Getting Wild with The Wild Shrimp Company

Ok, the title of this post is cheesy but Beard made me keep it. We recently went to San Diego and had bloodies with octopus tentacles (so good and more on that in the future) and it sparked a convo with our friends Cliff and Leah from the Wild Shrimp Company. They wanted to send us some of their shrimp so we could make some kickass bloodies and some other tasty meals. We obviously accepted this generous offer and quickly learned that not all shrimp are created equal. Here is a little background on the dynamic duo who own and operate The Wild Shrimp Co.:

Leah Cabrales and Cliff Bendau are a husband and wife team and parents of Clifford III (human) and Lola (pit-bull/American bulldog mix).  They live in Puerto Peñasco, Sonora, Mexico and Phoenix, Arizona. We really just wanted to ask them some simple questions about the shrimp business because we were truly clueless about shrimping and everything we know basically comes from Forrest Gump.

How did you guys get into the shrimp biz?
Leah and her family are natives of Puerto Peñasco, Sonora, Mexico–known to gringos as “Rocky Point,” although that’s not a literal translation. It’s a small fishing town that’s about a four-hour drive from Phoenix, Arizona and located right where Baja California meets the mainland.

Leah’s family builds and repairs commercial and personal boats, and they boast their own fleet of seven shrimp boats they built themselves. Her family has been fishing for shrimp in the Sea of Cortez since 1946. Their boat licenses are grandfathered into this exclusive fishing region, which is a highly-protected reserve, in which boats are only allowed to fish for six months out of the year in order to ensure ecosystem sustainability. Leah runs the seafood processing plant–where each and every shrimp we catch is inspected, sorted, and packaged for distribution.

Most of the shrimp go overseas to places like Japan. Leah and I have been distributing the rest to restaurants and seafood markets in Phoenix, Arizona since about 2015, when we decided to try our hand at distributing our shrimp locally to businesses in Phoenix. The shrimp were immediately a huge hit with our clients, and we’ve been steadily growing since then.

We generally spend our weeks driving back and forth between Peñasco and Phoenix, importing shrimp and supplies into Arizona. I still package and personally deliver all shrimp we sell to our restaurant clients. I think the personal touch has really helped to set us apart us from our competitors.

Do you have a favorite type of shrimp?
Yes–Mexican wild shrimp from the Sea of Cortez (we’re snobs and generally don’t stray far from our own product).

The Sea of Cortez contains two varieties of wild shrimp–white (which is more common) and brown (which supposedly has more flavor). Leah claims to prefer brown over white, but I still have a tough time differentiating between the two. Supposedly, the shrimp boat crews are the ones who can really tell the difference.

What’s your favorite recipe?
I think the recipe that allows the flavor and texture of the shrimp to really shine is a simple boiled and chilled shrimp cocktail-style. But, Leah’s mom is a culinary expert, and her shrimp ceviche is by far the best shrimp recipe I’ve had. She also makes excellent breaded shrimp.

What are your favorite beverages to pair with seafood?
Cava all the way. Generally, Freixenet Brut, which is excellent tasting and pretty cheap, but just about any kind will do. If you’re looking for a good white wine to pair, definitely any bottle of Albariño. Of course, for anything spicier, an ice-cold Indio Mexican lager hits the spot.

Where can people buy your shrimp?
Our shrimp is available at many popular Phoenix and Scottsdale restaurants and markets, including Buck & Rider, Chula Seafood, Zinc Bistro, and Forno 301. Of course that doesn’t help anyone in Ohio who’s into great shrimp. That said, we travel to Ohio fairly often and can ship the shrimp fairly easily (hint hint, Westside Market vendors, Greenhouse Tavern).

For anyone interested in having us ship it to them, or for a full list of locations that carry our shrimp, send us an email at Leah@TheWildShrimpCo.com or call us at (602) 319-9199.

What makes Wild Shrimp Co. shrimp better than other shrimp?
Wild, Mexican shrimp from the Sea of Cortez is the best shrimp in the world.  There is no comparison. It’s the cleanest, best tasting shrimp in the world. Wild shrimp has an incredible texture and gives a distinctive “pop” sensation when you first bite it that farmed shrimp doesn’t have. The quality and taste are unmatched.

Our shrimp is also the best option for ensuring the sustainability of the precious ecosystem that provides us with the best shrimp in the world. Our boats fish in the upper Gulf of California and are required to adhere to the strictest standards in the world for ensuring sustainable fishing.  We fish only six months out of the year, and our boats are unable to fish in certain areas established to preserve certain endangered species. In addition, the nets we use are top-of-the-line and designed to ensure we catch only shrimp.

Verdict 
We can tell you firsthand, Leah and Cliff weren’t exaggerating when they said this is the best shrimp in the world. They were the perfect accompaniment to a killer Bloody Mary from Broad. For this particular Mary, she used Clamato juice instead of tomato juice, which we personally think should be used exclusively when adding seafood snacks to bloodies.

We also made shrimp and grits, which is something we’ve actually not made before. The succulent texture of these guys were the perfect contrast to the cheesy, creamy grits.

We also made red bell pepper pasta with andouille sausage and shrimp. Normally when we make pasta with shrimp, the shrimp tends to overpower the dish. Not this time. Spicy, creamy, meaty goodness.

Thanks so much to Leah and Cliff for sending us some of their amazing shrimp to try. For more information, please check our their website!