How To Eat Caviar
A Beginner’s Guide on How to Eat Caviar
A bought of daydreaming about winning the lottery often leads our train of thought to wondering how to eat caviar. True caviar is a delicacy that many of us will never try. But, for the sake of satisfying our curiosity, and to instruct those of you lucky enough to have acquired this luxurious food, we are going to learn how one should properly prepare and consume caviar. Before we get started on preparation, I would like to go over a bit of background information about caviar.
For those of you unsure as to what, exactly, caviar is, it is simply sieved and very lightly salted fish eggs. While many people use the word “caviar” as a general term to mean the eggs, or roe, of any fish, true caviar really only applies to sturgeon roe. The most common types of caviar are Sevruga, Ossetra, Sterlet, and Beluga—the latter being the rarest and most expensive. Caviar substitutes are much more common and less costly, and they can be prepared and served in much the same way as true caviar. The roe of American paddlefish as well as salmon are affordable yet tasty alternatives to sturgeon caviar that you might consider as a substitute.
The first record we have of caviar dates back to the 1200’s. Back then the caviar was salted quite heavily and then stored in barrels. The French began to import these barrels which set off the trend for many other European countries. Eventually a method was developed that enabled the caviar to be shipped while chilled, which meant that only light salting was necessary to preserve the caviar. In the 19th century, a couple of varieties of sturgeon became extremely popular. They were harvest so heavily that the caviar from these species were often found in everyday places. As you can imagine, these species were over-harvested and soon became rare species.
Caviar is traditionally served as an appetizer or garnish, which is understandable as it would take quite a lot of money to make a filling main dish out of caviar! Before learning how to eat caviar “properly”, you must first learn how to serve it. Caviar must be prepared using all non-metallic utensils as the roe eggs are so delicate that they can absorb the metallic flavor of the utensils. This is also referred to as oxidization. Crystal, glass, porcelain, and even plastic are the best materials to use for handling caviar. If you intend to serve caviar to your guests, you can estimate the quantities at about one ounce (28 grams) per serving. Depending on the occasion, you may want to estimate at a few servings per guest.
The thing to remember when preparing to serve and consume caviar is to keep it simple. The taste and texture of caviar is so fragile that adding additional spices, herbs, or condiments is nearly considered sacrilege in the world of luxury eating. That being said, you can use caviar as a type of garnish, or to add a hint of flavor to an appetizer. But, if you really want to wow your guests (or simply treat yourself), serve the caviar on its own in a simple dish with unsalted crackers or baguette slices on the side. A small scoop of caviar spread on top of bland bread will give you and your guests a true appreciation for the unique flavor that makes caviar so coveted. If you are using a lesser quality of caviar, some people recommend using a lemon wedge or cream (such as sour cream or crème fraise). Simply place the caviar on a slice of bread and add a squirt of lemon juice or a tiny dollop of cream to the caviar.
I hope this guide has now given you a better understanding as to how to eat caviar “the right way”. Bon appétit!