Caviar: Frequently Asked Questions
For many years now, caviar has been considered one of the greatest delicacies – a gourmet food lover’s delight. On many evenings, you may have enjoyed the caviar served by your host, accompanied by cold vodka or champagne. You may have then wondered where the caviar comes from and how it acquires this unique taste. Like you, many other food lovers ask the same questions and we have attempted to answer some of them in our frequently asked questions section.
Is Caviar simply that – fish eggs?
Well, to some extent, yes. Caviar is indeed made by curing and preserving fish roe (eggs). However, there is a slight difference here. The term caviar refers strictly to that made from sturgeon roe, a kind of fish found mainly in the Caspian Sea. Its rarity and wonderful taste and flavor make it very valuable.
How exactly are the sturgeon roe made into caviar?
The sturgeon roe is just one sac containing all the eggs. This sac is rubbed gently over a fine mesh sieve so that the eggs get separated and fall into a large bowl. The caviar maker then adds a very precise amount of pure sea salt to the eggs and the caviar is ready. Though the process sounds simple, the entire task has to be handled very delicately and as such only after serving as an apprentice for 15 to 20 years can one hope to handle the process on their own.
I am told that caviar tastes salty – is that true?
Since caviar is made by curing with lots of salt, many believe that it will have a salty taste. On the contrary, caviar of good quality never tastes salty. In fact, malossol caviar does not have any salt taste.
How is caviar typically sold?
Caviar is typically sold fresh in jars or tins. The store selling caviar should be storing it in a separate freezer set at the right temperature, else it should be kept on crushed ice. However, nowadays caviar can be purchased through mail order. Shipping is usually through FedEx in special containers. In fact, even stores and gourmet restaurants get their caviar in the same way.
Once I have bought the caviar, how soon should it be consumed?
Caviar is highly perishable and even if you have brought fresh caviar from the store, it is best to consume it within a week of purchase. Always store it in the coldest part of the refrigerator, usually the meat compartment. Once you open the jar or tin containing caviar, you should eat it within two to three days.
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