How to Buy and Serve Caviar

Caviar became popular in the 19th century and the United States quickly became the world's export leader. As the demand grew, sturgeon was near the point of extinction. The price jumped to an extreme level as a result of the sudden shortage, which has continued through the present time. Cheaper alternatives have been marketed over years including salmon, whitefish and even lumpfish.

Buying and Serving caviar can be difficult tasks for someone not familiar with the delicacy. The source of the caviar is far more important than the price or what the seller tells you. Buying caviar sight-unseen is a risky endeavor that can leave you with a bad product and a bad price. It's a good idea to chat it up with a store owner or two that really knows about caviar before considering a purchase. Use as many resources as possible to educate you about what you are shopping for before putting down a bunch of money for some questionable-at-best caviar.

When picking out the caviar, the specialist should show you the roe. The smell you are looking for is a fresh, briny one, not an overly fishy aroma. The eggs themselves should be whole, not broken or damaged. The best way to become familiar with different styles of caviar is to dine at a restaurant that specializes in the dish. Restaurants featuring caviar are hard to come by considering the cost of stocking fresh product on a regular basis, but there are a choice few in the major metropolitan areas of the country.

Keeping the caviar in your fridge requires attention to detail to keep it fresh and served well the next time. Keep the caviar in the back of the fridge - it requires a very cold temperature, which is obtained easiest behind everything else. Unopened caviar can last around 4 weeks in a jar and 2 weeks in a tin. Freezing quality caviar is not recommended - it will lose consistency and flavor. Once opening the container, consume the caviar within 3 days. You can eat it after that point, but you will begin to get diminished returns.

When served as a garnish, the bowl of caviar should be kept on a layer of crushed ice and stainless steel or silver spoons should be avoided. As a general rule, caviar should be served with items of subtle flavor in order to appreciate the qualities of the egg. Avoid serving caviar with things like capers, onions, eggs, crackers or potato chips.

Some recipes that work well with caviar are vinaigrettes, sauces and as a garnish for fish. Homecooking.about.com has a wide variety of creative recipes to get the most out of your quality caviar for a truly enjoyable dining experience.