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.

Personally, I'm not a big fan of caviar, although it does give a certain impressive air to parties and the quality of the American product has increased significantly over the past few years, meaning that good-quality caviar is often available at a reasonable price for those who do like it. If you are thinking about serving caviar at any of your holiday parties, you might want to take a look at the Caviar and Bubbles brochure from Schramsberg Vineyards. It was produced in conjunction with the Tsar Nicoulai Caviar Company and is a guide to pairing champagne, specifically six Schramsberg blends, with caviar. Three different types of caviar are recommended for each champagne. The Brut Rosé, for example, pairs with the Beet and Saffron Whitefish, Truffled Tiger-Eyed Whitefish and/or Gold Pearl Trout. The guide is available both as a PDF and can be ordered through the mail from Schramsberg.

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]

We're getting into the final chapters at the School of Fish, and as always, I save the best for last. Fish eggs, roe, caviar, whatever you choose to call it, isn't my favorite, so you know there's something awesome coming soon.

Many are familiar with the tiny, crunchy orange eggs that are added as a garnish to many of the rolls that are wrapped "inside out" (with the rice on the outside). These are either tobiko, flying fish eggs, or masago, smelt eggs. Tobiko are sightly larger (though not as large as salmon eggs, ikura, which will be covered separately). Sometimes, chefs "dye" the fish eggs a greenish tiny with the use of wasabi. Though they are garnish, these can be ordered as sushi in an of themselves, as pictured. The raw quail egg is, of course, optional.

Previous lessons at the School of Fish:
Saba - holy mackerel!
Hirame - white fish, sometimes halibut
Tai and Suzuki - snapper and sea bass
Maguro - tuna
Toro - fatty belly of tuna
Shiro Maguro - "white" tuna, aka albacore
Ahi tuna
Hamachi - amberjack, aka yellowtail
Sake - salmon
Gai - the bivalves, i.e.clams, scallops, and oysters
Ebi - shrimp
Ika and Tako - squid and octopus
Kani - crab