Beluga Caviar
Beluga Caviar is widely known as the most extravagant delicacy in the world. Served in only the finest seafood restaurants world wide and indulged in by only the highest caliber caviar enthusiasts, it is the roe of the prehistoric Beluga sturgeon. Harvested mainly in the Caspian Sea, it is also caught in the Adriatic and Black Sea Basin. The main producers are Iran and Russia. Iranian Beluga Caviar is the most sought after, as it is harvested in the less polluted southern waters of the Caspian Sea. The term caviar originated in the English lexicon in the 16th century and was probably acquired from the Turkish via the Italians or French.
Currently the pricing of Beluga caviar ranges from $300 to over $5000 per kilo for the finest varieties available. It is an icon of luxury that is associated with only the highest of classes.
In order to understand why Beluga caviar is such a sought after delicacy and why it demands such extraordinarily high pricing you must know the background of the Beluga. Among the oldest creatures on earth and dating all the way back to the time of dinosaurs, Beluga sturgeon have survived in their current form for millions of years. It can take up to 20 years for a sturgeon to reach maturity and they are known to be the largest of their species.
Because of illegal fishing and trade, Beluga sturgeon are now an endangered species and importing Beluga caviar has been banned in many parts of the world, including America where even interstate trading of this rare delicacy is banned. Since there are so few sturgeon, less than 100 are caught each year.
Beluga roe are found in a variety of colors which range from light blue to dark black. The lightest eggs are considered the best because they are harvested from the oldest fish, thus they are the most expensive. Added ingredients severely lower the price on caviar, so Beluga Caviar is usually found with no additives.
Gourmet caviar dealers have very little if any royal Beluga caviar in stock. If you are looking to buy Beluga caviar in America, there are several places to buy caviar online that carry it, however you must be in the same state as the dealer to buy it. Your best chance of finding some is through an online gourmet food product store, upscale supermarkets are unlikely to have any in stock. If you don't happen to have a dealer in your state that sells it, the other two varieties of gourmet caviar are Osetra and Sevruga. There are also many less desirable farmed caviar varieties on the market.
Serving and consuming Beluga roe is an art in itself. Special spoons made of mother of pearl or bone are used when serving caviar, as metal spoons tend to give the caviar a metallic taste. Complimentary foods such as potatoes or caviar blini and crème fraiche are also necessities when consuming caviar. Some connoisseurs also like to match their caviar with the perfect wine. To truly appreciate the taste of Beluga caviar it is common practice not to add spices or herbs to your roe. In order to preserve the delicate taste of caviar it should be served over ice and kept below room temperature.
Although it is not suggested for caviar of such high caliber, there are several caviar recipes available in fine cook books and even at some fine restaurants. Some of these include caviar spread, caviar pie and caviar eggs among others.
Beluga malossol or any variety of fresh caviar should be stored in its original tin at 26 to 32 degrees F in the refrigerator. Do not freeze your caviar as the eggs will burst and the delicate flavor will be lost. The shelf life of caviar once you open the tin is about a week. Leftover caviar should be tightly wrapped in plastic to avoid air contact and the tin should be rotated every other day until consumption.
Eating Beluga caviar is truly an exclusively delicious culinary experience that will make you crave the luxurious feelings as much as the taste again and again.
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