I. History of caviar

The "black gold" - the story behind the luxurious enjoyment

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

01

From antiquity to the Middle Ages

The myth of the caviar goes back to the 4th century. In ancient times, the Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote about the delicious roe of the sturgeon and how the “food of the gods” was consumed on festively decorated tables, surrounded by trumpet music and a sea of ​​flowers.

 

Apparently, however, the sturdy Khedives, an Iranian tribe, were the first to begin preparing and enjoying sturgeon roe. They called the sturgeon roe "khav-yar" (in German: "cake of joy" or "cake of strength" ) and ascribed many medicinal properties to caviar. The assumption that the word caviar comes from the old Persian "khag." -viar ” (in German: “ black little fish egg ” ).

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In 1324 the sturgeon was crowned the "royal fish" by the English King Edward II . Only the royal court was allowed to feed the majestic sturgeon eggs. Thus, in the Middle Ages, the "black gold" found its way into upscale European society.

 

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02

From the aristocracy to the Modern Age

Over the centuries, this delicacy continued to grow in popularity among the princely tables of the European and Russian aristocracy. In the middle of the 18th century, the Russian tsars once again catapulted “black gold” into a coveted luxury item. This led to the boom in the popularity of the sturgeon aviary and at the same time initiated the decline of the wild sturgeon stocks.

 

After the Russian Revolution in 1917, the Communist Party set up a cartel to market the coveted caviar from the Caspian Sea. The demand for caviar soared again and soon exceeded supply. Caviar again became an expensive luxury item that only the upper class could afford.

 

In the late Soviet Union, the Russian caviar industry experienced a peak in caviar production. This had the negative consequence that since 1997 the conventional sturgeon populations have fallen sharply. Since 2006 the ban of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) on the import and export of caviar has been a measure against the permanent extinction of native sturgeon species.

A general import ban on caviar from Russia, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan was imposed in 2006.

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Thanks to the stricter controls of CITES and the simultaneous growing interest in sustainable sturgeon caviar, aquacultures were promoted worldwide.

 

Of course, we choose highly environmentally friendly aqua farms that breed their sturgeon in a species-appropriate manner and thus have a major impact on the quality of the Perunov sturgeon caviar.

 

 

 

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II. The production of caviar

Harvesting the "black gold"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

01

Tradition & Passion

The tradition of preparing caviar has remained the same for thousands of years and is governed by strict traditional methods.

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The caviar harvest begins with the removal of the roe from the sturgeon. The roe is then carefully sifted, cleaned, rinsed and classified according to size, color, taste and texture. The next phase is crucial for the quality of the caviar. The process is carefully monitored in order to maintain the "fresh" and natural taste. The high-quality " Malossol " caviar in Russian means little salt (<3.7 percent).

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Our "black gold" is much more than a luxury treat - it is the result of passion for the product and the traditional approach to its manufacture.

 

 

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III. Caviar tasting

01

How and with which spoon do I taste the caviar?

Unless you're at a caviar tasting, don't be afraid to accompany this delicacy with some popular pairings. The liveliest are blinis à la Russian. But your options are not limited by blinis; Eggs, chopped onions, and black bread with butter are just a few other considerations.

 

However, if you want to appreciate all the nuances of the taste, first simply rub the chosen caviar on the back of your hand and give it some time to warm up. Then let it melt on your tongue. You will never forget this taste!

Given its luxurious status, it was thought that caviar was best enjoyed on silver, gold or platinum spoons. However, this is just a common myth. Avoid metal spoons. Since the tender caviar is a very sensitive natural product, it can easily take on a metallic taste. Instead, we recommend ivory or mother-of-pearl spoons for tasting the black and red caviar.

 

 

02

Which drinks go best with caviar?

The solemn and luxurious associations make champagne the most classic pairing for caviar. But given the historical basis of caviar, vodka is actually a more traditional drink that is drunk with caviar.If you choose the champagne, then choose a dry champagne that perfectly flatters the caviar. Look out for the term "brut", "extra brut" or "brut naturally", the latter being the driest term.