How to Do Something Your Don Know: How to Eat Caviar

Caviar is highly sought after for its sweet, buttery, and nutty flavorings. While caviar is often regarded as being an expensive food item, it is actually more affordable than you might think. Choose between the different grades of traditional caviar, which is the harvested eggs, or roe, from sturgeon fish, or opt for roe originating from paddlefish, bowfin, and salmon. Then experiment with different ways to serve or prepare it—eat it plain and savor the flavor, or pair it with blinis, chives, and eggs.

EditSteps

EditServing Caviar

Eat a small spoonful of the caviar plain to experience the flavor untainted. To get the most from the experience, use your tongue to roll the buttery eggs around in your mouth. This will allow you to experience all of the flavors the plain caviar has to offer. If you chew the caviar, you will miss some of the more subtle notes.^[1]
- Treat tasting plain caviar like tasting wine. Sniff the aromas before tasting, and then swirl the eggs around in your mouth.^[2]
- Caviar is meant to be tasted or served in small amounts. If you are eating it plain, aim for 1/2 tsp (2.67 g) of caviar per tasting. If you are including it in a meal or as an appetizer, use approximately 1-3 tsp (5.33-16 g) of caviar.^[3]
Roll up a blini with caviar and chives for a classic appetizer. The grains from the blini and the zesty flavor from the chives perfectly complement the buttery flavor of the caviar. A blini is a Russian pancake or crepe that is made from wheat or buckwheat flour.^[4]
- Other traditional toppings to include on the blini are sour cream and butter to enhance the natural creamy mouthfeel of the caviar.^[5]
Spread crème fraiche on a toast point with caviar for a creamy appetizer. Crème fraiche is a mixture of heavy cream and buttermilk, sour cream, or yogurt. The crustless, triangular bread provides a needed crunch to balance out the creaminess of the crème fraiche and caviar.^[6]
- Some additional ingredients to consider adding to the toast points are sliced hard-boiled eggs, butter, a spritz of lemon juice, diced red onion, or chopped chives.^[7]
Eat the caviar for breakfast with eggs and buttered black bread. For a garnish, sprinkle the assembled meal with minced onions. The texture of scrambled or gooey eggs blends nicely with the caviar. The flavors from the black bread and minced onion will round out the nutty taste of the caviar as well.^[8]
- Black bread is similar to a dark rye bread, but incorporates licorice notes from fennel seeds, and has a distinct tangy flavor from the vinegar that is added to the dough. For a more subdued flavor, use traditional Jewish rye bread instead.
Sip on a glass of vodka or Champagne to cleanse your palate. Serve the drinks in a chilled glass or over ice while tasting the caviar. Since caviar is a traditional Russian delicacy, it is often paired with vodka. The vodka complements the flavors of the caviar and cleans the palate between tastings. The dryness of the Champagne contrasts nicely with the buttery texture of the caviar.^[9]
- Other common drinks to pair the caviar with include sparkling wine and a dry, white wine.^[10]
Transform tired meals by incorporating caviar into the recipes. Treat caviar like any other food, and don’t just save it for grand celebrations. Serve some caviar in a salad during brunch and enjoy it with a group of friends, or invite some family over to try caviar on a vegetable pizza. Have fun experimenting with caviar beyond the classic serving styles.^[11]
- Create a hardy dinner appetizer with twice-baked potatoes that are stuffed with minced chives, butter, sour cream, and a caviar of your choosing.^[12]
- Elevate the creaminess of your traditional egg salad and mix in some caviar to taste.^[13]
- Freshen up your classic cucumber salad with sour cream, lemon juice, and caviar to taste.^[14]

EditPurchasing Caviar

Choose a grade of caviar to fit the occasion and your budget. Start with the lower grades of caviar if this is your first time eating it, and work your way up to the higher grades if your budget allows for it. The price of caviar has decreased over the years, but that does not mean you should empty your wallet for a food you might not even enjoy.^[15]
- For 2 people, it is often recommended to purchase at least a 1 ounce (30 g) tin of caviar. Keep this in mind when purchasing it.^[16]
- Caspian Sea sturgeons—the beluga, ossetra, and sevruga species—are considered the finest delicacy because the eggs are large, lightly colored, and very flavorful. Since the sturgeon species found in the Caspian Sea are endangered, the caviar from these fish is a banned import to a number of countries.^[17]
- Mid and low-grade caviar include eggs from the Israeli, European, and American ossetra sturgeon; the Siberian sturgeon; the white sturgeon; and the American Hackleback sturgeon. The hackleback sturgeon is particularly known for its buttery flavors, and affordable pricing that can be as low as $20.00 (17.19 euros) per ounce.^[18]
Save money by purchasing a caviar that is not made of sturgeon eggs. Non-sturgeon caviar is usually a more affordable option for people who like to experiment with caviar in different recipes. The two most popular non-sturgeon roe come from paddlefish, bowfin, and salmon.^[19]
- The small silver eggs of the paddlefish is a popular non-sturgeon caviar. This is the most expensive of the non-sturgeon caviar variety, starting around $25.00 (21.48 euros) per ounce.
- A lower-priced non-sturgeon caviar would be from the bowfin fish that starts around $12.00 (10.31 euros) per ounce. The bowfin is highly regarded for its strong nutty flavors.
- Some other non-sturgeon caviar includes the eggs from salmon and capelin.
Taste caviar with additive flavors if you’re feeling adventurous. Enjoy a variety of spicy, tangy, and sweet flavors that typically coat low-grade or non-sturgeon caviar. Flavored caviar is considered the bottom of the caviar market, but that does not mean you cannot enjoy the flavor combinations it has to offer.^[20]
- Some store-bought flavors include wasabi caviar; and lemon, ginger, or smoke-infused caviar.
Ask to taste the caviar before purchasing it. The surest way to tell if you are getting the caviar you are paying for is to taste it. Most reputable sellers will allow you to taste the product before purchasing it, so don’t be afraid to ask.^[21]
- If the caviar is in a clear glass jar instead of a tin, you will be able to tell the quality of the product just by looking at it. High-grade caviar will consist of large, lightly colored eggs. Medium or low-grade caviar will consist of small, dark-colored eggs.^[22]
- Purchase your caviar from a reputable seller to get the most for your money. Some popular sellers include Petrossian, Khavyar, Sterling, Dean & DeLuca, Russ & Daughters, and Zabar’s.^[23]
Store your purchased tin of caviar in the back of the refrigerator. If the back of your refrigerator does not have a temperature different from the front, surround the tin with ice packs to preserve it. Do not open the tin until you are ready to eat it. Once opened, the caviar will only have a shelf life of 1-3 days.^[24]
- It is a good idea to only purchase the amount you expect to eat in a single sitting, but if you do have leftover caviar, you can store it. Simply return the leftovers to the original tin, place a piece of plastic wrap over the top before closing it, and put the tin back into the refrigerator to keep the taste fresh.^[25]
Use a bone, crystal, or mother of pearl spoon to handle the caviar. If you do not have one of these special spoons, grab a simple plastic or wooden spoon instead. Avoid serving the caviar with a metal spoon or dish, as the caviar will absorb the metal flavors. Only use coated dishes and spoons.^[26]
- You can purchase these specialty spoons at your local department store in the kitchenware section or online with major retailers.
- Keep the caviar chilled on crushed ice while you have it sitting out. This will help preserve the flavors and quality of the product.^[27]