by Caviar is known for being fancy, expensive, and hard to come by. That may pique your interest and have you wondering what exactly it tastes like and whether or not you’ll like it. It’s hard to describe what caviar tastes like, as there are many variations, and all caviar isn’t made equally.
If you’re going to try caviar for the first time, invest in an expensive Grade 1 caviar that will give you that popping mouth feel when you bite into it. Better yet, go to a restaurant that serves caviar, so you don’t have to pay for the entire tin if it turns out you don’t like it.
What is Caviar, and How is it Harvested?
Caviar is fish eggs, specifically fish eggs (or roe) from sturgeon. There are many different types of sturgeon, but a good portion of the species are endangered because of over-fishing.
Sturgeon roe is harvested by taking out the fish sacks and using mesh to separate the roe from the sack. It’s then rinsed, salted, and left to drain completely. Once it’s dry, it’s paced into airtight containers. Caviar is good for two to four weeks.
When harvested, caviar is graded by an expert based on firmness, flavor, texture, color, and more. Depending on the scoring, the caviar will receive either a Grade 1 or Grade 2 grade.
Caviar is Made for Royalty
Once upon a time, caviar was only meant for royalty. It was only to be enjoyed by Kings and Queens and the people that directly served them. Flash forward to the nineteenth century, and caviar was handed out like candy. Because of the overwhelming increase in caviar demand, the sturgeon population was way overfished.
After the nineteenth century, caviar went back to being expensive and rare, just as it is today.
Will I Like it?
It’s hard to know for sure whether or not you’ll like caviar until you’ve actually tried it for yourself. Caviar is known for tasting a little bit fishy and a little bit salty. Some people even state that caviar tastes like ocean water.
If you like seafood and sushi, you’ll probably enjoy eating caviar. However, it’s important to remember that caviar is expensive and high in demand, so don’t eat through your container too fast, or you’ll be left wishing you had more.
So, you can really only know for sure whether or not you like caviar by actually eating it. Our best advice is to try it at a restaurant or sushi place, so you don’t have to pay for an entire container by yourself.
How Should I Enjoy Caviar?
This is a heavily debated topic, as many caviar purists believe that you should only eat caviar by itself. Eating caviar without anything else to accompany it will ensure that you don’t lose out on any of the flavors.
However, this just doesn’t work for everyone. You can also consume caviar with crackers, but opt for something plain and borderline boring. You really want the caviar to pop.
In many restaurants, you’ll see caviar accompanying other meals and foods, ignoring the purist beliefs that it has to be eaten by itself.
Common meals that include caviar are:
- Mini Blini Napoleons
- Potato Pancakes with Smoked Salmon, Caviar and Dill Cream
- Scallops with Potato Pancakes and Caviar Sauce
- Omelet with Pressed Caviar and Sour Cream
- Salmon Trout Tartare with Pressed Caviar and Tomatoes
- Crispy Potato Galette with Dill Cream, Smoked Salmon and Sturgeon and Osetra Caviar
As you can see, there are so many different recipes that include caviar, so it’s up to you whether or not you want to enjoy it with other foods or on its own. Either way, you have to try it really know whether or not you’ll like it.
