When people think of shrimp, what usually comes to mind? We'd bet you a bag of prawn crackers that most would picture whiteleg shrimp ( Litopenaeus vannamei) or tiger prawns ( Penaeus monodon), both of which spurred multi-billion dollar industries, making both aquaculturists and seafood lovers pretty happy.

Before my first ever trip to Hawaii, certain local culinary products were nearly inevitable, including poke, malasadas and shaved ice. Those experiences all came to fruition, but it was some of the unexpected stops that were most surprising and rewarding.