"beluga" news and stories

Well, here's a holiday I won't be celebrating.

Today is National Caviar Day. I know that caviar doesn't have to be just for rich people anymore, but I can't help but think that they're the only people who will celebrate this day -- riding around in limos, wearing their tuxedos and tiaras, eating Beluga caviar and lighting their cigars with burning ten dollar bills (sorry, I get all my knowledge of wealthy people from old TV shows and Richie Rich comic books).

Or maybe this is the day when the rest of us can try caviar for the first time. And by "us," I mean "you," because there is no way I'm trying fish eggs. Maybe you can try that recipe in the pic above. It's a Swedish favorite, a sandwich made with hard boiled eggs and cod roe caviar in a tube.

Caviar is synonymous with class and elegance, even though it is such a small thing. While it sounds exotic, I have recently noticed that it is becoming more and more common. I'm not referring to banned beluga or other imported caviars, but to domestic ones. I recently saw caviar offered for sale in the refrigerator case at my local Trader Joe's and the caviar in the photo above is a domestic from the Seattle Caviar Company, which deals with both imported options and with domestics. Luxist offers us a wealth of caviar options at a variety of prices, including a vegetarian option. To impress with caviar without breaking the bank, try looking at the domestics. A high quality domestic will be less expensive and just a delicious as an imported caviar.

Perhaps not surprisingly, caviar tastes fishy, so  it's best to serve it to guests who like fish. One of the great benefits of serving it is that there is no cooking required - except for the use of a toaster. I like to make toast soldiers, which are strips of toasted whole wheat bread, and dab the end with sour cream, creme fraiche or mascarpone cheese. Top the cheese with a bit of caviar, or let the guests do it themselves. Be sure to leave one end of the toast uncovered, so they're easy to handle.

[Photo by Nicole Weston]

Thanks to our swanky friends over at Luxist, we were alerted to the ban on worldwide caviar trade by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), and this just after the US banned import of caviar from the Caspian Sea. The New York Times had more detailed information yesterday about the reasons behind the ban as well as the 10 countries it affects, but the best story so far has been from the UK's Guardian. Tim Dowling gives the bourgie some other options for luxury items now that caviar won't be available at all - foetal peppers with your line caught mackerel eyes, anyone?