Caviar

Holiday Shopping Guide: Fabulous Eats For Foodies

Filed under: Dining

Nothing says holiday l celebration like caviar and Champagne. Petrossian, tops in any town for caviar, has its own caviar concierge (800-828-9241). Call and get some advice about the briny pearls with the indescribable taste. With 18 different types of caviar options, advice is a good idea. If you're thinking "big deal," splurge on the 125 gram Special Reserve Ossetra at $1,253 plus special shipping. The Champagne to match according to an expert at New York's Sherry Lehmann is Vintage Krug 1998 at $269.95.

Tags: caviar, crab cakes, crown roast of pork, gifts for foodies, holiday, holiday gift guide, holiday shopping guide, mail order foods, Maine lobster

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Epicures Rejoice - UN Lifts Beluga Caviar Ban

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

The world's finest beluga caviar will be available once again following an agreement by five producer countries on export quotas for the luxe delicacy, the United Nations' watchdog on endangered species has announced. Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkmenistan agreed at a meeting in Tehran on new quotas which will be in effect through February 2011, the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species said in a statement. A temporary ban on wild caviar was imposed in 2001 due to a depletion of stocks amid high levels of poaching and illegal trade in the Caspian Sea. In 2002, countries sharing a stock of sturgeon automatically had zero quotas unless they reached a consensus on a sustainable level of exports. Trade in beluga was halted last year as the countries failed to agree on quotas. Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan still have zero quotas, but Iran can now produce 800 kg, Kazakhstan 1,500 kg, and Russia 700 kg. Expect it to cost a small fortune if you're lucky enough to get your hands on some.

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Tags: beluga caviar, Caspian Sea, caviar, delicacy, endangered species, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, sturgeon, United Nations

Moscow Gets Caviar Vending Machines

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Government officials in the United States have a reputation for getting too much in the way of special treatment and perks but it seems holding political office in Moscow is really where the good stuff is: they get vending machines that dispense caviar. Looking much like a pop machine, a shiny red caviar vending device was installed recently in the Moscow mayor's office and several more are planned for parliament in the coming weeks. So far 33 caviar machines have been set up in and around the capital's government and upscale office buildings, each dispensing the delicacy in glass jars and tins of varying sizes for between £3.50 and £15.00 each.

I wonder if it's any good, coming out of a machine like that?

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Tags: caviar, moscow, vending machines

Petrossian: Caviarchitect of Luxury

by Jason Tesauro (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Modern Gentleman

Who knew so much Petrossian decadence could fit into a diminutive box no larger than a panettone. Nestled between cold packs, five jars of edible jewels from Petrossian Caviar begged to be unloosed and introduced to a stack of blinis. Yet, in an age of depleted wild sturgeon and general oceanic irresponsibility, I wondered if satisfying a caviar craving was akin to picnicking on White Spotted Owl sandwiches or proposing to a lover with conflict diamonds. Thus, to properly understand and appreciate the goodies, I boned up on Inga Saffron's vast, gritty and noir-esque read, Caviar: The Strange History and Uncertain Future of the World's Most Coveted Delicacy Unlike some glossy, coffee table tome, this is a behind-the-scenes, sea level perspective of the rise and fall of sturgeon, Caspian politics, and caviar culture. After absorbing the book and the jars of caviar, I also caught up with Petrossian Inc.'s Michel Emery, Director of Sales & Purchasing for the eighty-year-old New York firm, Luxist's 2009 Reader's Choice Award Winner for Best Caviar.

The Row Over Roe
While caviar's allure has been venerated for centuries, its modern rarity stems mainly from an incompatibility of sturgeon biology and human development. Sturgeon are older than the dinosaurs, and the Caspian Sea contains the world's highest concentration of sturgeon because it's more of a salty lake than a sea and these ancient bottom-feeders love the brackish deltas and estuaries. Further, since sturgeon always return to the same place to spawn, many of the twenty-seven species are only found in a single river basin. "If a dam blocks the way to a sturgeon's birthplace," Saffron writes, "it will refuse to spawn." Yes, nature has given female sturgeon as many as 10 million eggs per cycle, but these slow-moving, easily-caught giants (the largest beluga ever caught weighed over 4,500-lbs and measured 28-ft long) might only produce eggs ten times during its life. We've squeezed habitats, polluted waters, and hunted them to near extinction à la American buffalo and African elephants, and whereas generations of fishermen on the Caspian used to snag 250 beluga per hour, the catch nowadays yields mostly empty hooks.

Tags: awards-main, caviar, caviar tasting, food-pedia, luxist-awards, main-pedia, petrossian, sturgeon, vodka

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River Beluga Caviar, Recapturing a Classic

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Ever since 2005 when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service enacted its ban on the importation of Beluga caviar originating in the Caspian Sea and Black Sea basin, entrepreneurs have been struggling to find a farmed alternative capable of recapturing the most exclusive of caviars' classic attributes. After several years of development, the Caviar Merchant Company recently announced the first offering of its River Beluga Caviar, a delectable substitute that captures the very essence of the wild original and can fairly claim to be the finest alternative with impressively consistent quality. Derived from the Huso Daricus Sturgeon whose natural habitat is the Amur River bordering Russia and China, production of River Beluga Caviar takes place twice a year, for which Iranian (i.e. Caspian, where the original is from) processing teams or "saltmasters" are are flown in to oversee and conduct production. Available from $200 an ounce, the finished product is rich, buttery, smooth and decadently delicious. We recommend ultra-premium vodka or fine French champagne as an accompaniment.

Tags: Beluga caviar, Caspian Sea, caviar, Caviar Merchant Company, China, Russia, sturgeon

Yves Saint Laurent Caviar Love 2010

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Caviar House & Prunier (Luxist Awards nominee for best caviar retailer) has released the design of the Love 2010 tin, which features one of the original drawings that Yves Saint Laurent has been creating since 1970. The caviar is aged to its prime for 45 days and made using ancient Persian recipes, with the original salt. The "LOVE" theme is inspired by the perfect balance and harmony found between the salt and the roe, and the tin is of course a collectible and keepsake. Available in October of this year for £395/125g.

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Tags: caviar, Caviar House Prunier, prunier, yves saint laurent, YvesSaintLaurent

Caviar, Now In Cube Form

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Caviar, lovely as it is, lacks a certain ease of use. If you've ever longed for a cleaner caviar here it is, the caviar cube. The NY Times reports that for the last 20 years the United States Fish and WIldlife Service has not permitted the import of pressed caviar because it is too hard to tell what sort of sturgeon it came from. But now Petrossian is making cubes of pressed caviar from farmed California transmontanus. The black cubes are packed in oil and can has a variety of purposes including adding a luxe twist to pasta. The oil, which takes on a fishy flavor, can also be used for cooking or seasoning. The Caviarcubes sell for $45 for around 18 cubes.

Tags: caviar, caviar cubes, CaviarCubes, petrossian

Can You Get Wild Caspian Sea Caviar for New Year's Eve?

by Deb West (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Luxist has been following the availability of wild Caspian Sea caviar for years. Caviar aficionados remember the first ban on Beluga caviar that went into effect in September 2005 that made it illegal to import the delicacy to the United States until it was lifted by the United Nations in 2007. Since the removal of the ban, coveted wild Caspian Sea caviar has been available but the prices have been astronomical and both the availability and quality spotty.

According to David Rosengarten, a food and wine writer, cook book author and former host of an award wining Food Network television show, it may not be possible to buy anything other than farm raised caviar for New Year's Eve. He reports in Tasting's, his ezine, that Petrossian, winner of the Luxist Reader's Choice Award, will not be selling anything but farm-raised caviar and none of it from the Caspian Sea. He also states that we shouldn't despair as their are so many delicious alternatives to the original Beluga caviar. Among his favorites is Petrossian's Avelrta President caviar which is farmed in northern California from white sturgeon.

A discreet phone call to Petrossian revealed that it is in fact accurate that they have recently sold out of their supply of high grade wild caviar which was retailing for a whopping $20,000 a kilo. Assurances were made that the supply is fluid and that there will be more available. You may have to win the lottery as the price of the wild caviar is in the category of "if you have to ask, you can't afford it". That being said, Petrossian is committed to retaining wild caviar for their VIP customers. For the rest of us, they provide an incredible selection of varieties of farmed caviar.

The silver lining to the shortage of the wild Caspian Sea caviar is that it gives us all a good excuse to break free from the traditional definitions of what is the "best" caviar. Let your taste buds decide which variety and style of farm raised eggs you like the most.

Tags: caspian, caspian sea, CaspianSea, caviar, New Years Eve, NewYearsEve, Petrossian

The Luxist Awards' Guide to Holiday Entertaining: Best of 2009

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

In 2009, the Luxist Awards has featured several articles in the Cadillac-ipedia that have offered tips ranging from how to serve, pair, store and enjoy a variety of festive dishes and libations, from truffles and foie gras to cheese, sustaiable caviar and of course, Champagne.

Here a few of our favorite tips with links to all of the relevant articles, to help you plan your holiday festivities.

Serving cheese
Remove from refrigerator one hour before serving to guests. Cheese is best consumed at room temperature. Don't slice the cheese until after it reaches room temperature.

Serving fondue
Fondue can be served as an appetizer, dessert, or even a full three-course meal. Traditionally, fondues are created with melted cheese, which is usually a blend of two different varieties of cheese. The fondue is often served with bread, vegetables and fruit. If served as a main course, broth or seasoned cooking oil is heated in the fondue pot, while chicken, beef, seafood and vegetables can be cooked at the table. A variety of dipping sauces can provide more flavor. Fondues consisting of molten chocolate is a delicious dessert, with bananas, strawberries and marshmallows great options for dipping.

Serving foie gras
Foie gras, which is the French word for "fat liver" is a delicacy in French cuisine. Its flavor is described as rich, buttery and delicate. It is served as a mousse, parfait or pâté.

Caviar options beyond Beluga
The finest caviar often comes from the sturgeon, a fish that has become endangered in many areas, including the Caspian Sean. There are a variety of other options available to avoid further depleting the ocean's resources. One Readers' Choice nominee, Tsar Nicoulai Caviar, raises its fish sustainably in Northern California. It's online operation offers caviar, roe, smoked delicacies and an array of caviar accessories.

Serving Champagne
The pouring temperature of Champagne will vary depending on the kind you will be serving. Young non-vintage champagne, with no year on the label, should be poured around 8 degrees Celsius (46 degrees Fahrenheit). Mature wines, on the other hand, such as vintage Champagne, should be poured between 12 to 14 degrees Celsius (54 to 57 degrees Fahrenheit). Champagne goes well with pasta salads, sea food, oysters, shrimps, light fishes and antipasti. It also goes well with a cheese course as well as with many desserts.

Tags: caviar, cheese, cocktails, entertainment-pedia, fondue, food-pedia, luxist-awards, main-pedia, truffles

Petrossian's Caviar Holiday Experience

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Caviar purveyor and Luxist Reader's Choice winner, Petrossian has created a new luxurious feast, the American Caviar Holiday Experience. This package includes four varieties of American Caviar, caviar complements, chocolate truffles and a bottle of white wine.

Two of the caviars in the American Caviar Holiday Experience, the Royal Transmontanus Caviar and Alverta Caviar, are sustainable caviars, taken from White Sturgeon grown in the Stolt Sea Farm in California. The package also includes Hackleback Caviar and Chataluga Prestige, harvested wild from rivers in Tennessee and Illinois. The wine, Chateau Olivier White 2005 Pessac Leognan, was selected by Petrossian's sommeliers to accompany caviar. Petrossian also adds in creme fraiche and blini. For dessert, the Petrossian's Chocolate Truffle Sampler features flavors like Salted Butter Caramel, Chile-Limon Mayan Truffle, and Lime with Coconut and Ginger. This package retails for $537 and includes free shipping.

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Tags: american caviar, AmericanCaviar, caviar, holiday feast, holiday gifts, HolidayFeast, HolidayGifts, petrossian

Petrossian Wins Readers' Choice Award for Best Caviar Retailer

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Petrossian is the winner of the Readers' Choice award in the Best Caviar Retailer category.

Perhaps the most storied of caviar's purveyors, Petrossian traces its roots to a pair of Armenian brothers who brought their love of roe from the shores of the Caspian Sea to the edge of the Atlantic in the 1920s. Melkoum and Mouchegh Petrossian migrated from Eastern Europe to Paris to continue their studies in law and medicine, but found the City of Light woefully devoid of their favorite Russian delicacy.

Since then, Petrossian has grown to become the premier buyer and importer of Russian caviar worldwide. Its Tsar Imperial label graces some of the finest Beluga, Ossetra and Sevruga on the market. To this day, the company insists that members of the Petrossian family personally select the best of every Russian caviar catch.

Fortunately for those whose appetite for adventure doesn't outweigh the appetite for quality caviar, accompanying modern-day Petrossians on a Russian fishing scow isn't the only way to enjoy their caviar. The company offers delivery, as well as restaurant locations in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and New York.

Founded in 1984, New York's Petrossian restaurant is a special treat. Ideally located for opera goers of discerning taste, it's housed in the historic Alwyn Court Building on Manhattan's West Side, one block from Carnegie Hall and four blocks from Lincoln Center. Melkoum and Mouchegh would most certainly be proud.

Gallery: More from Petrossian

Tags: awards-main, Beluga caviar, BelugaCaviar, caviar, food-awards, luxist-awards, petrossian, winners-food

Caviar & Crustacean Blowout in the World's Most Expensive Seafood Hamper

by Deb West (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

For those seafood lovers among us, nothing brings us bigger pleasure than the raw bar. There is something about mounds of crustaceans on a fresh bed of ice accompanied by a huge tin of caviar, that is truly symbolic of decadence of the holiday season. Throw in a glass or two of good champagne and we are in gastronomic heaven.

The Fish Society, one of the United Kingdom's most respected mail order purveyors of all things from the world's seas, has rolled out a huge assortment of crustaceans to satisfy a hungry group who are thumbing their nose at the current economic forecast. At 2,500 Great British pounds their "Caviar and Crustacean Atomic" hamper is laden with 17 different delicacies from the four corners of the globe. Included in this feast are 16 inch long giant Siberian crab legs, extra large crab claws from Chile,
freshly cooked native UK lobster, four kinds of prawns including monster sized half-pounders from Madagascar weighing in at half a pound each. The centerpiece of the spread is 750g of Sevruga caviar, yum!

Fish Society Chairman James Smith feels that the company helps take the stress out of putting together the assortment by providing a great balance of items already preselected for the customer. As for the price "It's not difficult to get to these price points if you are dealing in meaningful amounts of caviar. I can assure you they are good value." The hampers are intended to serve, and satiate, thirty people.

I don't think that I'd like to foot the bill for this extravagance, but I would love to be invited to the holiday party of someone who did! As an aside, as far as I could tell they only deliver within the UK and Europe but there was some note on the shipping page about the hamper being delivered outside the standard postal codes, so maybe they could be convinced to send it stateside too.

Tags: caviar, crustacean, holiday entertaining, HolidayEntertaining, mail order, MailOrder, shellfish, The Fish Society, TheFishSociety

Hublot Big Bang One Million $ Black Caviar Bang Wins Award For Best Jewelry Watch

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

This year a piece unique from Hublot won the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Geneve prize for jewelery watch of the year, 2009. The watch is as ostentatious as it is pretentious. I actually like the look of the watch a lot, and even though inside of me I would like to wear the timepiece, it is hard to swallow the blatant excess built into the timepiece. The inflated price point is even built into the name of the watch. For me, a name like "Million $ Black Caviar Bang" sounds about as classy as "One Thousand Dollar Bubbly Champagne." Don't forget, "more bubbly, more buck!" Don't any of you go stealing my business ideas now...

Hublot made the million dollar big bang watch out of white gold and rare baguette cut black diamonds. almost 550 diamonds are all over the watch, with a total of 34.5 carats. Hublot took its time making the watch. Over 2000 hours went into it. The movement is a manually wound tourbillon. Functions include the time (tourbillon acts as the seconds indicator), and a power reserve indicator.

Why did it win best jewelry watch in Geneva? I am not sure. Perhaps because it is rare, took a lot of time to make, is for men, and is actually quite attractive. Is nice jewelry is supposed to inspire envy, awe, and a bit of anger? If so, then the Hublot Million $ Caviar Bang was a good choice to win.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com

Tags: award, big bang, BigBang, black diamonds, BlackDiamonds, caviar, grand prix dhorlogerie de geneve, GrandPrixDhorlogerieDeGeneve, hublot, jewelry, million dollar, MillionDollar, prize, watch

Caviar House & Prunier: Creators of Fine Gastronomy

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Nominated for a Luxist Award in the Best Caviar Retailer category is Caviar House & Prunier.

In 1925 Emile Prunier opened the "Prunier" restaurant on Victor Hugo avenue at the corner of rue Traktir, in Paris, France. Already known for La Madeleine in rue Duphot created by her father in 1872, the establishment soon became the prestigious place to eat caviar and a favourite meeting place for seafood lovers.

Fast-forward 135 years later, and Caviar House & Prunier continues this tradition by putting all of its expertise into the service of taste, being the only producer and seller of their own caviar in the world. The company today runs more than 40 boutiques and seafood bars all around the world.

Produced according to Alexander Scott's methods, the excellent properties of the Prunier caviar are behind the increasing popularity of the particular flavour of the Baerii sturgeon and its caviar.

Vote now for what you believe is the best of breed in Gourmet Foods. Readers' Choice Awards for Food will be announced on November 30th.