Sevruga Caviar
Sevruga caviar comes from the sevruga sturgeon, the smallest of the sturgeon family, measuring approximately 1.5m long and weighing up to 25kg. It has the strongest flavor of all sturgeon caviars. In addition, as the sevruga sturgeon is the least rare of the three types of sturgeon (the other two being beluga and osetra), it means sevruga caviar is more abundant and, as a consequence, less expensive than other caviars.
The sturgeon is a prehistoric fish that's believed to have been around for about 250 million years It's anad romous, meaning it migrates from saltwater to spawn in freshwater. There are 24 major species of sturgeon in existence today, mainly in the Caspian Sea, although their numbers are being adversely affected by over-fishing and pollution. The fish can live for 100 years and grow to a weight of 3000 pounds.
It's believed that caviar dates as far back as 2400 BC. Evidence suggests that the Egyptians and Phoenicians salted and pickled fish eggs to preserve them through war, famine, and long sea trips.
Some believe that it may have been the Turkish who first used the term "khavyar," from which the English word "caviar" originates; although others believe that the word caviar originates from the Persian term "chav-jar" meaning "cake of power" or "piece of power."
Medieval England held the sturgeon in high regard: it was proclaimed a "royal fish" by Kind Edward II. And the French are believed to have enjoyed caviar as early as 1553. In the US, many states were producing caviar by the end of the 19th century, before over-fishing almost obliterated stocks.
There are a number of ways in which the eggs (roe) are extracted from the sturgeon in the production of caviar, although all involve removing the whole egg sack and then separating the eggs. Salt is used to act as a preservative in the preparation and to help cure and make the eggs firmer. After salt has been added, excess liquid is removed and the caviar is packed and ready for distribution. Alternative production methods include pasteurization and presang, the latter being used for broken or overly mature eggs.
When buying sevruga caviar it's important to remember that it's categorized by fish species and graded on a number of criteria including size, color, fragrance, and flavor. Under US Food and Drug Administration rules, only roe from the sturgeon can be classified as caviar.
Caviar has become a symbol of luxury and is regarded as a gourmet food. It's possible, however, to obtain the best when buying sevruga caviar online. Look for caviar packaged in a red tin or jar (this color usually denotes sevruga caviar). If the term "malossol" is stated on the jar, this refers to how it was processed, the literal translation for malossol being 'little salt.
