Caviar should not only be reserved for special occasions. Instead, it needs to be eaten a lot more often considering how many health benefits it has to offer you.
Most people think that caviar should be reserved for fancy parties in posh restaurants and served alongside champagne.
How wrong! You need to try it without any of its traditional accompaniments while chilling at your home as you catch up with your favorite show, just as you eat popcorn.
Caviar is so easy to enjoy and it doesn’t really matter how you eat it.
Health benefits…
Caviar is greatly overlooked as a natural source of omega-3 fatty acids that we need in our bodies.
Research has linked the omega-3 fatty acids, particularly EPA and DHA to lower levels of infertility, depression, cardiovascular and brain health.
Generally, fish is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids which seem to be more concentrated in the gonads. That’s why it makes sense that if you don’t really like fish or are allergic to it, caviar would be a good and healthy alternative.
For the best tasting and best value caviar, make sure that it’s bright, clear, and firm so that it almost looks like capsules. Another thing about good caviar is that it should smell like the ocean – salty and bright
More affordable alternatives to caviar…
Caviar tends to get more expensive with age because the longer it ages the stronger its flavor gets and so does the grade. Good caviar is nutty with a slightly subtle taste and doesn’t have lots of fish flavor.
But what do you do if you’re craving caviar but don’t feel like you should go bankrupt trying to pay for the good stuff?
The good news is that there are a number of alternatives that are more affordable.
Domestic farmed salmon eggs and whitefish eggs are milder and mellower versions of high-end caviar that taste pleasantly of the sea.
These domestic salmon and whitefish roes are tiny and crunchy. They offer caviar lovers an affordable way to add a special touch to simple foods.
Although vegetarian caviar isn’t real caviar, it looks and tastes just like caviar. However, it’s far less expensive than real caviar. It’s made seaweed and then it is colored and flavored.
Some varieties of vegetarian caviar are free of cholesterol and calories. Even though it’s not real caviar, vegetarian caviar may be used as a caviar substitute.
Harvesting, processing, and storing caviar…
In very simple terms, caviar refers to the ripe eggs of any female fish that haven’t yet been fertilized. The eggs are separated from their egg sack, washed, salted, and eaten. But true caviar only comes from sturgeon. This roe has risen to royalty status becoming an A-list appetizer.
The size, texture, and flavor of caviar depend on the fish from which it has been harvested.
The method of processing and preservation also affects its texture and flavor. Also, timing is everything when it comes to caviar.
The eggs are taut and more flavorful exactly three days before the female is ready to spawn. If the eggs are harvested too early, the eggs will be gooey with fat and won’t give off the trademark “pop” sound when chewed. On the other hand, if the eggs are harvested too late, they are a milky and mushy mess.
To get the freshest caviar, the harvesting has to be done manually in a very delicate process that seems quite cruel. The sturgeon gets stunned by a bonk in the head while it’s still alive. The head splits open and the ovaries get harvested and later empties for their contents.
The harvesting needs to be done very carefully to avoid damaging the ovaries and eggs.
Once the ovaries are opened, they’re gently rubbed over a mesh screen to separate the eggs from the membrane to which they’re attached.
The eggs go through the mesh and drop into a shallow tub where they’re washed using cold water and salted. The eggs are left to soak for a few hours and by the time they’re drained, the eggs are now caviar.
Slightly salted caviar (less than 3 percent) is known as malossol while that whose salt content is higher (8 percent) is known as semi-preserved caviar. Caviar with more than 10 percent salt levels is known as payusnaya and keeps for up to 3 months.
Caviar is preserved in air-tight containers and generally stays fresh in there for about 2-4 weeks.
Some caviar may also be pasteurized as a way of preserving it and also making sure that any food-borne pathogens are eliminated. The end-product is shelf-stable and can last a year without refrigeration even as it’s being shipped. Unpasteurized caviar must remain chilled during shipping.
Final word
Caviar is a highly sought-after and expensive commodity that’s seasoned with mystique. It has become a status symbol that is revered worldwide for its delicate taste and texture.
Caviar is not only beneficial to us when we eat it. It’s also used as an ingredient for cosmetics and confections. It’s not unusual for you to notice creamy caviar-laced confections and facial creams.
All this is thanks to the fact that caviar offers some skin firming properties. Some creams lighten the skin so you should be careful when you go shopping.
About The Author:
Dorine Njatha is a passionate writer, which, considering you’re reading this, makes perfect sense. She has, for the past four years, enjoyed writing authentic content that captivates readers and delivers clients’ vision into words. But never at the expense of providing an entertaining read. A lot of her SEO articles focus on balancing an informative aspect with SEO needs to help your Google search rankings surge.
