whereas the many varieties of lobster are salt water dwellers. Maine, rock, slipper, California spiny just to name a few.

Thanks again Montelago, very clear response.
BR. teacher

I always thought scampi was the preperation not the animal, live an learn, hopefully

Here's the WIKI on scampi-

Scampi is the plural of scampo, the Italian name for the Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus), also known as the Dublin Bay prawn (especially in Ireland and the U.K.) and langoustine (the French name).[1] The name is used loosely both in Italy and elsewhere, though in Britain, food labelling laws define "scampi" as Nephrops norvegicus.

The fleshy tail of the Norway lobster is closer in both taste and texture to lobster and crayfish than prawn or shrimp.

In the United Kingdom, "scampi" refers to a dish of shelled tail meat, coated in breadcrumbs or batter, deep fried and often served with chips, peas and Tartar sauce[1]. In the Southern Hemisphere, other species of lobster are used instead, such as _meta_nephrops challengeri.

In the USA, "scampi" is often the menu name for shrimp in Italian-American cuisine. The term "Scampi", by itself, is also the name of a dish of shrimp served in garlic butter and dry white wine, served either with bread, or over pasta. The word "scampi" is often construed as that _style_ of preparation, not an ingredient, hence the seemingly redundant "shrimp scampi" or the seemingly impossible "chicken scampi".



Cheers

As long as I'm at it heree's the WIKI on Prawns-

Prawns are shrimp–like crustaceans, belonging to the sub-order Dendrobranchiata [1].

Prawns are distinguished from the superficially similar shrimp by the gill structure which is branching in prawns (hence the name, dendro=“tree”; branchia=“gill”), but is lamellar in shrimp. The sister taxon to Dendrobranchiata is Pleocyemata, which contains all the true shrimp, crabs, lobsters, etc.

In various forms of English, the name “prawn” is often applied to shrimp as well, generally the larger species, such as Leander serratus. In the United States, according to the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica, the word “prawn” usually indicates a freshwater shrimp or prawn. In Middle English, the word “prawn” is recorded as prayne or prane; no cognate form can be found in any other language. It has often been connected to the Latin perna, a ham-shaped shellfish, but this is due to an old scholarly error that connected perna and parnocchie with prawne-fishes or shrimps. In fact, the Old Italian perna and pernocchia meant a shellfish that yielded nacre, or mother-of-pearl.


Commercial and culinary use
As used in commercial farming and fishery, the terms shrimp and prawn are generally used interchangeably. In European countries, particularly the United Kingdom, the word “prawns” is more commonly on menus than the term “shrimp”, which is used more often in North America. The term “prawn” is also loosely used to describe any large shrimp, especially those that come 15 (or fewer) to the pound (also called “jumbo shrimp”). Australia and other Commonwealth countries follow this European/British use to an even greater extent, using the word “prawn” almost exclusively. (Paul Hogan’s use of the phrase “I'll slip an extra shrimp on the barbie for you” in a television advertisement was intended to make what he was saying easier for his American audience to understand, and was thus a deliberate distortion of what an Australian would typically say.) In Spain, gambas al ajillo (translated to prawn pilpil) is a popular dish with both the locals and tourists. Traditionally, gambas al ajillo and other tapas are served in earthenware ramekins or cazuelas de barro in Spanish.

Scampi are technically Dublin Bay Prawns.
LANGOUSTINE A common mae for the shellfish about the size of a prawn, orange in color with white tipped claws and legs that does not change its color after being cooked. Suitable for all freshwater crayfish and shellfish recipes. Despite bringing in top quality products, it can happen that the langoustines do not hold up well when cooked. When selecting or buying make sure that the little feet on each side of the body are pink, a sign of freshness. A shrimp is a shrimp; a prawn is, well, a shrimp. The two words are used interchangeably in markets and restaurants everywhere.

In Italy, Dublin Bay prawns are called scampi, which has confused North Americans even more. In Canada and the US, scampi refers to a dish of large shrimp that are cooked with garlic and butter or olive oil.

Some people say the difference is size. In many parts of the country, small and medium shrimp are sold simply as shrimp, while large, extra-large, and jumbo shrimp are called prawns. Unfortunately, this "rule" doesn't always hold. In some areas, all shrimp, small and large, are sold as shrimp, while in other regions, all you'll find are prawns.

Purists may argue that the term "prawn" is reserved for the shrimp's close relative, the Dublin Bay prawn. The Dublin Bay prawn resembles a shrimp, but it's distinguished by its small pincer claws (similar to those on a lobster) and a narrower body. Sometimes called Florida or Caribbean lobsterettes or French langoustines, these shellfish can be hard to find in markets. And unlike shrimp, Dublin Bay prawns are usually cooked with their heads on. The claws make quite an attractive presentation, although they're too tiny to render any meat.

Are there any little hints and tips for firming up the langoustine tail?
Yes - the Chinese have always done it. They can perk up a frozen, thawed, soft, bland product by dipping it into potato starch dissolved in a little water. That firms up everything. Just as milk breaks down, the starch-water combination firms up the flesh of frozen shellfish.

Take the online Shrimp quiz like I did at
http://www.marscafe.com/index.php?page=8