Would you like to try caviar but are afraid of not knowing how to do it? Do you want to offer caviar to your guests? Here we show you how to present and taste this wonderful product like a connoisseur. What are you tasting?
First of all, let your guests know what they are tasting: which species does this caviar come from? How long does that species take to produce its first caviar? Where does the species come from? What flavors, size, and texture should I expect to experience? Answering these questions will entertain your guests and prepare them to appreciate the caviar in all its dimensions. First and foremost, caviar comes from a fish called sturgeon, a fish that has inhabited the Earth for more than 250 million years, with 27 known subspecies. If it is Kenoz Caviar, you know you are tasting Oscietra or Ossetra Caviar (Acipenser Gueldenstaedtii), one of the most highly prized caviar species, which originates from the Caspian, Black, and Azov seas. This species takes approximately 8 years to mature and produce caviar. It is characterized by a variety of flavors that combine dried fruits/nuts, butter, and marine notes, with unique nuances in each harvest. Set the stage for your tasting.
Present the caviar on a container filled with crushed ice (this will bring the temperature up from 0º to 7ºC, which is perfect for tasting). Include the tool you will use to open the tin and mother-of-pearl spoons in the presentation, to serve the caviar without oxidizing its flavor. To one side, you can place small shot glasses, blinis, and the accompaniments you would like to pair with the caviar later (we will recommend some below). Begin by preparing the caviar and the palate. Open the caviar tin using the opener or a similar tool (if you like having all the utensils to enjoy the caviar experience, we offer a beautiful opener that does an excellent job): hold the tin firmly, place the opener in the slot beneath the lid of the caviar tin, press hard, and twist the opener until the vacuum-sealed lid comes loose. If you do not have a special opener, you can pry it open with a clean coin or something similar to a blunt knife.
Once opened, you can take some time to observe and display its color, size, and the uniformity of the eggs. In particular, a dark olive color predominates in our Oscietra Caviar, occasionally showing a beautiful amber or golden sheen; we work with sizes between 2.8 and 3.2 mm, and it is a very uniform caviar in shape because it comes from a single female (it is not mixed). If you want to learn about more characteristics to look for in caviar like a connoisseur, you can read this article.
Next, invite everyone to cleanse their palates of other flavors that might alter the taste of the caviar or prevent them from fully appreciating it. To do this, a shot of vodka is traditionally taken (the Russian way), or chamomile tea as a non-alcoholic option. If you are looking for another type of drink, like champagne or pisco, they should be dry (low in sugar) with neutral flavors and aromas. Swish the drink around your palate and the entire oral cavity. This is meant to cleanse the palate, which is why it is only done before the tasting. Now you are ready to taste the caviar. Time to taste!
Gently hold the caviar container and use the mother-of-pearl spoon to scoop a small mound of eggs to serve on the back of your guest's clenched hand, as shown in the photo. While admiring the shape, color, and size of the eggs, the caviar will adapt to body temperature. Once you stop feeling the coldness of the caviar (about 20 seconds later), you can bring it to your mouth, play with the pearls along your palate, and gently press your tongue against the roof of your mouth to make them burst, releasing their flavor. You can immediately begin to look for notes of dried fruits/nuts (hazelnut, almonds, or walnuts), dairy flavors (butter or parmesan cheese), marine tones, forest floor, and herbs. In particular, our Oscietra Caviar tends to have distinct notes of hazelnut, butter, and sea breeze. Repeat the process again, as the first tasting will not be as intense as the second or third. This is where you will be able to identify the specific notes of each caviar more closely. After the first bite, your palate is already prepared to receive more caviar, and there is no need to keep cleansing it with vodka. Let's play with pairings.
Once you have tasted the caviar on its own, you can begin combining it with other flavors. Eggs in all their forms are an excellent companion; acidic flavors (like a good sour cream or lemon), shallots, and parsley also pair beautifully. All of these can be presented on blinis—a traditional Russian pancake perfectly suited for pairing with caviar thanks to its softness and neutral flavor. To find the recipe for blinis and sour cream, click here. If you want to top a dish with caviar, fresh pastas are highly recommended, as well as caviar over boiled potatoes or potato blinis, oysters and scallops, avocado, and acorn-fed Iberian ham (jamón de bellota), among others. You just have to experiment! You are now an expert at tasting caviar! We invite you now to sharpen your senses to have an increasingly intense and rich caviar experience. Tell us how it went and tag us on our Instagram @kenoz_caviar.
