During the holiday season we indulge in the finer things. We eat decadent foods and sip fancy drinks. Hence the classic holiday combo of Champagne and caviar.

But for those of us who don’t eat caviar on a regular basis, we can feel a little lost. How do we know what we’re buying? And what do we do with it when we get home?

A Little Caviar History

Caviar—the salt-cured roe of the sturgeon—has been an international delicacy for centuries, often served with great fanfare at royal banquets in Europe and Russia.

In 1873, a German immigrant to the U.S. named Henry Schach decided to take advantage of the abundant sturgeon in the Delaware River, and began exporting caviar to Europe. By the end of the 19th century, the U.S. was exporting 90% of the world’s caviar. Restaurants and bars in America sold servings of caviar for a nickel to encourage drinking.

This caviar-loving frenzy led to the overfishing of sturgeon both here and abroad. Today caviar is a luxury good that most of us enjoy on special occasions, which is a shame. Because caviar pairs well with all kinds of everyday foods, from scrambled eggs to pizza.

Choices, Choices, Choices

For the holidays, we’ve brought in a nice selection of caviar from Sasanian Caviar, a leading source of high-quality imported and American caviar. If you’re new to caviar, or aren’t familiar with this year’s varieties, stop by the Meat & Seafood counter. We love to talk caviar!

Here’s what we’ve got in the case at our Woodstock store:

Classic Osetra

Unique, clean, sweet, crisp, with a nutty flavor. Produced by fresh sustainable sturgeon, with small to medium-size dark pearls.

Royal Osetra

Raised in pristine settings. Freshest and highest-grade caviar. Its pearls are firm with a smooth nutty flavor.

Siberian Baerii

Produced by sustainable Siberian sturgeon. Delightful, creamy texture and crisp flavor.

Fresh Alaskan Salmon

Known as “red caviar.” High in flavor and nutrients. Features large, vibrant pearls and a hint of the sea.

Tobiko Sushi Caviar

Available in three varieties: red, orange, and wasabi.  Crisp and crunchy.

Here’s what’s available for pre-order at our Woodstock store:

Imperial Osetra

Sasanian’s scarcest caviar. Golden pearls, smooth buttery taste, and fresh crisp aroma of the sea.

Russian Osetra

Clean taste with a hint of the sea and a delightful finish.

Premium Sturgeon

Medium in size and unbelievably smooth and crisp.

American Black

Small, jet black pearls with a big flavor.

Trout

Large, glistening pearls with a subtle flavor. Produced by rainbow trout.

Smoked Trout

Smoked with a delicate mixture of apple and oak wood.

How to Serve Your Caviar

Create a caviar board featuring blinis and accoutrements. We have French Mini Blinis and Russian Cocktail Blinis in store and online. Or you can make your own at home. Here’s how to make two different styles of blini.

For the board, all you need is caviar, chopped eggs, minced capers, minced red onion, and crème fraiche. Check out this terrific article that walks you through the process of making your own blinis and designing your DIY caviar board.

Oh, and don’t forget the Champagne!