This is the most traditional and sophisticated symbol of gastronomy, a highly desirable product among the most classy guests. Starting from bad food into one of the most exclusive products.
Caviar is a delicacy associated with luxury and arrogance. However, it does not always enjoy this special position. The caviar industry began to rise throughout the 18th century, thanks to Greek sailors and traders Ioannis Varvarkis, who introduced it to Europe from Russia; and at the same time as the consumption of sturgeon meat, which has gradually become extinct on the European market. Only after the United States developed its production again did caviar double the price and prestige, thereby encouraging industrialization and the construction of a dam dedicated to catching this famous fish. A practice that is currently concerned about major organizations for over-exploitation of species.
However, despite its enormous popularity, there are many visitors who are still confused by the true nature of the product. And marketing “uses the same name for the eggs of more economical species, although this name can only be carried by egg sturgeons.
When eggs are bigger and clearer, they should have better quality. For this reason, it is important to know the characteristics that determine caviar quality, such as egg size, color or production methods. When eggs are bigger and clearer, they should have better quality, but little by little this trend changes because the best caviar will be the one we like the most depending on our taste.
Beluga
Obtained from beluga sturgeon and native to the Caspian, Black, and Adriatic Sea basins. This specimen is characterized by its very large size, whose weight usually ranges between 40 and 300 kilograms. This is the best caviar on the market and, of course, the most expensive – one kilo can cost 35,000 euros – because only 100 copies of this species are caught per year.
Ossetra
In this case, caviar is obtained from other varieties of Russian and Persian sturgeons, even though it retains its previous quality. It differs from the others with a mild taste, with fruit nuances reminiscent of walnuts, a hard texture and a delicate aroma of iodine. As for its appearance, it has a dark brown hue, although some specimens are known as imperial caviar ossetra, they do not reach 1% of the population, which encourages their exclusivity.
Sevruga
Being smaller, it is also more abundant, accounting for half of the caviar production. This, together with the size of its tiny pearls, makes it the cheapest variety on the market. The eggs have a much stronger aroma, their flavor is salty and prolonged, and the color dark gray and even black. It comes from starry sturgeon, which inhabits the Caspian Sea, and is usually marketed in red cans.
Pressed caviar
And we finish this review for the most important varieties of caviar with the result of the mixture of beluga and ossetra type caviar: the pressed caviar. The reason for this combination is the use of very mature roe or those that have burst inside the fish. A laborious job, because to get a single kilo of this product requires four kilos of fresh caviar. In fact, it is the oldest technique to preserve it. Its properties include an intense and salty taste and a somewhat drier texture than normal.