SPECIES OF CAVIAR

Caviar typically comes from one of three species of sturgeon:

• BELUGA: the largest of the fish. It is soft, clear, and glossy, with large, pea-sized eggs. They range in color from light silver-gray to black, and have a creamy, almost buttery taste. The eggs have a prominent dark spot called an "eye" which is the actual egg itself. The surrounding gel is the egg sac. It is considered the highest premium grade available.

• OSETRA: Medium-sized gray to brown eggs with a flavor almost nutty, considered second in quality to beluga.

• SEVRUGA: Smaller eggs than osetra, grayish in color, strongest in flavor of the imports. Experts find sevruga to have a saltier flavor, because the eggs are smaller.
These types of caviar all come from the Caspian Sea area.

• STERLET: Small golden eggs which were once considered the finest caviar available and reserved for the highest royalty in the lands. This variety is virtually extinct.

• Lumpfish caviar: Lumpfish. Popular and much less expensive, this roe has tiny eggs, usually dyed black or red.

• American caviar: Paddlefish. Also known as American caviar from the roe of a Mississippi paddlefish, a distant cousin of sturgeon
The roe is small to medium in size, varying shades of gray in color, and have an earthy flavor that some refer to as slightly "muddy."

• Whitefish caviar: Whitefish. The whitefish is found in the Great Lakes region as well as other northern countries. the roe has small, golden yellow eggs.

• Salmon or Red caviar: Salmon. The eggs are of medium size, light orange to deep red in color. Salmon caviar is the most often recommended substitute for the more expensive sturgeon varieties.

• Tarama: Carp. Roe from the carp, orange in color. It's often sold smoked.

• Trout caviar: Rainbow trout. The roe is orange and smaller than salmon roe. The flavor is less salty than sturgeon and mild in flavor.

HOW TO CHOOSE FINE CAVIAR

• After harvesting, caviar, or sturgeon roe, is graded by size and color (just like pearls).
• Select caviar that has been processed "malassol," or "little salt."
• Ask when the caviar was harvested when making your purchase. You want the freshest caviar you can get.

CAVIAR TERMS
• Malossol:
The term malossol on the label is not a type of caviar, but a Russian term (literal translation "little salt"), meaning the fish roe was good enough to be processed using a minimal amount of salt, typically five percent of salt per weight. Most experts agree, the less salt, the better the caviar, but less salt makes it highly perishable and thus more expensive.
• Pasteurized:
 The roe is partially cooked as a preservative measure, so it has a longer life. The pasteurization causes a slight change in texture, a bit more firm. Some pasteurized and/or jarred caviar may or may not need refrigeration. Check the label to be sure.
• Pressed:
The result of broken, weak, or damaged eggs is pressed caviar, which is specially treated, salted, and pressed. It is often a combination of several types of roe and has a jam-like consistency.
It is often preferred by home chefs looking for that caviar touch in less expensive dishes.

IDENTIFYING REAL CAVIAR
Only sturgeon roe may be labeled simply caviar with no further specifications.
 Roe from other fish must include the name of the fish as well as the caviar term.

WHY IS BELUGA SO MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE?
The species Beluga is the rarest of the Caspian Sea sturgeon. It takes this species at least 20 years to mature before producing eggs.

HOW TO SERVE CAVIAR
Serve caviar in a crystal, glass or porcelain bowl on a bed of crushed ice, or in a special caviar server with a tiny spoon that is neither silver nor stainless steel (these metals can give the caviar a tinny taste). Classically, a mother-of-pearl or gold spoon might be used, but you can use horn, wood or glass.

Bread: Use a high quality baked bread instead of prepared crackers or toast, which are much too dry and crumbly for the caviar.
Garnish: Typically crumbled, hard-boiled egg, chopped onion or creme fraiche.
Drinks: Champagne, ice-cold vodka or chilled white wine with the caviar.
Not to do: One of the most common mistakes people make when serving caviar is garnishing the delicacy with a drizzle of lemon or a sprinkle of salt or other seasoning. Caviar should be served plain, without any other seasoning or food to dilute or alter its flavor.

CAVIAR AND HEALTH
For those watching their cholesterol and salt intake, caviar should be reserved as a rare treat as it is high on both counts.
Caviar is a rich source of vitamins A and D, as well as omega-3 fatty acids which some researchers say can aid in deterring depression.

Caviar is touted as a hangover remedy due to its high content of acetylcholine (a neurotransmitter believed to play a key role in memory retention) which lines the stomach and increases the body's tolerance to alcohol.

Arginine, a vascular dilator in caviar, helps increase blood flow, thus the claim as an aphrodisiac. Surprisingly, airlines purchase about fifty percent of the world's caviar to serve to their first-class passengers.