I remember the first shrimp boil I ever attended. What’s it with all that food thrown out on the newspaper, I thought. Can’t they at least afford paper plates? But, as any of you familiar with shrimp boils know, that’s just part of the fun. These events are meant to be casual. No plates. Heck, even half the time there’s no flatware. Just use your hands and dig in. This is a summertime treat that is one of the most casual kinds of entertaining there is.

The typical shrimp boil involves just a few basic ingredients all boiled together — shrimp, smoked sausage, onions, potatoes and corn. But a news release from Old Bay Seasoning offers a few ideas for a twist on an old-fashioned shrimp boil.

1. In New England, they add clams, canned tomatoes and chourico sausage.

2. Pale ale is added to the shrimp boil in New York, along with jalapeno peppers. Forget the potatoes.

3. San Franciscans add tomatoes, some fennel, artichoke hearts and clam juice to the mix.

4. Floridians add red bell pepper, celery, habanero peppers and chayote squash for a colorful rendition.

As you can see, it’s a one-pot meal that will take most any ingredient you want to throw in. How about a couple of lobsters? No one ever said it was an inexpensive dish. It’s only the presentation that’s casual.