Why is caviar from catfish called “mock caviar”? Aren’t all fish eggs caviar?

Answer 1:

Only sturgeon roe may be termed authentic caviar, and there are many varieties of sturgeon roe depending on which sturgeon the roe originates from.

A good roe takes years, if not decades, to mature: it might take up to 30 years from the time the fish is reared to the time it is processed into true caviar.

Caviar is one of the world’s most costly delicacies. It’s served with a mother-of-pearl or gold spoon, cooled on ice in the original can or in a crystal bowl, in line with the tradition.

Unfortunately, ordinary silver or another metal will not work since the black pearls will react with it and leave an awful aftertaste. As a drink, champagne or well-chilled vodka is preferred.

Real beluga caviar can cost anywhere from $ 3,200 to $4,500 per pound. White caviar, made from the eggs of albino sturgeon with congenital pigment abnormalities, is the pinnacle of luxury.

Only about 22 pounds are produced every year throughout the world, yet the pale yellow eggs cost well over $ 15,000 per pound.

The beluga sturgeon produces the most costly caviar. The creatures may weigh over a ton and reach lengths of over 4 meters. The dark gray Beluga caviar features huge, delicate-skinned grains with a diameter of roughly 3.5 mm.

The grain of Osetra caviar is a little smaller, and the bite is harder. Its nutty fragrance is unrivaled by any other form of caviar, according to connoisseurs.

The grains range in hue from pale yellow to brownish or anthracite. The Osetra sturgeon weighs roughly a tenth of a beluga’s weight, or around 220 pounds (100 kilograms), and is only around 6.5 feet (2 meters) long.

The Sternhausen, a tiny sturgeon family member, produces Sevruga caviar. It produces a small-grain roe with a strong spicy scent. This sturgeon species is most widely employed for caviar production in European breeding facilities.

What if I told you that

Caviar may be manufactured from any non-toxic fish in the same way as sturgeon caviar is made – salt fish eggs and pasteurize if necessary to improve shelf life. Vegan gourmets, for example, may conjure up caviar-like dishes from plant-based marine life.

Answer 2:

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Caviar is generally reserved for Beluga strurgeon, although it, like champagne and Vaseline, is now widely misunderstood.

The most costly caviar is ‘Almas,’ which comes from the Iranian Beluga fish; 1 kilogram (2 lb 3 oz) of this ‘black gold’ sells for £20,000 (about $34,500) when it’s available.

Wild American sturgeon provide the hackleback or paddlefish caviar. Hackleback is a decent replacement for osetra caviar, and it’s a bit less expensive than Almas. It has a nutty aftertaste and is black.

Shad roe is one of my particular east coast favorites, which you can find now if you seek for it – like ramps, shad roe is a springtime delicacy that signals the start of the season. Shad roe is only accessible for a brief time each year, generally around March, in fish markets and select specialist food stores (but the shad roe season can be anywhere from February to May, depending on the location along the coast). Shad is difficult to get by later in the season on the East Coast, whereas it is plentiful but not as excellent on the West Coast in June. – There are many recipes for it, but I love it as a side dish with ramps and chicken eggs.