caviar

Caviar Basics
Cooking Basics

New to Caviar? Then Read This

As someone who's always been on a budget, I've never understood as much about caviar as I'd like to know.
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As someone who's always been on a budget, I've never understood as much about caviar as I'd like to know. After all, I've always told myself, what's the point of getting to know a delicacy that I can rarely afford to enjoy, anyway?

I was fortunate enough to attend Petrossian's caviar seminar at the NYC Wine & Food Festival, and that's when I realized my thinking's been a little backward. After tasting a handful of varieties, I realized that's why I should get better acquainted with caviar: so that when I do want to make the splurge, it's easy to make well-educated purchasing decisions.

Among some of the facts I learned: caviar is only one fish (sturgeon) but composed of many species (such as osetra, beluga, sevruga, and kaluga) — and almost everything you'll come across today is farmed. Keep reading to see more caviar basics.

Is Caviar Popular?
Love It or Hate It

Caviar: Love It or Hate It?

A caviar-topped cracker was one of the best things I ate at the tasting tents in South Beach; it tasted clean and sweet, and not at all fishy.
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A caviar-topped cracker was one of the best things I ate at the tasting tents in South Beach; it tasted clean and sweet, and not at all fishy. Yet despite the steep price tag that comes with osetra caviar, there are still a number of people who are put off by the idea of eating fish eggs. Which camp do you fall in?

Easy & Expert Recipes For Salmon and Potato Bites
recipes

Salmon and Potato Bites Two Ways — Beginner and Expert

Are you staying in this New Year's Eve?
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Are you staying in this New Year's Eve? If you're one of the many throwing an intimate gathering or attending a house party, consider counting down the clock with elegant salmon-topped potato bites.

Smoked salmon, cream, and grated potato pancakes are a classic pairing — but on a busy night like New Year's Eve, skip the labor-intensive task of grating potatoes and halve them instead. If you prefer a pared-down flavor profile, top potatoes with a simple combination of salmon, fennel, lemon, and sour cream.

For a blowout appetizer, up the sophistication factor by stuffing delicate fingerlings with a home-preserved lemon topping, crème fraîche, and indulgent — but sustainable — American caviar. See both options when you read on.

How To Store Caviar
How To

How To Store Caviar

Yesterday, I offered some tips for tasting and serving caviar, courtesy of Michael Kupfer and Ali Bolourchi of Pacific Plaza Imports, a California-based caviar importer.
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Yesterday, I offered some tips for tasting and serving caviar, courtesy of Michael Kupfer and Ali Bolourchi of Pacific Plaza Imports, a California-based caviar importer. I caught up with them while enjoying some Siberian sturgeon roe, and got some pointers on how to keep caviar in its best condition. To learn more about storing sturgeon roe, read more

Tips For Enjoying Caviar
Tips

Tips For Enjoying Caviar

Last weekend, PartySugar and I spent most of our time eating and drinking at the Winter Fancy Foods Show, the largest food show in North America.
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Last weekend, PartySugar and I spent most of our time eating and drinking at the Winter Fancy Foods Show, the largest food show in North America. With more than 250,000 food and beverage products on display, one could say that perhaps I bit off a little more than I could chew.

We tasted wine, cheese, meat, and everything else you can think of (more on that later!), but one of the biggest highlights had to be learning more about caviar from the pros. I turned to Ali Bolourchi and Michael Kupfer of Pacific Plaza Imports, a California-based caviar importer, to get some tips. To find out how to serve, taste, and enjoy caviar, read more

Come Party With Me: New Year's Day Lunch — Menu
Come Party With Me

Come Party With Me: New Year's Day Lunch — Menu

Instead of hosting a crazy party on New Year's Eve, invite friends and family over for a decadent lunch on Jan.
by partysugar

Instead of hosting a crazy party on New Year's Eve, invite friends and family over for a decadent lunch on Jan. 1. Begin the soirée in the early afternoon (around 2:30) to allow late-night partygoers plenty of time to recover. Serve a menu that is rich, satisfying, and luxurious.

Start with caviar on brioche toasts with creme fraiche. Slice smoked salmon and cream cheese frittata into bite-size pieces and serve as appetizers. Have guests sit down to a creamy leek and potato soup paired with a simple salad of mixed greens dressed with champagne vinaigrette.

This menu would also make a delightful first day of the year dinner. To check out the recipes, read more

YumSugar Gift Guide: The Global Gourmand Grandpa
Sugar

YumSugar Gift Guide: The Global Gourmand Grandpa

Shopping for an epicurean grandpa who's more well-traveled than you?
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Shopping for an epicurean grandpa who's more well-traveled than you? Fret not. If he's been tasting his way around the globe, chances are, he's open to eating anything.

If he's enjoyed traveling to Japan, present him with this matcha green tea set. Remind him of his trip to Scotland last year with Spey smoked salmon. Or send him an assortment of exotic imports: It's the closest you can get to giving him the world.

For more gift ideas, browse the selection below. Check out all the gift guides on HolidaySugar.

Glitterati: Andrea Corson
Glitterati

Glitterati: Andrea Corson

Jewelry designer Andrea Corson's resume is long and detailed, and her creations explain why her hard work has paid off.
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Jewelry designer Andrea Corson's resume is long and detailed, and her creations explain why her hard work has paid off. She has a BFA and an MFA in sculpture, has participated in over a dozen exhibitions, and has been featured in countless publications. But enough about her.

The necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings, and pins she creates are works of art, so unique you're automatically drawn to them. It seems her favorite food is caviar, because many of her pieces (like left) are designed after the delicacy. Spiders, star fish, ladybugs, frogs, and lizards also prove to be sources of inspiration. Prices range from $160 up to the thousands.

To see more from Andrea Corson's jewels, read more

Do You Like Caviar?
Poll

Do You Like Caviar?

Do You Like Caviar?
by partysugar