Caviar

Caviar is salt-cured fish eggs, specifically from sturgeon (the family Acipenseridae). Eaten as a garnish or spread, it is considered a delicacy. Originally, the term was reserved for roe from wild sturgeon caught in the Caspian and Black Seas—such as beluga, ossetra, and sevruga. Today, it may also refer to the roe of other sturgeon species or fish like paddlefish, salmon, steelhead, trout, lumpfish, whitefish, and carp. The roe can be fresh (non-pasteurized) or pasteurized, with pasteurization reducing its culinary and economic value.

The word *caviar* entered English in the late 1500s, borrowed from French, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish forms, all tracing back to Turkish *khāvyār* or Greek *khaviari*. Its ultimate origin is uncertain, though one theory suggests a contraction of a Persian phrase meaning "egg-bearing," referring to sturgeon. Early English spellings included *chauiale*, *cavery*, and *cauiarie*; by 1625, the word had three syllables and the final "e" was dropped in speech. In Russian, caviar is called *ikra*, a term used in English during the 1500s and 1600s as *ikary*. According to the FAO, roe from fish outside the sturgeon family is not caviar but a substitute. CITES, however, defines caviar more broadly, covering processed roe from all species in the order Acipenseriformes, which includes both sturgeon and paddlefish. The term is also used for dishes that resemble caviar, such as eggplant caviar and Texas caviar made from black-eyed peas.

Historically, caviar and sturgeon from the Sea of Azov reached Greek aristocrats in the 10th century, following trade between the Byzantine Empire and Kievan Rus'. Russians likely learned to salt fish eggs from Greek traders along the Black Sea coast, but the caviar industry developed in Astrakhan only after the Mongol invasions. Production long centered on the Caspian Sea, with Iranians and Russians as the main producers. In the 1500s, François Rabelais called caviar the finest hors d'oeuvre. By 1569, Russians controlled the entire Volga River, which offered sturgeon and sterlet. Medieval Russians often ate caviar hot; a 17th-century account describes salting the roe, letting it sit for six to eight days, then mixing it with pepper and chopped onions, sometimes adding vinegar and butter or lemon juice.

The main types of Caspian sturgeon caviar are beluga, sterlet, Russian sturgeon, and sevruga. White sturgeon is native to California and the U.S. Pacific Northwest. The rarest and costliest is beluga caviar from the Caspian Sea, with soft, pea-sized eggs ranging from pale silver-grey to black. Wild caviar production in Russia was suspended from 2008 to 2011 to replenish stocks; Iran still permits sturgeon fishing. Next in quality is small golden sterlet caviar, once reserved for royalty, followed by medium-sized, brown Ossetra (Russian caviar). Others include grey sevruga, Chinese Kaluga caviar, and American white sturgeon caviar. Siberian caviar, with black beads, is similar to sevruga and popular for its shorter harvest period but has higher brine content. Kaluga hybrid caviar varies from dark grey to light golden green and is closely related to beluga.

A kilogram of the Iranian 'Almas' caviar—from a rare albino sturgeon aged 60 to 100 years—sold for £20,000 (about US$34,500). In 2012, wild beluga caviar from the Caspian was priced at $16,000 per kilogram. Cheaper alternatives come from whitefish and North Atlantic salmon. In 2014, conventional sturgeon caviar cost about $105 per ounce, with albino sturgeon caviar up to $800 per ounce. Quality factors include firm texture, creamy and buttery flavor, mild brine or fish finish, and whether the roe was obtained by massage (higher value) rather than by killing the fish. An ounce of sturgeon caviar typically costs between $45 and $1,000, depending on the variety and other factors.

China produces more caviar than any other country. The world's largest caviar company is the Chinese brand Kaluga Queen.