Caviar is considered to be one of the finest delicacies available, but where does it come from?
Caviar is fish eggs – or ‘roe’ – and is taken from various species of sturgeon. Technically, you can obtain fish eggs from any fish, but true caviar comes exclusively from the sturgeon family.
Read on to learn more about caviar, and to find out how expensive it is.
From Sea To Spoon
Caviar has a rich and storied history as one of the finest delicacies in the world. However, it’s often not the super-expensive dish that you may have been led to believe.
Like many items of food – particularly meat and fish – the spectrum of caviar varies wildly. The most expensive type of caviar can cost an incredible seventeen thousand dollars per pound.
At the other end of the spectrum, you can find caviar in supermarkets for as little as ten dollars a jar.
Of course, it’s the species of fish that makes the biggest impact on price. Often, you’ll be getting a cured roe, and not fine caviar, when you pay the lower price.
The finest caviar is taken from a sturgeon called the Beluga – or the ‘Huso huso’. This fish is found in Caspian Sea, and makes for the hugely expensive supply of roe.
There’s actually a world record for the most expensive Beluga caviar. It’s harvested from rare albino variants of the sturgeon, which has grown to a specific age.
It reportedly swims in extremely clean waters, and is referred to as ‘black gold’.
You can buy Beluga caviar online, but it will definitely set you back a serious amount. If you were looking to purchase a pound of entry level Beluga caviar, you’d be paying around eight-hundred dollars.
While the taste would also vary wildly from species to species, only an aficionado would likely tell the difference. Caviar on a whole is said to have a very fishy, salty taste, and it ‘pops’ audibly when eaten.
Everything about fine caviar is exuberant and flamboyant, right down to how it’s eaten and served. Traditionally, a spoon made of mother-of-pearl, ivory or gold will be used to serve it.
The reasoning behind this is that metal cutlery can impact the flavor and texture of the caviar itself.
It’s then often paired with expensive and luxurious champagne, and an assortment of accompaniments. These can include delectable breads, fruits and crackers.
Age Old Delicacy
Caviar has apparently been a fine delicacy for thousands of years. There are reports of the Ancient Greeks and Romans enjoying caviar at the highest levels of society.
Surprisingly, the sturgeon that true caviar is taken from – the Beluga – is also ages old. It can live for well over one hundred years.
However, the long history of caviar has led to overfishing, and the rarest species of sturgeon are now endangered.
In 2010, Iran – a massive exporter of caviar – had to establish firm regulations on the industry. There were tangible risks to the production of caviar, and sourcing the roe was slowing massively.
There are other fish that produce roe, of course, but not all of them are considered caviar. For example, salmon produces a highly-desired roe, but whether it is caviar is a subject of debate.
The roe of salmon is used in sushi, and is prized for its appearance. Where Beluga caviar is black, salmon roe is a transparent golden or peach colour.
Of course, salmon is widely farmed and abundantly available. This has understandably led to much lower prices over the rarer species of sturgeon.
A Fine Spread
Caviar is joined by many other super-expensive foods from all around the world. In the fish stakes, there’s bluefin tuna – which holds the record of $3 million for one individual fish.
There’s also a considerably expensive beef known as Wagyu. This beef comes from Japan and can cost up to two-hundred dollars per pound.
However, it isn’t just the meat and fish that boasts a substantial value. The most expensive potato in the world will set you back around $320 per pound.
After all that, you’ll want to wash it down with something equally as expensive.
You might want to pick a bottle of the Gout de Diamants, which costs around $2 million. That’d make for an extremely valuable meal, fit for a king.