Shrimp Scampi

Sauced · Apr 23, 2026 · 1h 25m

The name says shrimp twice — except it doesn't. "Scampi" is Italian for langoustine, making shrimp scampi a translation accident that's been hiding in plain sight on every red sauce joint menu in America.

This week, we unpack the dish that Italian immigrants rebuilt with a different crustacean in a new country. The real identity behind the name, why the sauce is actually a beurre blanc, the salt-and-baking-soda cure that changes everything about shrimp texture, and the 90-second window where it all comes together or falls apart.

The cocktail: Lo Scampo — gin, fresh Ruby grapefruit juice…