Cycle 4 – Item 360
31 (Tue) December 2013
Shrimp Cocktail & Mimosas
3.0
by me
at LHS + YYH’s home
-Oksu, Seongdong, Seoul, Republic of Korea-
with W and DJ, AHY + KIT + J, CJH + KKH, HCY + HSE, LHS + YYH, YI
In the Pixar film The Incredibles – my favorite Pixar film and easily in my top ten favorite films of all time – the villain Syndrome lures the hero Mr. Incredible to the island under false pretenses, wining and dining him en route in a private automated jet. While he’s munching on shrimp cocktail, a computer voice asks “Would you like another mimosa?,” which then pops out of the armrest.
Prawn Cocktail is an English dish. It’s simply boiled prawns/shrimp, arranged along the rim of a large cocktail glass – hence the name. While the traditional British version is dipped in Marie Rose sauce, the American version – referred to as “shrimp cocktail” – is dipped in cocktail sauce, which includes horseradish. Served as an hors d’oeuvre.
Marie Rose Sauce is a British condiment. It’s a blend of tomato sauce and/or ketchup, plus mayo, sometimes lemon juice, worcestershire, hot sauce, etc. The origin of the name is unknown. Accompanies a wide range of seafood dishes, such as prawn cocktail, fish & chips, etc.
Cocktail Sauce – aka Seafood Sauce – is an American condiment. Kinda like Marie Rose Sauce, but with horseradish. Accompanies a wide range of cooked/raw seafoods, such as shrimp cocktail, oysters on the half shell, etc..
Mimosa is a cocktail. 1 part dry sparkling white + 1 part orange juice. Usually comes in a champagne flute. Named after the flower, which is yellow. Origin unknown, though likely a convergence of various wine + citrus drinks made in UK, USA, France. Often associated with brunch, as well as first class airline service.
A couple weeks ago, after watching the movie, LHS asked me about “mimosa,” thinking it to be the dish shown in the scene, not the beverage. After I’d cleared up the confusion, he was intrigued to try both. LHS kinda thinks of himself as Mr. Incredible where camping is concerned, and he sort of is, admittedly.
The New Year’s Eve potluck dinner this evening seemed the ideal opportunity to introduce him, and probably everyone else, including myself, to the shrimp cocktail and the mimosa. The parallel tang/acidity/brightness of the tomato (sauce) + orange (juice) was excellent, especially with the kick of the horseradish. Meanwhile, almost on a separate level, the champagne (technically, cheap Spanish cava) enhancing the sweet brininess of the shrimp, that magical synergy between bubbly and crustacean. This time, unfortunately, in my eagerness to impress, I overseasoned the sauce, making it a bit too salty. I’m doing this again for brunch.
In exchange, YYH made miyeok guk and jeonbok juk for my birthday. I was quite touched. They were excellent. I was tempted to feature either/or for this post, and the two combined probably would’ve rated 4.0, but The Incredibles thing just seemed more fun to write about.
(See also BOOZE)
(See also GLOBAL FOOD GLOSSARY)
