Caviar has been a highly regarded dish for centuries, with mentions of it dating back to the times of Aristotle and the explorations of Marco Polo. Made of fish roe, the snappy but smooth pearls that make up caviar have been harvested in an ever-evolving manner in order to not fully deplete the populations of sturgeon that produce the best, and most expensive, caviar in the world. Many agree that the best way to eat caviar is alone, cold, and preferably from a glass rather than a metal jar or container, with ice at the base to keep the pearls at the correct temperature. You can also eat caviar on toast or crackers but be careful when spreading the eggs to not break any. Caviar purists insist that a cold vodka is the perfect pairing, but many sip on French champagne while enjoying this dish.
Finding the right caviar can be difficult and a daunting task if you have never done so before. It is best to first learn the history of why this dish is so highly regarded and where the most expensive and delicious caviar comes from. This ancient and celebrated, highly exclusive, dish is a quintessential signal of luxury and class. Enjoy it with your partner or with friends as you taste the perfection found in every caviar pearl.
What is Caviar
Caviar is considered by many to be one of the most delectable and exquisite dishes in the world. Caviar has been gracing the tables of elegant meals since the times of the ancient Greeks and was a large trading items during the Byzantine Empire. During the Middle Ages, caviar was no longer a dish that people sought out. It wasn’t until Russian fishermen and peasants started to eat it as a source of protein in the 12th century that it had a resurgence and became a top choice among the world’s elite and wealthy. In fact, Pope Julius II is credited for introducing this snappy and buttery dish to European royalty during the 16th century.
There are many different kinds of caviar you can sit back and enjoy. Of course, there is the highly sought out and perfect beluga caviar, but there is also ossetra, sevruga, sterlet, salmon, and even trout!
Commercially produced caviar is extracted from the fish typically by stunning the fish and extracting her ovaries. This process means that the fish can no longer produce more eggs in her life. A different method is by performing a caesarean section on the fish, which allows her to continue egg production in the future. There is also the stripping method, which is when the farmer makes a straight incision along the urogenital muscle to extract the roe, which is done after the fish has an ultrasound proving that they are old enough and producing eggs. The most ethical way to extract eggs is through a massage. This method, which is the most sustainable for the female fish, also yields the most expensive caviar in the world.
Beluga Caviar—What Makes the Best (and Most Expensive) Caviar
The world best, and most expensive, caviar comes from beluga sturgeon, which is only found in the cold and ancient waters of the Caspian Sea. These fish live for decades—females have been known to live for more than 115 years. When these fish are young, there is a maturation period since they do not produce fish eggs for the first 18 years of the life. It has also been found over the years that the older female sturgeons produce a more elegant, delicious, and smooth roe. Producers and harvesters of the beluga sturgeon must be patient and wait years in order to get the eggs needed to make the iconic, black pearl caviar.
Due to the popularity of its highly sought-after roe, beluga sturgeons are an endangered species. In 2010, the Iranian government had to place a countrywide halt on the harvesting and production of these fish due to the endangered species classification. There are now strict rules and regulations on the production of beluga caviar, and a tight hold on imports and exports in order to not completely deplete the sturgeons in the Caspian Sea. Sustainable fishing practices have been implemented in these waters in order to keep this fishing industry alive. There has been extensive government investment in order to protect this industry, which means that what caviar ends up being available for your consumption has been harvested and produced with the best practices to give you the highest quality roe.
Other places and waterways have tried to see if they could become a second home to beluga sturgeons, like Florida and China. But the Caspian Sea cannot be replicated anywhere else and these fish do not thrive like they do off the Iranian cost.
Where Will You Find the Most Expensive Caviar
Typically, mid-level caviar costs $50 to $75 for about 35 grams, or 1 ounce, or caviar, which should be enough for two people to enjoy together. The price of a jar will be dependent on its creamy texture, a buttery taste, and if there is a bine taste at the end. It is also dependent on how the roe was harvested from the fish—caviar will be more expensive if the roe was massaged out of the fish and they lived than if the fish was killed and then the roe was harvested.
Iran
Here is where you will find the freshest beluga caviar. The most expensive caviar ever sold was a 1 kilogram jar that was made from a rare albino beluga sturgeon from the Caspian Sea, that was sold for $34,500. Typically, beluga caviar is priced at $16,000 for 1 kilogram. Since the Iranian coastline of the Caspian Sea is the main area where beluga sturgeons are harvested and produced, you can guarantee a delicious jar if you are buying from Iran.
Russia
Due to the overfishing of beluga sturgeon in the early 21st century in the Caspian Sea, Russia banned the sale of black pearl caviar in 2007. Today, fish farmers utilize aquaculture in order to produce caviar commercially. Russia, like Iran, borders to the Caspian Sea. But unlike the black pearls that are harvested on the Iranian coast, Russian sturgeon caviar, or Almas which is Russian for diamond, Russia’s top caviar is harvested from albino beluga sturgeons. In order to purchase this highly exclusive caviar, you must visit a Caviar House & Prunier store. There you will be able to purchase a 1 kilogram jar—made of 24-karat gold—with the white pearls for $25,000.
China
China is the world’s leading producer in caviar production, accounting for more than 60% of the total production. The top brand is Kaluga Queen, which harvests sturgeon from Qiandao Lake. China was able to gain speed and popularity on the market after the countries along the Caspian Sea took a halt on beluga sturgeon production for conservation reasons. The Kaluga sturgeon’s roe is typically priced at $875 for a kilogram. The Chinese production of caviar is a bit more labor intensive than in other places due to the warmer weather conditions.
Italy
Italian caviar is some of the most widely eaten and enjoyed around the world. The sturgeons that are harvested here are bred in the province of Calvisano in the northern city of Brescia. Here, 25 tons of caviar are produced annually. Cultivating Ostera caviar, these fresh waters can rival any egg coming from the Caspian Sea. These fish are also not as expensive as their Iranian or Russian counterparts—a 1 pound jar is about $1,400. This is also a black caviar and pairs perfectly with Italian wines.
North America
North American caviar looks differently than it does around the rest of the world. With a sticking orange color and a sweet, honey taste, salmon caviar is much different than what you will find overseas in Europe and Asia. Coming to market from the cold Alaskan waters, salmon caviar is also more affordable than its Caspian Sea counterparts, at about $40 for a 12 ounce jar. This caviar is best enjoyed on a spread on toast.
Caviar Substitutes
As fish populations begin to dwindle and some people want a different type of roe extraction process, caviar substitutes have begun to be introduced to the market for consumption. This includes sustainable farm practices of sturgeons, as seen around the world. There is also imitation caviar that is harvested from lumpsucker fish and dyed a red or black to mirror the classic black pearls of beluga sturgeons. Also due to the changing tastes of consumers, there is now vegan and kosher caviar substitutes made from seaweeds that resemble the look of beluga caviar and have a similar taste that can be enjoyed by those who are vegetarian or vegan.
Whether you are dipping your spoon into a perfectly curated jar of black beluga caviar, or another top caviar, you will be loving the refreshing pop and taste in your mouth. And whether you are enjoying a class of cold vodka or a flute of sparkling French champagne, you will fall in love with the perfect taste of caviar on your first bite.
