Beluga caviar is the roe (or eggs) of the Beluga sturgeon, a fish found in the Black Sea of southeastern Europe. Until 2007, Beluga caviar was banned in the United States because the fish was deemed to be endangered. Today, a small amount of Beluga caviar is allowed to be imported. Beluga caviar is eaten chilled, accompanied by toast points, shredded egg, onion and capers.
Instructions
1. Shop online. A number of gourmet food websites sell Beluga caviar. Among the best of these are igourmet.com, icaviar.com and Gourmet Foodstore.com. Expect to pay over $150 per ounce.
2. Browse gourmet food stores. Regional luxury food stores are likely to stock (or be able to order) Beluga caviar. In addition, specialty caviar stores, such as Caviar Russe and Petrossian in midtown Manhattan, offer a selection of fresh caviars to go. Be sure to also pick up a bottle of Champagne and capers, eggs and onions to accompany the caviar.
3. Make sure that you're buying authentic Beluga caviar. True Beluga caviar is a large-grained, black-brown roe. In addition, Beluga from Russia is a protected designation, much like Champagne from France. Buying Beluga imported from Russia ensures that you are getting the genuine product.
4. Plan a trip to Russia. The majority of the world's Beluga caviar comes from Russia and the countries surrounding the Black Sea. Beluga caviar, in Russia, is sold for about five percent of the price that it commands in the United States. A caviar shopping trip to southern Russia might just pay for itself.
Tags: Beluga caviar, from Russia, food stores, gourmet food, United States