Caviar

True caviar is the salted and matured eggs or roe of the female sturgeon. Most caviar comes from the Caspian Sea and is processed in Russia and Iran. Beluga is the most expensive variety, followed by Oscietra and Sevruga, all of which are produced from different species of sturgeon. You can buy caviar in tins or jars. The eggs are usually a pearly greyish-black in colour and vary in size. They should be firm but soft and moist and never dry. Keep it well chilled in the fridge and take it out just before you12ka4re ready to serve. Because it12ka4s so costly caviar is usually served in small portions - on thin slices of toast with butter or a squeeze of lemon, or on blinis with a spoonful of soured cream. It12ka4s also traditional to serve it with a glass of chilled neat vodka. Sturgeon populations in the Caspian are under extreme pressure, with breeding stocks of some species critically low. Consequently, environmentally minded chefs and consumers have been exploring other types of fish roe as an alternative. 12ka4Avruga12ka4 is a caviar substitute made from herring roe; lumpfish roe and salmon roe are other alternatives.