Farmed or wild ?
Caviar, its production and trade have evolved rapidly over the last decade.
Caviar existed in the wild for 90% in the Caspian Sea. The sturgeon was a sacred species, a predator that existed for about ten thousand years.
In order to mitigate the decrease of sturgeon in their natural environment, CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) decided in 1998 to protect the endangered species by setting up fishing quotas and exploitation permits.
Unfortunately this was not enough to protect it. Today, only sturgeon bred in captivity are allowed for caviar production. Numerous breeding farms have been established in different parts of the world.
In the beginning, farmed caviar had a strong slime taste. The experience and research of the producers, supported by Iranian caviar masters, have made it possible to completely remove this taste.
To obtain a good farmed caviar, strict rules must be respected to remind the sturgeon of its living conditions in the wild.
After 7 to 8 years in captivity, depending on the species, the taste reaches its peak.
From the harvesting of the eggs to the refining of the grains, we have now achieved farmed caviars worthy of the greatest wild caviars.
We have chosen to offer you seven varieties of caviar that have nothing to envy to the wild caviars of the past :
- BELUGA (Huso huso)
- KALUGA (Huso dauricus)
- OSSETRA (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii)
- SCHRENCKI (Acipenser schrenckii)
- BAERI (Acipenser baerii)
- TRANSMONTANUS (Acipenser transmontanus)
- KALUGA AMOUR (Huso dauricus x Acipenser schrenckii)
Preparation of caviar
The excellence of caviar is not only due to the ideal ecological sites and the use of special fishing or breeding methods, but to the preparation according to the Iranian method.
Both rigorous salting and preparation, not excluding artisanal methods, are essential for the production of quality caviar. To become the best to the palate, caviar must be entrusted to experts in the field, who treat it with the utmost care and in absolutely sterile hygienic conditions. Not to mention the fact that it must come from top quality sturgeon.
Upon delivery, each fish is weighed, washed and marked with a registration number that will be found on all tins of caviar. After washing, each sturgeon is opened by hand on a marble table to remove the roe (oval pouch), which is placed in a special container for weighing before being taken to the sorting department.
Still by hand, the caviar is then passed through a coarse sieve, in order to remove the remains of skin and ovaries, then checked and passed to the qualitative assessment to undergo a second and final sorting for the various modes of preparation. Under the same aseptic conditions, we then move on to the last manipulation before packaging: the conservation salting, which depends on the size of the caviar and the consumer's taste. Only very high quality sea salt is used.
The quantities of salt are constantly monitored, as salting is one of the most delicate operations in the preparation of caviar, and only the optimum values pass the test. If the salting is too weak, the caviar will deteriorate quickly and if it is too strong, it will dry out and become sticky.
The art of sorting caviar is also reflected in the tins. Absolute consistency of grain, size, hue, aroma, flavor, hardness and skin strength are all factors that are taken into account for the quality designations of caviar. Our experts evaluate the caviar carefully and select only the best quality for sale. Moreover, they choose a special selection for each type.
It may seem boring to talk about canning. However, caviar is worth it: if it is still canned by hand and according to archaic procedures, it is because the system has proved to be unsurpassable. Each tin is filled beyond the rim, then the lid is applied by hand, with a pressure soft enough to avoid damaging the caviar, but firm enough to obtain the half vacuum that will contribute to its perfect preservation.
The elastic band is then added between the tin and the lid, it ensures a certain flexibility to the closed tin. The oil that will flow out of the tin in this way will be proof of the freshness of the contents: a dry tin means that its contents are too old or that it has been badly stored. Fresh caviar is usually delivered in 1 kg or 1.8 kg tins with a shelf life guarantee of one year. Each tin is unique and its marking attests to its authenticity. The tins are packed in individual bags and then placed in the crate required for exporting the goods.
Text © Gourmet Trade SA
