Caviar History
(A BRIEF) HISTORY OF CAVIAR:
Caviar may be considered a culinary staple in the gastronomic world today, but most people don’t realize that caviar has been part of the European and Middle Eastern diet since prehistoric times. Dating back almost 250 million years, caviar, and the sturgeon that produces the eggs, have never lost their appeal. We love caviar now on everything from sushi and the classic blini to deviled eggs and pizza, but early Russians and Europeans often enjoyed this treat alone or on top of a baked potato.
Caviar, prized for its rarity, was found in parts of the Pacific Northwest and South Atlantic in America; however, sturgeon were mainly found in the Caspian Sea, between Russia and Iran, and the Black Sea, between Russia and Turkey. Russian Tsars and British kings dubbed the sturgeon the “Royal Fish” and reserved it for themselves, but eventually, Persia set claim. The Persians were the first to widely enjoy the eggs and even named them “Khav-yar” (“cake-of-strength”) because of their supposed healing properties.
From there, the tradition spread to China, where the eggs were salted and cured for the first time. This method eventually became popular throughout Europe, but Russia still remained king of caviar. In the second century B.C., one jar of caviar equaled one hundred sheep, making it exclusive to the upper echelon of society.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, if we flash forward to the early nineteenth century in the United States, caviar was sold regularly in bars for just a nickel. This was an excellent way to entice customers to spend a bit more to wet their whistles, and at that time, America’s waters were so rich with sturgeon that we were actually exporting caviar to Russia. However, by the middle of the twentieth century, that all changed due to overfishing.
Premium Caviar
Today, we gather caviar from multiple countries and multiple species of sturgeon. We also tend to rely on roe from other fish like trout and salmon. But no matter the variety, Canterbury Cure is the best choice. This premium brand features products that are artisan-made in small batches to preserve the best quality and flavor.