How to serve caviar?
- Serving Caviar: Tips and Ideas
- The Best Way to Serve the Caviar
- Serving suggestions
- Garnish
- Drinks
- Conclusion
Whether you want to enjoy the luxurious black caviar or prefer to opt for a less costly red variety, it is important to know how to serve caviar. Read on to learn what garnishes and drinks to offer to your party if you choose to indulge in this traditional delicacy.
Serving Caviar: Tips and Ideas
Historically, the black caviar meant the fish roe of the wild sturgeon (the beluga) from the Caspian and Black Sea. Today, special caviar farms have sprung across the globe, producing the delicacy of tremendous quality.
It should be noted that not all caviar on store shelves is authentic. Various substitutes can be called "caviar" under US law.
The Best Way to Serve the Caviar
There are two basic rules to follow when serving the caviar. First, it must be cold. You have probably noticed that it is often offered on crushed ice. It is not only the unique taste that the low temperature helps to preserve, but also the rounded shape. When you taste the cold caviar privately, you can literally eat each particle separately (which is bad taste if you do it in public!)
Secondly, never serve the caviar on metal plates or with a metal spoon – unless you want to add a not-so-pleasant metallic accent to this exquisite dish. Glass or bone tableware should be used instead. And if you host really sophisticated guests, hunt for a mother-of-pearl caviar set.
Serving suggestions
There have been anecdotes about tycoons consuming the expensive black caviar by the spoonful, but you needn't trust them any longer. In fact, our company’s motto states that “With our low prices you can eat caviar by the spoonful!” Caviar is usually served as a starter, so there is likely to be enough for any party. Still, if you want your starters to be perfectly Instagrammable, then experts claim that half an ounce to an ounce is the right serving amount. You can take this tip into account when preparing the portions.
Garnish
Tableware and amount of delicacy sorted, you may be wondering what to eat caviar with? In fact, if you have splashed on the most expensive variety of black caviar, you are supposed to enjoy it without any complements. Still, if you feel there should be an accompaniment, then there are several foods you can choose from.
Eggs, sour crème, or crème fraiche are the top garnish choices. Their excellent creamy texture enhances the palate characteristics of caviar and brings out its unique flavor. Thinly chopped raw or spring onions provide an excellent barely-there sweet antidote to the caviar's slightly salty taste. Meanwhile, lemon is not recommended because its powerful sour taste will overwhelm the caviar. Likewise, extra salt is not necessary.
Caviar is usually served on thin buckwheat pancakes or small crunchy toasts, the latter adding that special "crunchiness" to the delicacy.
Drinks
It is widely assumed that in haute cuisine caviar goes with vodka. Indeed, the crispy cold strong alcohol accentuates the caviar's pure flavor. Yet Champagne successfully rivals vodka and unleashes the saltier notes.
Conclusion
Following the serving suggestions above is only the beginning of your caviar journey. Maverick chefs love to experiment and use it as a garnish to see how well it goes with other foods. But if you are new to the world of culinary exploits, we strongly recommend going down the traditional route and discovering the delicacy of tzars and emperors as it really is.
