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Caviar
Caviar has long been known as a delicacy. Caviar is the salted processed roe (eggs) of fish, most notably the sturgeon; in fact, to be called caviar, the roe must come from the sturgeon. If the eggs come from another fish, the name of the fish must be named before caviar; for example, salmon caviar, but most of the time it is only referred to as roe.
The best caviar as mentioned before comes from the sturgeon fished from the Caspian Sea by Russia and Iran. The most expensive varieties of caviar are Beluga, Ossetra, and Sevruga; these names refer to the species of sturgeon the roe comes from. Beluga caviar comes from the Beluga sturgeon not the beluga whale which cannot lay eggs.
Proper Storage: Don’t open caviar until it is just about to be consumed., if it is not all eaten, refrigerate immediately covered with plastic wrap pressed directly down on the roe-do this carefully as to not burst any of the delicate eggs- and place in the coldest part of the refrigerator; turn over daily to allow the oil to come in contact with all of the eggs. Don’t freeze caviar or it will become tough and lose the characteristic “pop” on the tongue that is desired. Unopened caviar should be eaten with in 3 weeks, if opened, 2-3 days. Caviar should be stored 28°-32° F. for the best texture; this can be achieved by placing the tin in a bowl of ice in the coldest part of the refrigerator. Remove the tin 10-15 minutes before serving but do not open until immediately before consumption.
Caviar should be very carefully removed from the tin or serving dish so it won’t burst. Never use a metal spoon to serve, not even stainless steel as it can leave an unwanted flavor on the caviar, use mother of pearl, wood or plastic. When being served, only take about 1 teaspoon along with a small amount of accompaniments such as finely minced onion, finely chopped hard boiled eggs, crème frâiche, and toast points (bread toasted with crust removed and cut into triangles); these are classic ingredients served with caviar, use them to make small canapés. The most popular beverages served with caviar are dry champagne and very cold vodka.
Below are several types of caviar and information about each.
Beluga Caviar: This comes from the beluga sturgeon found mostly in the Caspian Sea. Beluga is an endangered species so it is sometimes banned from importation by the U.S. government. When beluga can be imported, the price can range from $5000-$250 per kilo; Beluga is the most expensive type of caviar and has the largest eggs.
Ossetra Caviar: This caviar comes from the ossetra sturgeon which can range in weight from 50-400 pounds and can live to be 50 years old. Ossetra has a slight nutty flavor and is smaller than beluga eggs and ranges from slightly brown to grayish green.
Sevruga Caviar: One of the highest priced caviars comes from the sevruga sturgeon native to the Caspian Sea. Only beluga and ossetra are more expensive. Sevruga is recognized by its size which is smaller than beluga and ossetra.
Salmon Roe: Salmon roe is often referred to as red caviar and comes from the Chinook or Coho salmon. The eggs are quite large compared to sturgeon caviar. Salmon caviar must be referred to as salmon caviar and not just caviar; only sturgeon roe can be called just “caviar”.
If you want to try this delicacy, try some of these delicious recipes and eat like a king!
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