Buying, Cooking, and Serving Caviar

An overview of the different types of caviar and how to buy and properly serve it.

Buying, Cooking, and Serving Caviar

Adapted From: Appetizers For Dummies
Classic caviar is fish eggs, or roe, of sturgeon. Sturgeon swim in various parts of the world, but the best caviar comes from the largest and best fish, which are found in the Caspian Sea, bordered by Russia and Iran.
The Hudson River flowing parallel to Manhattan was once so full of sturgeon that it was said that you could walk from Manhattan to New Jersey on the backs of the large fish! That's an exaggeration of course, but it's a sad state of affairs that the fish are no longer in these waters.
The fresh sturgeon eggs are harvested and lightly salted, and that's it! Caviar is sold pretty much the way it comes out of the fish. That may not sound very palatable, and in fact, caviar is an acquired taste. But if you're a salty-food lover, this may be up your alley. If you like seafood and can appreciate the briny flavor it brings to your taste buds, then caviar may be worth a try.
Getting to know the caviar troika
Caviar consists of three main types:
Beluga: Beluga caviar has the most delicate flavor of the three types and is often the most expensive. The Beluga sturgeon are the scarcest and the largest, some reaching up to 20 feet! Their eggs are the largest, too, and coveted by many connoisseurs. The eggs can range from light gray to very dark gray, with the lighter hues being preferred. Although Beluga is the most rare and most expensive caviar, that doesn't necessarily mean that it's the best. Whichever you like is what is the best for you. Osetra: Some caviar aficionados prefer Osetra eggs because they're more assertively flavored, often with a nutty accent. The color can range from yellowish gray to the darkest brown/black. Osetra caviar is often considered a best buy — more flavor for less money than beluga. Osetrasturgeon do not usually grow beyond 7 feet long, and their eggs are correspondingly smaller. These fish swim in deeper, colder water than the beluga and have a different diet, which affects the flavor of the eggs. Sevruga: These eggs have the briniest flavor and are therefore usually experienced as the most intensely flavored. Sevruga is usually the least expensive caviar and comes from the smallest sturgeon —the eggs are the smallest, too. The eggs range from medium gray to black.
The term "caviar" is used to describe other fish eggs, too. Salmon roe, also called salmon caviar, is a deep, sunset orange color with large eggs. It is very popular in sushi bars. Whitefish caviar is pale yellow and referred to as golden caviar. The very inexpensive caviar that you can find in supermarkets in small jars is from lumpfish. It is made of salted eggs, but it doesn't taste a thing like high-quality sturgeon caviar.
Buying caviar
The supermarket is not the place to buy caviar. You can find caviar in jars somewhere near the canned tuna, but leave it there! You need to go to a specialty store, either a gourmet food store that carries caviar or a caviar specialty store. You can also find great caviar through some Web sites, such as Caviarteria.com and Citarella.com.
When you buy caviar, look for the term malossol, which means "lightly salted" and is considered the preferred type. If you can taste before you buy, all the better, but doing so may not be possible. If you can find a reputable dealer who handles a lot of caviar and is very informed, then put yourself in those expert hands.
Good caviar doesn't come cheap. If you're going to serve it, make sure that your wallet can handle it. In terms of quantity, one ounce per person is about the least you should offer. Sometimes, caviar is discounted (albeit not a lot) around the winter holidays, so look for specials.
Serving caviar
If you buy good Beluga, Osetra, or Sevruga caviar, then serve it to its best advantage. Most caviar comes in lined tins or glass containers, which you can set directly on crushed ice. Caviar is very perishable, so although this icy presentation is a bit fancy, it also serves a purpose.
You also need to consider the type kind of spoon to use to scoop up your caviar. You most likely can find caviar spoons wherever caviar is sold. These spoons are made from mother-of-pearl, horn, or, occasionally, ivory. Caviar experts explain that metal spoons, particularly silver ones, affect the taste of the delicate eggs by imparting a metallic flavor that ruins your enjoyment of this indulgent appetizer. Not only is it kind of fun to have the proper accoutrements, but they won't set you back very much. Most of these proper spoons are under $20, with some of them costing just a few bucks.
So now that you have set your caviar on ice and have the correct spoons, how do you serve it? Straight up! There's nothing better than lifting a spoon of pure caviar to your mouth. If you want to add some thinly sliced toast points, go right ahead.
Toast points are nothing more than thinly sliced bread that has been trimmed of the crusts, toasted, and cut, usually into triangles, hence the "points." Use white bread or, if you can find it, a buttery brioche.
If your caviar isn't the finest and can use a little help, here are a few items to offer with the toast points:
Finely chopped and separated egg yolks and egg whites Crème fraîche or sour cream (Crème fraîche is a cultured cream product, like sour cream. You can find it in some cheese departments or near the sour cream in upscale supermarkets and specialty stores.) Finely minced flat-leaf parsley
Although some folks serve champagne with caviar, some experts prefer ice-cold vodka. Try both and see which one rings your bell. The neutrality of the vodka (unflavored, please) cuts the richness of the caviar without detracting from it.

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