Posts Tagged ‘Russia’
Beluga Caviar in Your Future
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The ban on beluga caviar in America has not stopped the Europeans or those in the Middle East from enjoying this delicacy. There are many theories as to why this particular caviar is the most enjoyable to eat of all the caviars in the world including every other type of sturgeon caviar.
The Beluga sturgeon is the only carnivore of all the sturgeons in the world that still exist. This might account for it also being the largest of its species. It can grow to over 20 feet in length and weigh over 3,400 pounds. Near the beginning of the last century this caviar accounted for over 40% of all caviar processed and enjoyed around the world. Since the ban on beluga caviar began in 2005 along the sharp decline in its population in the Caspian Sea, it now only accounts for less than 1% of what is processed and enjoyed.
The countries that still operate in the trade of beluga caviar include Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Romania, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Ukraine. Of these Iran, Azerbaijan and Russia are the three largest.
The beluga sturgeon can also be found in the Black Sea and Adriatic Sea, but the market only seems to have a taste for the Caspian Sea variety. The only logical reason is the diet and the water.
Beluga Caviar is dark black when it is from a younger mother. The color lightens to grey and then white as the fish reaches the 100 year old plateau. This white caviar is called Almas, which is Persian for diamond. When you can locate a tin of this white beluga caviar, you can expect to pay over $800 an ounce for it.
You will recognize beluga caviar when it is served because it is a large black roe. This is larger than any other type of sturgeon still alive today. The taste is also unique being a mild buttery flavor. Because of the mild taste and its rarity, it is recommended that it be served on plain thin toast so its full flavor can be enjoyed.
When you can find it, the price per ounce of black beluga caviar will be in the neighborhood of just over $300 an ounce. To find this delicacy, you need to travel to the Middle East or Europe because the ban in American is not expected to be lifted any time soon.
Purchase your caviar by clicking HERE.
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No CommentsRussian Caviar Review
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Just the words Russian caviar makes the mouths of many connoisseurs to water, especially the beluga black caviar. These large black unfertilized eggs that are the most sought after in the world for their delicate flavor.
Today because of the sharp decline in the number of beluga and other sturgeons swimming wild in the Caspian Sea, there is a restricted amount of Russian Caviar that is available on the open market. Russia has imposed a self ban on the amount of caviar they are exporting to the world in an effort to help the population of the sturgeons to recover from the decimation in their numbers from the past decades of over fishing. This has significantly increased the cost of obtaining the precious tins of Russian caviar.
Since the US placed the beluga sturgeon on the endangered species list back in 2005, the importation and distribution of Russian and all other countries that harvest caviar from the Caspian Sea has become illegal.
The caviar from Russia is lightly salted or as it is referred to by connoisseurs, malossol; this helps to preserve the caviar so it can be consumed up to six months after it is placed in the tin. Most recommend it be enjoyed within three months, but either way there is no legal wild Russian caviar in the US because it has been banned for over 6 years now.
The three major producers of beluga caviar are Iran, Azerbaijan and Russia. You can obtain this caviar in parts of Europe and the Middle East where there is no ban on the importation or selling of this delicacy. Luckily for the surviving mother sturgeons, the roe is now being harvested in a more human and practical way. This extraction of the roe without harming the mother sturgeons will help to allow the population to increase overtime.
It will take time for the population of the Caspian Sea sturgeons to recover since it takes up to 20 years for the roe to grow mature enough to breed themselves. For the younger generations, they will be able to see this transpire in their lifetime. This will only occur if safe and practical fishing practices are maintained in the harvesting of the precious roe.
Russian Caviar cannot be replaced or substituted. Just like anything else that is overindulged, there is a price to pay. Kaluga is now being sold as the beluga substitute, but it is not the same as the original black beluga Russian caviar that our fore fathers used to enjoy.
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No CommentsCaviar Prices Fluctuate
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Caviar Prices:
The Caviar prices have only gone upwards in the past 2 decades because of the increasing rarity of this delightful morsel. When you are searching online, be careful what you decide on and do not be fooled by the little tricks many of the websites are now using.
One common misconception is like a site that is advertising Imperial Russian Osetra Caviar for only $150 a half ounce. This type of roe is brown in color but the picture associated with this sample is of black beluga caviar with its large eggs. If you think you will be getting a deal and receive black caviar, you will be disappointed. On this same site the Imperial Russian Sevruga caviar can also be purchases for $140 a half ounce.
Other things that will affect the price of any caviar you purchase are if it is not pasteurized, with no preservatives and a true malossol or with a low salt content. These are the preferred ways most connoisseurs chose to have their caviar. It is also the most perishable type.
The words Tzar, Imperial and black are frequently used but are at time misleading. When there is no mention of the Caspian Sea or the caviar is being imported from Russia, good chances it is not authentic Russian caviar from the Caspian Sea.
As a great example is Black caviar. There is a selection being sold in America only that is going for only $39 for a 2 ounce jar. The source of the roe is American Paddlefish and Hackleback. In addition the black color is from a dye.
The Tzar Imperial Beluga Caviar can be found for $136 an ounce. This is sold as the source being Iranian caviar. Unfortunately there is no mention of the Caspian Sea on the tin.
There is Beluga Caviar being advertise d for $180 an ounce, but again no mention of Russia or the Caspian Sea on the tin. Since there are very few sites even advertising this delicacy, the true origin of this caviar very well could be from a farm since the exportation of Beluga caviar has nearly come to an end in the legal trade of this roe.
At the last report a one ounce tin of real Caspian Sea Beluga caviar was being sold for over $2,000. Because this is a highly perishable item and the trade in Beluga caviar is no longer viable, any tins found that are authentic are too old to be consumed without a health risk.
There are many alternatives to Beluga Caviar and the Caviar prices for these alternatives are within the reach of most people now that farming of sturgeons is being successfully accomplished.
Dom Perignon launches 2003 vintage | Daily wine news – the latest …
There were live videos of the other four venues: New Yorkers were having breakfast, while in London journalists and guests of Dom Perignon were served caviar on beetroot jelly, hot foie gras, saffron risotto and truffled eggs. …
Publish Date: 12/08/2011 6:07
http://www.decanter.com/news/wine-news/529571/truffled-eggs-and-holograms-dom-perignon-launches-2003-vintage
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No CommentsAzerbaijan Caviar Available
The Azerbaijan caviar is from the western side of the Caspian Sea. This is the country that is placed between Russia and Iran on the Caspian Sea and has a thriving caviar business.
The Caspian Fish Company is the only legal producer of caviar inside the borders of Azerbaijan and is owned by the Country’s Minister of Caviar and Juice. This same industry was controlled by the Russian Mafia when the USSR was in power in the region.
The country of Azerbaijan has been a major supplier of beluga caviar to the world for hundreds of years. In the early 1900’s Azerbaijan was exporting 55 tones of caviar annually. During the years under the Soviet Union, an agreement between Iran and the USSR reduced the amount of Azerbaijan caviar legally allowed to be exported to only 5.2 tons annually.
After Azerbaijan obtained its independence in the early 1990’s their caviar production returned to its prior glory. In 1993 they were able to export 52 tones of caviar to the world. In 1999 Azerbaijan joined the Convention for International Trade for Endanger Species and has followed the restrictions on the sales of caviar.
In the year 2001 to 2002 the sturgeon population was reported to be reduced in the Azerbaijan area by 40%.
The problem is the illegal poaching of caviar in the Azerbaijan area that is a major concern of the convention. In 2004 there was a reported 2000 attempts by poachers prevented from harvesting caviar with the recovery of 300kg made.
The coastal patrols are still catching poachers, but their numbers have significantly been reduced in recent years. In 2010 there was only 38 kg if caviar that was confiscated by officials.
To help the population of the sturgeons in the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan has been fertilizing a portion of the roe in their control. In 2010 there was a mass release of these fingerlings into the Caspian Sea. This release will need up to 20 years before it will positively affect the population when they mature.
Today you can still find all three types of Caspian Sea sturgeon caviar available for sale to the public. This is online from Musado Wild Nature. Because of the German imported processing plant opened in Azerbaijan in the early 2000’s, this delicacy can be found in glass jars instead of metal tines.
Want to know about Azerbaijan? Watch this video.
Azerbaijan video short version for the class
My First Project
The sale of Azerbaijan caviar is still limited by the Convention for International Trade for Endanger Species, but you can obtain it legally.
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No CommentsMore on The Current Caviar Price
Caviar Price
The caviar price has changed over the years. Caviar started out as a food source for the people around the Caspian Sea. Once the royalty of Russia took notice of this delicacy, their desire to enjoy this rare food morsel from the sea took over and most of the common people no longer consumed any.
Now we move on to the early 1900’s and America was a vast new source of caviar which was found in the streams and rivers of this vast continent. The supply of caviar was so plentiful that it replaced the beer nuts in bars as free giveaway food. The quality of the caviar was so high that when it was exported to Europe some of it returned repackaged as Russian caviar. This did cause some confusion and in the later parts of the 1900’s, only roe from the beluga, ossetra and sevruga species caught in the Caspian Sea can be labeled as caviar as a result.
Caviar Price by Supply
Today there are caviar suppliers around the world. The label on the can now has to specific it origin. If the name caviar is alone then it is the highest quality Beluga sturgeon roe that originates in the Caspian Sea.
The price of this ancient delicacy has risen in the last couple of decades due to overfishing of the sturgeon in the wild. Because of this a ½ kilogram of Russian beluga caviar will now cost in the range of $2,500 to $3,000. This can still be purchased in bulk from several different suppliers.
Caviar Price by Demand
There is less of a demand for the small but stronger tasting Russian Sevruga. A 2 ounce tin of this roe ranges from $230 to $270. This is also what many suppliers give away to their customers who place large orders. This is generally the restaurants around the world.
The Russian Ossetra Caviar is where the imperial Russian caviar is from. Only 5% of all this roe can meet that high standard. You can find this in a larger 4.5 ounce tin in the price range from $475 to $650.
There are other sources of caviar, but the label on the tin will announce where it is from. The Caviar can be purchased in a 5 ounce can for as little as $120. Salmon Caviar is even less expensive because of the abundant supply and a 5 ounce can is only $20.
The varieties of caviar around the world are many including the really low costing roe of Scandinavia which is from the cod fish. The caviar price you will pay will be determined by the rarity of the species you are about to enjoy.
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No CommentsThis is Our Caviar Blog
The Best Caviar Blog Online
This Caviar Blog has one purpose that is to be a useful tool for anyone who loves the finer things in life. The articles enclosed are on topic of concern for those that love this salty morsel from the Caspian Sea. This will include what other foods go good with caviar, what you should server at a caviar party for your guest to drink along with the availability of caviar and the prices you can expect to pay for the many different varieties available to the world.
Beluga Caviar Blog
The most talked about subjects for the connoisseurs of caviar is the supply of Beluga Caviar. The importation of this delicacy was banned in America in 2005. In 2006 the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species suspended all trade in Caspian Sea caviar except for what was being produced in Iran. Iran was given this exception because they proved their fisheries used safe and conservative policies in harvesting this morsel.
This ban was partially lifted in 2007 and the trade in Caspian Sea Caviar is now again on the world market. Unfortunately for the American Market, the political disputes with Iran have kept their product from reaching the American shores in most instances. This ban was put in place in 2008 and is still present.
Caviar Blog Market News
On the market today there are many retailers attempting to fool the caviar connoisseurs by placing the name beluga within the title of their product. In the descriptions of the product are statements that the Beluga is native to the Caspian and Black Seas but makes no claim that the contents of the tin came from there.
The words Royal and Black are also often used. There is even one retailer that is making the claim that Osetra Private Stock Caviar is the only Beluga Caviar available in the American Market. Osetra caviar is a different species from Beluga so do not be fooled by hyped misleading marketing tricks.
The only countries that can produce true Caspian Beluga caviar include Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, China, Iran, Kazakhstan, Romania, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Turkmenistan, and Ukraine. There is some from America, but they are produced in fish farms and not considered the same quality.
If you do run across any real Beluga, I hope you have your Mother of Pearl spoon ready. There are many tourists that travel abroad that forget to pack this item in their bags. While a plastic spoon will work, it is just not the same.
The entire problem has been developed by the overfishing of this fish in its native habitat. Nothing can be done about what has occurred in the past, but unless some of the caviar is allowed to grow up and thrive, this delicacy may be gone from the wild for ever very soon.
This caviar blog is a wonderful resource to use for your enjoyment. We just hope the beluga will never go extinct and responsible fishing practices are used for what there is available on the market to enjoy.
Do come back to www.GourmetFoodBlog.org often and discover what we present for you.
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No CommentsGreat Deals on Caviar
Great Deals on Caviar
On Finding Great Deals on Caviar
Great deals on Caviar are not something that generally goes together. This is since this delicacy is a gourmet food item that for centuries has only been enjoyed by a select few with the money to afford it.
Unfortunately the most popular of all the caviar, Beluga, is nearly gone from the wild. You can still find it on the market, but a majority of it is from farmed Beluga that is now being raised in both Russia and America.
For those that prefer the wild taste with their caviar, the choices still include the Osetra and Sevruga. These are both found in Russia waters and now America where they have been transplanted. The main difference is where it was found and the price. The Russian versions of Osetra and Sevruga caviar will cost you $275 and $250 an ounce respectively. Their American counter parts run in the price range of $120 and $110 respectively.
Great Deals on Caviar it’s all relative
There are some online retailers that are offering Osetra Caviar for $150 an ounce. They advertise that it is from the wild sturgeons caught in the Caspian Sea. But this is not always on the can, only on a seal on the can. For those that enjoy this delicacy, finding a reliable source for your supply is not always easy. This is due to all the fraudulent retailers out there.
On eBay you can still find Black Beluga Caviar for $139 for 6.4 ounces. The problem is the can only reads Black Caviar not Beluga. To entice you it also comes with a 4.6 ounce can of red caviar. The expiration of the black caviar is 5 months and the red 11 months.
As anyone that enjoys this fine delicacy, a great deal like that is impossible to find along with it being legitimate. It is better to make your purchase of caviar that is more in line with the current pricing trends.
Great Deals on Caviar Substitutes?
For those that enjoy Sevruga caviar, the American Paddle fish is a close match. The color is light to dark steel grey and is also size is also nearly the same as their cousins in the Caspian Sea. The biggest difference is that this selection of caviar is only $18 an ounce. The low price is not because of the lack of quality, but because of the plentiful supply of it.
It makes for a more enjoyable evening when you can supply your guest with caviar that does not break your bank account. It is also environmentally responsible since the America sturgeons are not killed when the roe is recovered from them. This will ensure the species will survive for centuries to come.
Great deals on Caviar can be found, just be sure you are not fooled. There is no more beluga black caviar in the market right now. If you see it, do not believe it at any price. Unfortunately some suppliers are now using black dyes to create it.
For real great deals on caviar you need to visit our sponsor by CLICKING THIS LINK.
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No CommentsWhy Russian Caviar is Favored
image via wikipedia
Russian Caviar is the Best
Russian caviar is the best known and most respected type of this roe in the world. For as long as anyone can remember, the partaking of this delicacy has been reserved for royalty and the rich..
As an ironic twist, the Iranian caviar is caught in the same Caspian Sea, but is just not considered the same as their Russian counter parts. To help them compete with the Russian delicacy, the Iranians have been importing the same salt from the delta area of the Volga River in the Astrakhan region of Russia. This is the salt that is used in the processing of Russian caviar.
Why Salt in Russian Caviar?
The salt has always been used to help lengthen the time span in which the caviar is able to be enjoyed. It also has a second purpose. This is to prevent the roe from freezing when it is being processed which includes lowering the temperature of the roe to below the freezing point. In most cases the temperature is set at 31F to 28F.
The caviar from Russian and other parts of the world have an average salt content of 5%. The lower the salt content, the better quality of caviar it is. Some are stated to only contain 2%.
The variety of Russian roe is many. The type that is considered the best is called the Russian Imperial Ossetra caviar. The color of this roe can be from a brown to a pewter grayish. It is the diet of the mother sturgeon that will be the ultimate determining factor on just what the color of her roe will be.
Ossetra Russian Caviar
The flavor of this delicacy is of an earthy and nutty flavor. The texture of the roe resembles silk for how smooth it appears to be. Because of the strict rules in judging the roe, only about 5% of the Ossetra roe harvested from the Caspian Sea makes the grade to this level.
Fortunately the Russians understand that the sturgeon is a natural resource that must be protected. Today this ancient fish is no longer hunted in the wild by Russians. The fish are caught there but then brought to a farm where they can be raised in a protective setting. This is a must since the Iranians are still hunting the sturgeon as if they will never die out as a species. This irresponsibility has kept the sturgeon on the endangered species list.
The Russians have also started to remove the roe without having to kill the mothers anymore. This is helping to preserve the species and does not damage the roe that is being harvested. The removal of the Russian caviar is the way they have always done it from live fish. The difference from the process before is a club would be used to render the sturgeon unconscious. Today that is no longer done. This will help keep the sustainability of this fish as a species, and Russian Caviar, for centuries to come.
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2 CommentsThe Gourmet Food Blog
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This is a Gourmet food blog that normally concentrates on caviar but has other interests also. The reason for the other interest is not only are there other great types of food you can enjoy, but the world’s supply of the best caviar, Russian beluga, is no longer available except on the black market.
For those of you that love caviar, there is hope. In Russia they have begun to cultivate all three types of endangered sturgeons in fish farms. This has had to be done to ensure the continuation of the species. Just like in other parts of the world that have been doing this for some time, the sturgeons that are now in captivity are no longer being killed when the roe is being harvested.
The fish are still of the same stock that the caviar loving world has loved for centuries, but the taste has slightly changed. This is all due to the changes that have occurred in their feeding habits and lifestyles. While the supply will gradually increase as the availability of the farmed caviar grows which will bring down the prices, the new taste is here to stay.
For those connoisseurs that wish to have a delicacy that cannot be changed because of its nature, the truffles are still only found in the wild. This is one gourmet food that cannot be massed produced or farmed. The type of truffle also changes for which region of the world where it is found.
Northern Italy and Croatia has the white, Piedmont or Alba truffles. This tubular fungus grows near the oak, hazel, beech, popular and other fruit bearing trees. The time to look for fresh truffles is in the autumn when they can be found. The two best months are October and November.
The area around Penigrod, France is where the black or Penigrod truffles can be found. They can only be found around the oak and hazelnut trees. The season for these truffles is late fall and early winter.
There is also the summer or burgundy truffles that are also found in France. They are as the name says only found in the summer months and are less pungent but still enjoyed my many gourmet connoisseurs.
For those that are on the lookout for what can be considered gourmet foods, remember how it is defined. This is fine food that is prepared in an elaborate way and is appealing to the eye when presented. Most of the types of food are rich by their nature and in small amounts per serving. This type of food and this Gourmet food blog is intended for the person that has a passion for the better things in life and has a refined taste for great food.
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This video on Russian Caviar will explain why black caviar is no longer available:
No CommentsCaviar, oh Caviar
Author:jetrotz
Caviar, oh caviar where art thou caviar, is just in line with the thinking of Shakespeare and other great minds when it come to this delicacy. This is truly the food of the ancients and has been part of human history since man began to first walk upwards.
It is common knowledge that caviar is from the prehistoric fish called the sturgeon. This fish has out lasted the dinosaurs and has only had its existence threatened because of the human desire for its eggs.
There are hieroglyphs that depict fishermen collecting eggs from fish that predate 2500 BC from the Egyptian and Phoenician cultures. As for literature, the first reference to caviar is considered to be from the grandson Ghengis Khan, Batu Khan who wrote the word khvyar in 1240. The English version was first published in 1951.
All the old royal dynasties of Europe made the catching of every sturgeon on their territorial rivers their possessions. When a fisherman would catch on, they had to take it to the royal treasury or face prosecution.
By the 19th century, the America caviar industry was at its strongest. It is recorded that a great amount of the harvest of this product was sent to Europe each year. At one point, according to records found in Pennsylvania, 90% of the Russian caviar enjoy by Europeans was actually shipped over from caviar caught in American streams and rivers.
The caviar was so plentiful at this time in history that the bars and saloons in the 19th century America would server caviar instead of beer nuts for free to their patrons. Because of their abundance in the American streams and elsewhere in the world, the sturgeon was almost hunted to extinction. Today this species of fish is on the endangered species list and is protected. Most countries have abided by this international treaty, but poaching still occurs.
For true caviar, it must be from the beluga sturgeon that is caught in the Caspian Sea. This is now internationally recognized and respected in most instances. Today there are two different approaches to harvesting the precious roe. The Russians are known for hitting the head of the mature female sturgeon with a club, knocking it unconscious or stunning it before they remove the egg sack. The Iranians are known for outright killing the mature females before slicing the belly open and removing the egg sack.
All in a roe – black caviar could become cheaper
It is a luxurious delicacy for the most exquisite tastes. And yet black caviar could soon become more affordable after Russian scientists discovered a technique to harvest the eggs without killing the sturgeon. If applied, it might bring back the day…
No matter how it is harvested, the words caviar, oh caviar how I love my caviar are spoken around the world. Since the scarcity of this product has increased, this saying is more important than ever.
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No CommentsBuy Caviar
