The Road Of Caviar

Caviar’s origins and history go back many years and are directly related to politics and social advancement. What is interesting about caviar is that it has made its way from the poor cottages of the country  to the magnificent palaces of the tsars. Between the 13th and the 14th century, among Russia’s lower class, caviar was used by parents as a medicine for children and it was a source of valuable nutritional ingredients. Moreover, during the same time it was considered to be a rather famous dish during fasting season. The main reason for all these uses was that caviar was much a cheaper fish than the regular ones. However, historical circumstances changed and so did caviar’s place in Russian society.buy caviar

The very first time that caviar made its appearance was in Russia in the middle of the 13th century. That was the period when the Mongols tried to conquer the vast territory of the country. The fact that the monks in a monastery in Uglich served the grandson of Genghis Khan, Batu Khan, a dessert made of baked apple with caviar during the feast prepared for him was the reason why he spared it as well as the first time he came across the particular delicacy. Also, religious traditions diacted a significant time of fast during every year, a fact that in essence created and advanced the absence of meat in the Russian cuisine. So, it was natural that fish enjoyed a special place in Russian cuisine.

Best Caviar Ever!

Caviar has been the most luxurious food item on the menu for numerous years and its consumption has been in very restricted channels and distant from the majority of people. Caviar is the roe or eggs of a species of fish called sturgeon. Beluga, Kaluga (also known in Russia as River Beluga), Osetra, and Sevruga are considered to produce the highest quality caviar.  All of these types of sturgeon fish eggs can be found in the Caspian Sea or the Amur River near Russia, a fact that constitutes the Russian-style caviar, the most famous and qualitative caviar in the world. order caviar online

Some products on the market are used as caviar substitutes, however the comparison to the original is very poor. One of the reasons for the extremely high price of caviar is that there are approximately 29 varieties of sturgeon in the world, of which 18 are endangered. Moreover caviar is also a very labor demanding process in order to harvest. Also, although the fish spawn more than once in their lives, still that happens between four and ten years apart. Hence, the demand may be high but the supply is rather limited and the price increases.

In order for caviar to be evaluated, specialized professionals are needed who grade the quality of the product. A general classification of caviar can be Grade 1 (A+ Grade) or Grade 2 (B Grade) product. The main parameters that affect the grade include egg size, color, clarity, uniformity, fragrance, firmness, separation, taste, and maturity.  

Image Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/30478819@N08/47949075051