Black Caviar

2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29

Black caviar is one of the most expensive foods in the world, which is why it is no coincidence that it is called the food of kings. This type of caviar is a symbol of luxury and abundance and is often likened to black diamonds. Black caviar is harvested only from the sturgeon family. Sturgeon as a fish does not have special taste qualities, but the eggs obtained from it are at the price of gold.

There are 24 species of sturgeon, 5 of which live in the Caspian Sea, but only 4 produce edible caviar. The most famous of these 4 species of sturgeon is the beluga. An interesting fact is that the caviar makes up about 25% of the beluga's weight.

Female belugas reach sexual maturity at about the age of 25, but do not spawn every year. In captivity, the beluga can reach sexual maturity in about 7 years, but only in the presence of high-protein food and appropriate water temperature.

Beluga caviar differs from other species in its color and size, and its taste is extremely soft and delicate. Connoisseurs of gourmet foods describe it as unique, resembling the taste of nuts. Of all the species, beluga caviar has the largest size, with grains about 5-6 mm. For comparison, the caviar from other fish reaches 1.3 mm.

The price of black caviar is really not for every pocket. Artificial fish caviar costs about 1,500 euros per kilogram, while the price of free beluga caviar exceeds 2,000 euros.

History of black caviar

Photo: Izismile

If you think that black caviar consumed very soon, you will be surprised. The earliest records of caviar consumption date back to the 13th century. They are connected with the grandson of Genghis Khan - Batu Khan.

Five centuries later, a very interesting event took place. Louis XV throws in the face of the unsuspecting Peter the Great the unpleasant fish eggs with which the Russian tsar tries to entertain Louis as a sign of good will. The French king did not even suspect that this would be one of the most expensive foods in the world, which few are lucky enough to try. Nowadays, black caviar is an exquisite delicacy for royalty.

The truth is that in the past, black caviar was not properly valued and one of the reasons is the fact that people simply did not know how to store it. The climate in the Caspian Sea region (where it was mined) is very warm and the caviar spoils very quickly, causing massive severe poisoning. This is the reason why they even consider it a cursed food. Over the years, however, they began to assimilate the intricacies of its storage. To extend the shelf life, the fish eggs are heavily salted and then transferred to wooden barrels.

The Russians and Persians were the first to promote black caviar around the world. In the 16th century, it was consumed all the way to America, but it was not considered a gourmet food, but rather a low-quality food for the poor.

Until the mid-1980s, the USSR ranked first in industrial sturgeon fishing. In the Caspian Sea region, 28,000 tons of sturgeon were caught, from which about 2,500 tons of black caviar were obtained. This is about 90% of the entire caviar market in the world, which makes the Soviet Union a complete monopoly on the export of priceless caviar. However, since the break-up of the Union, things have changed.

As early as the 1950s, the sturgeon population began to decline, and poaching was the other reason for the fish's extinction. This requires a change in the market and the development of aquaculture. However, breeding sturgeon in artificial conditions is not as easy as, for example, in salmon.

Nowadays, the largest producers of black caviar are China and Saudi Arabia, and the caviar is produced in an artificial environment. Interestingly, Iran is a leader in wild caviar supplies for two reasons. The first is that there is no ban on sturgeon hunting, and the second is that Iranians do not consume this delicacy. A fact that is explained by the Qur'an, which forbids Muslims to eat fish without scales.

Black caviar in cooking

Black caviar is served in small plates, which are placed on a plate with ice and decorated with a slice of lemon. It can be consumed with a teaspoon without any additives. It is often served on rusks, bread, maybe in a pancake.

Another option is to spread a little on the bread, put black caviar, sprinkle with lemon juice and it is ready to eat. The caviar should not be spread on the bread, because in this way the small grains will crack and release their priceless liquid, which is the greatest pleasure of the palate.

There are a variety of extravagant ways to serve caviar - with cheese, pineapple, raisins or even pieces of vegetables. It is good to note that the caviar is never tried with a silver spoon, because silver will spoil its fine taste.

The quality of black caviar can be easily recognized - when opening the can on the surface, the fish eggs are glued to each other, forming a thin layer of ice. This is exactly what high-quality black caviar should look like.

Benefits of black caviar

Black caviar is a refined and very useful food that is full of nutrients. It is composed of 25% protein, 50% water and about 17% fat. It is rich in phosphorus, vitamins A, E, C and D, amino acids, lysine and many others.

Caviar is believed to have a positive effect on brain function, increase immunity and reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. The vitamins in caviar slow down the aging process in the body.

Caviar is an extremely nutritious food, and 100 g of it contains about 280 calories. For this reason, people who follow a weight loss regimen should limit its consumption.

Beautification with black caviar

Black caviar is not only a refined and healthy food, but also an exceptional ally in the fight against skin aging. As in cooking and cosmetics, black caviar products are not cheap at all, but the result is amazing.

When using products that also contain black caviar, the skin is loaded with a number of nutrients. In cosmetics, the percentage of this caviar is between 0.5 and 5%, and this wide range is explained by the fact that in creams and masks there are more caviar than in tonics, for example.

Black caviar extract activates the process of producing its own elastin and collagen, which prevents the appearance of wrinkles, smoothes the skin and gives a radiant look.