Caviar

A can of black Iranian caviar

Caviar is the processed, salted roe of various species of fish, most notably sturgeon. It is commercially marketed throughout the world as a delicacy and is eaten principally as a garnish or spread, as with hors d'oeuvres. The name caviar comes from the Persian word خاگ‌آور (Khag-avar) which means "the roe-generator". This name in Persian is actually used to denote the sturgeon itself and its product, the roe.

Today the best caviar comes from sturgeon fished from the Caspian Sea by Iran and Russia. Some of the highest prices are paid for Beluga, Ossetra, and Sevruga varieties (note that the large-grained Beluga caviar comes from the Beluga sturgeon and has nothing to do with the Beluga whale). The rare, golden Sterlet caviar was once the favorite of czars, shahs and emperors, but the species is now nearly extinct. Dwindling yields due to overfishing and pollution have resulted in less costly alternatives, processed from the roe of whitefish and North Atlantic salmon, becoming popular. The word "malossol" on the label means "little salt" in Russian, and indicates that it has been processed with a minimum amount of salt.

In the early 1900s, both Canada and the United States were major suppliers of caviar to Europe, harvesting the eggs from Lake sturgeon in the midwest and from Shortnose sturgeon and Atlantic sturgeon that spawned in East coast rivers. However, today the Shortnose sturgeon is listed as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List of endangered species and as Endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

In recent years the aquaculture of sturgeon has been increasing, especially in France, Uruguay and Southern California. In recent years paddlefish and hackleback caviar have gained in popularity. These lower priced caviars are also from the sturgeon family. Recently the amount of allowed wild harvesting is being reduced, driving the price upward.

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service banned the import of Beluga caviar from the Caspian Sea in September 2005 in an attempt to protect the endangered Beluga sturgeon. A month later, it extended the ban to Beluga caviar from the Black Sea basin for similar reasons.

Due to its high price, it is synonymous in Western culture with luxury and wealth in the same way that personal jets, yachts, and mansions are commonly regarded. In Russia and other cultures, though an expensive delicacy, it is a common part of celebrations such as wedding and holiday feasts.

Serving must be done with either horn, wood or gold utensils (mother-of-pearl and plastic are also common), rather than silver, which would alter the taste of the caviar.

Commercial caviar production normally involves killing the fish and extracting the ovaries, although a number of farmers are experimenting with surgical removal of the roe from live sturgeon, allowing the females to produce more eggs during their lifespans. Caviar is an animal product and not considered to be vegetarian for this reason. However there is a soy based caviar that is vegetarian on the market.

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