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BS: How to serve caviar?
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Subject: How to serve caviar? From: Kim C Date: 31 Jan 02 - 12:41 PM Mister and I are going to have Russian Night this weekend while the James Bond movie is on. I have dinner planned, and I thought it would be nice to have a little caviar. Now, the last time I had caviar, it was on crackers with chopped egg and onion and sour cream, and I thought it was really good. But I went looking on the Net this morning, and now I'm really confused. Serve it with onion. Don't serve it with onion. Eggs are all right. Eggs are not all right. Do this. Do that. Don't do that! By all means don't do This! Obviously I am not going to be buying anything outrageously expensive. If I can't find something at a price I can afford, I'll just go with smoked salmon instead. But in the meantime, does anyone have any ideas what to do with this stuff? Should I just do what I like and forget what the "experts" say? All suggestions made in good faith are welcome. Thanks! |
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Subject: RE: BS: How to serve caviar? From: paddymac Date: 31 Jan 02 - 12:54 PM I'm no fan of caviar, so I would opt for the salmon. But, I think you've answered your own question. To hell with the so-called experts. Serve it the way you like it. |
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Subject: RE: BS: How to serve caviar? From: Greyeyes Date: 31 Jan 02 - 02:47 PM My favourite way of serving and eating caviar is on Blinis (small buckwheat pancakes) with sour cream or craime fraiche. Blinis are a bit of a faff to make, but in the UK are available ready made in the supermarkets. |
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Subject: RE: BS: How to serve caviar? From: SeanM Date: 31 Jan 02 - 03:05 PM As with all things food, do what you want! All that you mention is 'correct' for some people. Unfortunately, caviar has more than just culinary elements that are attached to it - it's the snobbery involved, and of course the way YOU serve it must be better than the way that those CRETINS down the block serve it, so your way MUST be correct. I like using it as a light garnish on rice dishes, with crackers, with egg - pretty much anywhere a light fish taste and salt can enhance. Last time I checked, noone's been arrested for doing that. M |
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Subject: RE: BS: How to serve caviar? From: SeanM Date: 31 Jan 02 - 03:11 PM Oh, and for price - if you're in the US, you should be able to find decent caviar for around $6-$12 for a small jar. Given that it is a fairly strong flavor, one small jar may last for several meals. I've used the Romanoff brand - not the high end of the scale, but it's a decent product, and I've enjoyed it. M |
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Subject: RE: BS: How to serve caviar? From: Allan C. Date: 31 Jan 02 - 03:23 PM I'm with Tom Hanks in the movie, "Big" on this stuff. I think that was one of the funniest things I have seen in years! I wish you luck, Kim. I think your idea for the Russian night sounds fun. |
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Subject: RE: BS: How to serve caviar? From: Kim C Date: 31 Jan 02 - 03:26 PM SeanM, how funny, that's what I bought! Right there on the shelf at the Kroger. $4.99. Got some melba toasts to go along with it. I guess caviar is sort of like wine, huh? I have a friend who works in the wine business and while she knows her stuff she is a little bit of a snob in that regard. As for me, if it tastes good, I like it. I don't think that's wrong. Now... next question... vodka or champagne? I'm leaning to champagne myself. |
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Subject: RE: BS: How to serve caviar? From: Bat Goddess Date: 31 Jan 02 - 04:49 PM I've never been able to afford the really good stuff, so my preference is to whitefish caviar -- little tiny salty eggs that snap between your teeth. It's probably as much textural as taste for me. I've tried serving it on a lot of things -- no onions, please, don't overpower the caviar! -- and what I've found I prefer over everything else (hard cooked eggs, crackers, etc.) is rounds of cucumber with a small dollop of sour cream. The cucumber is very clean and a nice foil to the crunchy saltiness. I also like the larger red type (can't remember what fish it comes from) rolled up in pressed chicken or turkey. But not as often as the whitefish on cucumber. Linn |
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Subject: RE: BS: How to serve caviar? From: Bat Goddess Date: 31 Jan 02 - 04:51 PM Oh, and the next question -- champagne is fine. Or straight from the freezer Russian or Polish vodka. The American stuff is, by legal definition, grain neutral spirits and thus flavorless and all the same. (You pay for the advertising.) Linn |
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Subject: RE: BS: How to serve caviar? From: Sorcha Date: 31 Jan 02 - 04:54 PM LOL. IMHO, caviar is NASTY and so is salmon.....good thing I won't be attending, huh? |
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Subject: RE: BS: How to serve caviar? From: SINSULL Date: 31 Jan 02 - 05:14 PM Petrossian, champagne and caviar heaven, serves it mounded in silver dishes with side dished of onion, chopped egg, sour cream, and toast points. Guests decorate their own. I drink the champagne and watch everyone else eat the nasty stuff. A little pate on the side was nice until I saw a film on how they torture the goose. A conscience is a terrible thing. |
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Subject: RE: BS: How to serve caviar? From: M.Ted Date: 31 Jan 02 - 05:51 PM If you are in the US, and close to a Trader Joe's you can get either black or red "caviar" for $1.99 a jar(really whitefish and salmon)--quite good, and generally well received--one friend, an insufferable food snob, praised it to the heavens, and pointed out that cheap caviar is not even worth serving! If you are a stickler, and want the flavor of real sturgeon caviar, at less expense, try pressed caviar, which is actually less salty, an more tasty, but not as nice looking--but be prepared to pay a bit more than $1.99! Traditionally, caviar is served spread on really thin slices of buttered black bread--but it also works well if you set the caviar out with a variety of crackers, toasts, and, the bread--I inherited a cut glass fish(to hold crushed ice) with a wee glass-lined silver bowl for the caviar--it is equally effective if you just stick the jar in a bowl of ice-- Set out a plate with cucumber slices, red onion, slivers of lemon, and such items from above as you might like--some people even like it on wedges of cheese-- I also start out with a tray of caviar on crackers and make a fuss about offering it to everyone individually--that way, people who haven't had it before tend to try it, and, often, like it--that way, you don't end up with it sitting out on a counter untouched-- You really should serve it with Champagne, or at least the vodka--beer takes the romance out of it-- |
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Subject: RE: BS: How to serve caviar? From: catspaw49 Date: 31 Jan 02 - 06:10 PM Set out a plate with cucumber slices, red onion, slivers of lemon, and such items from above as you might like--some people even like it on wedges of cheese-- You'll need these to get rid of the taste of the caviar....... Spaw |
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Subject: RE: BS: How to serve caviar? From: ddw Date: 31 Jan 02 - 06:56 PM I always figured the best way to serve caviar was to put it in the cat dish, sprinkle some salt in your hand and lick it. That we you get all the same taste of the caviar without the lingering fishy smell..... *BG* david |
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Subject: RE: BS: How to serve caviar? From: Bat Goddess Date: 31 Jan 02 - 07:23 PM Sigh. Some of us LIKE the fishy, salty snap in the mouth thingies. But then again I like anchovies, too, which some people refer to as "sewer trout." I like limburger cheese, garlic, all varieties of olives, capers, all types of onions, kimchee, saurkraut, smoked fish, pickled pigs feet and squid. Had some WONDERFUL smoked salmon with horseradish caper sauce last Saturday night. Damn. All this conversation makes me hungry for caviar. (And it's doing snow, sleet and freezing rain to interfer with my trip to the grocery store! No caviar on my shelf right now, just smoked oysters and octupus.) Linn (on her way to a margarita) |
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Subject: RE: BS: How to serve caviar? From: MarkS Date: 31 Jan 02 - 07:30 PM Please invite me over to share that meal with you and I will tell you if you did it right! Oooooh - sounds good! Mark |
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Subject: RE: BS: How to serve caviar? From: catspaw49 Date: 31 Jan 02 - 07:51 PM Ya' know Batty One, there isn't a damn thing on your list that I don't like including the anchovies, but caviar is just highly overrated.....really. I'd rather have the anchovies anytime. Spaw |
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Subject: RE: BS: How to serve caviar? From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 31 Jan 02 - 08:03 PM We were playing at a wedding reception in a tent, and the lights in one corner of the buffet failed, so Derek who plays the mandolin wandered in there, since there wasn't any kind of crowd, and he tucked in. He drifted out reporting that they had some funny fishpaste, but it wasn't bad stuff at that, if you washed it down with beer. |
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Subject: RE: BS: How to serve caviar? From: M.Ted Date: 31 Jan 02 - 08:18 PM Spaw, I know that you folks in Ohio don't really have the advantages of fine cusine, so I can forgive you for having a rusty palate-- Did I tell you that we had a vehicle breakdown on the outskirts of Akron, the day before Christmas? The tire people were topnotch, but the place that we ate(an Italian Jazz restaurant in a shopping mall) was something of a shock-- As to you ddw, go practice your scales! |
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Subject: RE: BS: How to serve caviar? From: catspaw49 Date: 31 Jan 02 - 08:24 PM LOL Ted.....Yeah....You can tell you're in a hick town when you go into a Chinese restaurant and there are bottles of ketchup on the tables! (I wish that was a joke, but I went in this place in East Bumblast, Illinois and......) Spaw |
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Subject: RE: BS: How to serve caviar? From: Anahootz Date: 31 Jan 02 - 08:31 PM This is an interesting discussion. I see much good information, and some interesting tidbits that are, well, interesting. I have been in the Caviar trade for 13 years now, and finished my apprenticeship 9 years ago. While that does not, in and of itself, qualify me as having any taste, it does mean that I have truly seen it all when it comes to caviar. First: get the best caviar you can afford. If this means 1.5 oz of "good" caviar (fine-grained malassol (low salt) beluga, maybe?) versus 1 lb. of Romanoff "Black Caviar", then so be it. Your palate, and your guests, will thank you. Second: Heed SINSULL's advice and let guests decorate their own, but be sure to have some "options" made up for people who need the push, as in MTed's post. One of my favorite ways to enjoy any caviar is in small pastry shells, half filled with your choice of dairy product. I prefer creme fraiche, and sour cream is nice, but some folks opt for neufchatel or plain ol' philly cream cheese. The cream cheese is nice, as it adds the counterpoint of sweet to the salt of caviar. Third, and most Important: Treat any caviar nicely. No metal containers, no metal spoons, that sort. Always keep it in a bowl of Ice, and serve with a bone or horn spoon. If these are not readily available, then find the most decorative plastic spoon you have, make sure you cannot discern any off tastes/odors (some plastic is quite noxious) and serve it with that. Caviar is incredibly taste-sensitive, and WILL pick up any off flavors and odors around it. Fourth: Enjoy. Caviar is one of the last great piscine delicacies, and should be treated and eaten accordingly.
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Subject: RE: BS: How to serve caviar? From: GUEST,CLETUS Date: 31 Jan 02 - 08:51 PM Miztur Anahootz, I wuzza wundrin thet sinz yall seem ta no a lot about thizzeer stuff and me an Paw an Buford an the Reg Boyz aint never et no fish eggs iffen ya cud mebbee splain how thet stuff cud hep uz with our pissin. We drink a lot of Iron City an I tell ya itz a rite strange piss whut comes out after we had us a few. Now you sed thet thiz cavvyar iz a pissing delicacy and I wuzza thinkin thet iffen we et ourselvz a big mess uv it like we do with collards iffen ittid make uz have a little nicer an purty smellin whizz? I tell ya it gitz rite embearsin when we playz Sink the Cheerios an the paint peelz offen the wallz uv Spaws bathroom. Ya reckon ya cud hep us out heer? CLETUS |
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Subject: RE: BS: How to serve caviar? From: Biskit Date: 31 Jan 02 - 09:16 PM They work pretty well on the end of a hook if you're fishin' for Crappe or Sun Fish......~B~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: How to serve caviar? From: SINSULL Date: 31 Jan 02 - 09:23 PM ARGHH! Flashback to Mom frying fish roe in the large cast iron skillet. Cletus - try cranberry juice. Drink it, don't play with it. SINS |
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Subject: RE: BS: How to serve caviar? From: ddw Date: 31 Jan 02 - 09:32 PM Thanks, MTed. I needed that. I like almost everything on BatGirl's list too, but I draw the line a jellied salt (caviar) and rotten sardines (anchovies). The Yorkshire Tornado loves both, so we have a deal; she doesn't kiss me when she's eating those things and I don't kiss her if I've been eating peanut butter. Works out pretty well. david |
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Subject: RE: BS: How to serve caviar? From: Anahootz Date: 31 Jan 02 - 09:33 PM Bis- Brings back memories. I have been a Lifelong fisherman, especially devoted to steelhead fishing. My favorite bait for steelhead is Silver salmon roe, lightly cured in sugar, salt, and borax...When I first started working as an Ikratchik (caviar maker), I did it for money, not for love or art or any of that crap. It was about the length of my apprenticeship that it took me to get over the fact that I was eating "Bait" every day now. Eeeegh.
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Subject: RE: BS: How to serve caviar? From: M.Ted Date: 31 Jan 02 - 10:12 PM ddw, Sad to say, I am big consumer of Anchovies as well--the budget killer is the Champagne though--because I only like the good stuff-- |
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Subject: RE: BS: How to serve caviar? From: GUEST,CLETUS Date: 31 Jan 02 - 10:20 PM Miztur ANAHOOTZ, sinz Miz Sinsull done gone an tole me ta drink the cranberry juz an you sed thet tha fish eggs izza pissing delicacy an now Miztur Ted an ddw sez thet ya gotta git sum shampain, do yall think we cud eet thet cavvyar with cold duck an ittid still be okay? CLETUS |
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Subject: RE: BS: How to serve caviar? From: ddw Date: 31 Jan 02 - 10:37 PM That's OK, MTed. I didn't want to kiss you anyway. david |
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Subject: RE: BS: How to serve caviar? From: mack/misophist Date: 31 Jan 02 - 11:07 PM There was once a woman whose father was a lead dancer with the Bolshoi. She was born on a ferry boat in the middle of the river (Amur?), crossing into Sinkiang, China to escape the revolution. Her father loved caviar and had old time czarist tastes, so this is the real skinny, folks. Buy the most of the best you can afford; there IS a difference in taste! Finely chopped boiled egg with a touch of binder is ok. She never mentioned onions but Russians tend to like green onions. Cucumber side dishes are good too. Above all, keep it ICE COLD. Use small plates or bowls on crushed ice. It's salted and partially dried so it probably won't go bad. Cold enhances the taste and fussing over it increases the mystique. Serve with the smallest spoons you can get your hands on. |
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Subject: RE: BS: How to serve caviar? From: Haruo Date: 31 Jan 02 - 11:16 PM I'd much rather have a nice tobiko or other fishegg nigiri sushi than even the finest beluga caviar, but almost every day I pass by caviar.com on the way to work, and they may have some ideas that haven't surfaced here yet. Liland |
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Subject: RE: BS: How to serve caviar? From: Kaleea Date: 01 Feb 02 - 01:03 AM Kim, Anahootz is on the right track. Serve the caviar on simple round crackers (not ritz, but ones you might find recommended by the shopkeeper). Serve it cold from a small bowl nestled in a larger bowl if ice. Have some neufchatel cheese (cream cheese is OK) softened and waiting for easy spreading. One may use small metal knives for the cheese, but not for the caviar. Purchase the best quality caviar and either good Vodka or Champagne (not sparkling white wine) which your budget allows. Some folks emjoy having a couple of small bowls of other things to pile on the crackers such as small slices of chilled fresh fish--some like a strong flavor such as salmon, others prefer a milder white fish; perhaps some lemon zest (the lemon rind very thinly sliced or curled with a zester), some like a bit of fresh parsley. Also, think of something you might eat later to give your palate a less fishy taste (fish breath is not exactly, ahem, sexy). Perhaps some light finger deserts? |
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Subject: RE: BS: How to serve caviar? From: Chip2447 Date: 01 Feb 02 - 02:46 AM The best way to serve caviar?....Use a tennis racket. I'm with Allan C. Too bad I got beat to the Tom Hanks and "BIG" scene. Chip2447 making the yucky face... |
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Subject: RE: BS: How to serve caviar? From: Gervase Date: 01 Feb 02 - 05:04 AM Another good way to serve caviar is on a baked potato with sour cream - just bake the spud, let it cool just a bit, break it open, dollpp on some cream and a good mound of caviar and you've got something fit for the gods. Anahootz is right about metal utensils, though - silver and iron react with the caviar to give a nasty metallic taste. Use a glass or horn spoon - or plastic, come to that. If caviar's out of your price bracket (and in the UK it usually is), salmon eggs are a cheaper alternative. Or for the bargain-basement approach, try lumpfish roe - most delis have it in little glass jars. It's excellent on scrambled eggs (as, indeed, are anchovies, which go to make Scotch Woodcock, one of the great savouries and a good rival to Welsh Rarebit). |
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Subject: RE: BS: How to serve caviar? From: gnu Date: 01 Feb 02 - 05:26 AM I always thought it quite a coincidence that "real sturgeon caviar" comes from one of the ugliest fish in fresh waters. First time I saw one, I was glad I had never eaten caviar. |
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Subject: RE: BS: How to serve caviar? From: Dave Bryant Date: 01 Feb 02 - 07:03 AM Caviar comes from the vigin sturgeon The virgin sturgeon's a very fine fish The virgin sturgeon needs no urgin' That's why caviar's a very rare dish |
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Subject: RE: BS: How to serve caviar? From: Kim C Date: 01 Feb 02 - 12:01 PM Is that Ogden Nash, perchance? Thanks y'all, lots of ideas. As Mister and I have lived together 13 years thru bad and good, fish-egg breath is really not an issue. ;-) I do like onions, so I will probably have some out. Mister has decided on champagne for the beverage. (Neither of us is a large consumer of spirits, except for good rum or Irish whiskey). For supper we are having chicken paprikash, potato-mushroom croquettes, and a nice green salad. Any ideas for dessert? And I will freely confess, I like anchovies too. I only discovered this last Thanksgiving, when Mister's uncle convinced me to try some on pizza. By themselves they are a little startling - but with pizza, or finely chopped in a salad, they're not too bad. |
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Subject: RE: BS: How to serve caviar? From: E.T. Date: 01 Feb 02 - 12:56 PM I'm in favor of cheesecake for dessert (cream cheese, not jello). Or shortbread. In reading old novels I have found that strawberries with whipped cream-powdered sugar and champagne, and strawberries with brown sugar and sour cream/creme fraiche have been trading places as "elegant" and "peasant food" for the last century. So I say - serve the caviar any way you want. Just explain to guests that this is the "noveau" way to serve it. Or better yet, print this out and hang it by the serving table. I'll bet they all get a giggle and maybe a little education(I sure did - thanks for brightening my day!!!) Elaine |
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Subject: RE: BS: How to serve caviar? From: MMario Date: 01 Feb 02 - 01:10 PM Lots of stuff swap places from "sophisticated" to "rustic" and vice versa. Of course sometimes they just change the names - such as "polenta" sounding so much better then "corn meal mush" and "risotto" sounding better then "rice gruel" |
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Subject: RE: BS: How to serve caviar? From: Fortunato Date: 01 Feb 02 - 01:48 PM My personal favorite for the presentation of caviar is the following: Obtain Two ice buckets filled 1 fifth ice cold Stoli (vodka) 1 small wooden spoon 4-5 Ounces Beluga Two shot glasses
Procedure 1) Place the vodka in bucket A |
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Subject: RE: BS: How to serve caviar? From: Bat Goddess Date: 01 Feb 02 - 05:59 PM Anyone else use anchovy paste for erotic purposes? (Just asking . . .) Linn |
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Subject: RE: BS: How to serve caviar? From: catspaw49 Date: 01 Feb 02 - 06:37 PM .........Uh, Chance?........That post of yours reminds me of an old joke ending in the punchlines: Hey!! That's not my navel!! Yeah, well, it ain't my finger either.... Spaw |
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Subject: RE: BS: How to serve caviar? From: RichM Date: 01 Feb 02 - 08:52 PM I'm not a caviar fan -- unless it's served freshly squeezed from a live sturgeon! |