pour Caviar
Caviar is delicacy made of gently separated and salted sturgeon roe. The word was used for the first time in 850 A.D. and likely comes from the Turkish khavyar which means ‘fish eggs’.
The French caviarder comes from ‘caviar-’ and means ‘to redact or censor a document by blacking-out sections or words, rendering them illegible’. It dates back to the 19th century and is in reference to a then common practice in Russia under Tsar Nicholas I whereby black ink was used to redact confidential information.
César (Baldaccini) was a sculptor who worked with the creation and destruction of matter and most famous for his compression work; in 1954, he created a series of fantastic representations of animals: a bat, a scorpion, and a giant grasshopper are the most well-known pieces; yet the most unexpected member of the menagerie is a rusty, corrugated-iron sturgeon. Does it really come as a surprise that an artist with such refined taste as César would pay homage to the most noble of fish in an ode to the most precious of delicacies?
Caviar and champagne: a match made in heaven! The «King of Wines» wakens the taste buds with a bubbly explosion of fruity aroma in perfect contrast to the smooth, ocean undertones of the caviar sending the mouth into sensory overload. Marlene Dietrich enjoyed champagne and caviar for breakfast, Marylin Monroe preferred it with Rosé Champagne. In truth, all types of champagne – brut, sec, blanc de blancs – fit the bill when it comes to caviar. Let there be bubbles!
Caviar has inspired Michelin star chefs to concoct signature dishes.
Here are but a few: Langoustine Tart with Osetra Caviar Yannick Alléno, Restaurant Ledoyen «La Perle Blanche» Oyster Tartare in Osetra Caviar Jelly, Iced Bean Velouté, and Béarn Corn Hélène Darroze, Restaurant Hélène Darroze Wild Nettle Velouté, Smoked Eel, Potato ‘Marbles’, and Osetra Caviar Frédéric Vardon, Restaurant 39V* Veal Cannelloni with Transmontanus Caviar Alberico Penati, Restaurant Penati al Baretto* Steamed Leek and Smoked Eel, Basil and Almond Eggnog, with Transmontanus Caviar Gaëtan Gentil, Restaurant PRaiRial* Golf of Genoa Gamberoni and Cooling Kristal Caviar, Cauliflower Crême Dubarry and Creamy Nage Julien Gatillon, Restaurant Le 1920** Crispy Marinated Langoustine with Puffed Rice, Celery, Green Apple, Light Fallot Mustard Cream, and Kristal Caviar Eric Pras, Restaurant Lameloise** Potato, Smoked Sturgeon, and Black Kristal Caviar Arnaud Lallement, Restaurant L’Assiette ChampenoiseThinly Sliced Bass with Minced Artichoke and Golden Kristal Caviar Bernard Pacaud, Restaurant L’Ambroisie John Dory, Brown Crab, and Osetra Caviar Christophe Bacquié, Restaurant Le Castellet Chickpea, Sturgeon Marrow and Kristal Caviar Romain Meder, Restaurant Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée Alain Ducasse is also behind the following dishes: Parmentier Style Broth, Langoustine & Caviar Filo Pastry, Belon Oyster & Caviar Watercress Soup, Scallop & Caviar Chilled Langoustines, Nage Reduction & Caviar
While the Caspian Sea has the largest sturgeon population in the world, China takes second place. In the wild, there are two main species: the Huso dauricus (aka. Kaluga) and the Acipenser schrenckii, which lives in the Amur River. Sturgeon fishing is traditional in China, with fish farming going back many generations – there is evidence of Chinese carp farming from around 500 BC. Ever since then, the Chinese have eaten both the flesh and the roe of sturgeon without going so as far as to make caviar. It was only in the second half of the 20th Century, with the assistance of expert caviar producers from Iran, that the Chinese started farming sturgeon and processing the roe into caviar. Once again, the wheel of history comes full circle: just as wild Iranian caviar once toppled Russian caviar from its pedestal, farmed caviar from China is now taking the world by storm thanks to its exceptional quality, it is even the preferred caviar of Michelin-star chefs.
Caviar Rouge by Frédéric Dard and Robert Hossein (1986), Pas de caviar pour Tante Olga by Jean Becker (1965), C’est du caviar by Sarah Lelouch… the dish appears in a number of film titles. It has even made the odd appearance on the silver screen: James Bond enjoys a serving of caviar with some rosé champagne in Thunderball. Fans of the famous movie Titanic will also have picked up on the moment during the dinner scene
where Jack (Leonardo Di Caprio) and the waiter have the following exchange:
«How do you like your caviar, sir?»
«No caviar for me, thanks. Never did like it much,»
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (aka. CITES or the Washington Convention) aims to preserve biodiversity in the wild by combatting the over-exploitation of species. In an attempt to protect the sturgeon, countries on the Caspian Sea (Iran, Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Azerbaijan) signed the CITES agreement banning wild sturgeon fishing in the Caspian Sea. The 2008 agreement is renewed every year and bans any of the aforementioned countries from exporting wild sturgeon caviar.
The Club des Gouteurs de Caviar (The Caviar Tasters Club) was founded by journalist-author Jean-Marie Pinçon in 2003. The club holds events for its members and their guests in prestigious locations to enjoy and compare caviar from around the world. Their motto: «In matters of taste, knowledge begets pleasure».
The briny flavours of caviar are a perfect match with vodka, but also with the floral notes in gin and the smoky or woody aroma of whisky. Mixologists are venturing further into the world of caviar, devising cocktails that create delicious flavour pairings with the rare delicacy – some are even so bold as to freeze them in ice cubes!
Caviar is not a fussy dish. On the contrary, it goes with everything from garden vegetables like asparagus, turnip, and potato, to hearty home-cooked meals. A mere spoonful is all it takes to turn a simple dish into an exquisite delight. If you’re still not convinced, Kaviari created the Caviar Maison recipe book with plenty of scrumptious dishes to whet your appetite. Don’t miss the farfalle au caviar!
Caviar is one of the last remaining delicacies that is entirely hand made. Nothing industrial here, every step of production is carried out by hand: from rearing and catching of sturgeon, to the extraction and curing of roe, and to ageing and storing of caviar in tins. It is the caviar master’s keen knowledge and high level of craftsmanship that requires time, patience and skill to create such a rare, exceptional delicacy.
Seen as a symbol of wealth, visual representations of sturgeon have been found on coins dating back to Antiquity. In 600 BC, it was used on coins in the Phoenician city of Carthage. Images of sturgeon have also been found on coins in Panticapaeum, former Greek colony founded by Milesians at the opening of the Bosporus; now known as Kerch, it is located in Ukraine. Nowadays, coins are still minted in China and Ukraine with sturgeon designs.