Osetra caviar is one of the most expensive foods in the world, along with Beluga caviar and Sevruga caviar. This kind of caviar is said to have the most variety in terms of flavor, size and color. The reported cause of this is that the fish Osetra is a bottom feeder, thus the eggs adapt the flavor of whatever it eats. If one tries to open several Osetra caviar tin cans and sample them one by one, each would have a different flavor, appearance and smell than the other.
To get an idea why Osetra caviar is so valued, one must get to know the fish where the eggs came from.
About the Osetra Sturgeon
The Osetra sturgeon is one of the oldest animal breeds that exists today, because they date back from the time of the dinosaurs. It is a native from the Caspian Sea. They are a prehistoric race of animals whose appearance never changed over time. They can grow up to 2m and can weigh up to 200 kg. Its color ranges from brown to dark gray, with a body with bony plates instead of scales. Their age of maturity is 12 to 15 years, and they can live up to 60 to 80 years. In some cases, the fishes can reach up to 120 years.
And there are some roes that are albino white in color. The Osetra sturgeon is smaller compared to its slightly expensive sister the Beluga, and its eggs are firmer compared to the delicate Beluga caviar. The rarest form of Osetra caviar is golden yellow in color, with a very rich nutty flavor.
The term caviar did not hail from Russia, contrary to popular belief, since caviar is known as a Russian delicacy. It appeared in English lexicon during the 16th century, most probably acquired from the Italian or French, and in turn borrowed from the Turkish word havyar. If one looks at etymological history, khyah is the Persian word for egg.
How to serve the Osetra Caviar
Like other caviar varieties, the Osetra caviar can be enjoyed with many items. Traditionally, it is served with blinis, or toasted points mixed with butter and onions. Sour cream and cheese creams are popular alternatives. Chefs around the world use caviar to stuff a lot of seafood dishes and even for some meat preparations, although the inexpensive caviar kinds are usually used for this. Salads can also be served with caviar.
Common caviar recipes used by chefs are caviar pie, caviar eggs, caviar mold, creme de caviar, and caviar spread.
Caviar cannot be eaten in an ordinary way. It has a special way for serving and eating in order to retain its most sought after taste. It should be served using bone or mother-of-pearl spoons, and presented in caviar service sets, although glass or ceramic container will do all right. Never use metal spoons and metal containers, for they will bring an undesirable metallic taste to the roes. Condiments can be eaten along with the eggs, but for true caviar connoisseurs, nothing beats the original, virgin taste of pure caviar.
Traditionally, caviar is enjoyed with chilled Russian vodka, but dry champagne is a perfect alternative.
How to store caviar
Caviar should also be stored properly in order not to ruin taste. Recommended temperature for storage is 26 to 32 degrees at the coldest part of the refrigerator, not the freezer. Remember. NEVER freeze caviar. It may cause the hoes to burst, which will totally destroy its prized taste. It should with ice in order to keep the hoes at below room temperature, so the taste will remain the same.
There are a lot of things in life that people aim for. Most people certainly would not pass up a chance to experience life's greatest luxuries even once in their lives. A person who has tasted the exquisite taste of caviar should consider himself very lucky indeed.
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