Caviar

Lore & Background

Caviar and sturgeon from the Sea of Azov reached Greek aristocrats in the 10th century after trade between the Byzantine Empire and Kievan Rus'. The Russians learned to salt fish eggs from Greek traders, but the caviar industry developed in Astrakhan after the Mongol invasions. Production long centered on the Caspian Sea, with Iranians and Russians accounting for most output. In the 16th century, François Rabelais described caviar as the finest hors d'oeuvre. By 1569, Russians controlled the Volga River, offering diverse sturgeon and caviar. Medieval Russians often ate caviar hot, mixing it with pepper, onions, vinegar, and butter.

Reader's Guide

Caviar's significance lies in its long history as a luxury food, from medieval Russian tables to modern global markets. The term entered English in the late 16th century, with disputed origins possibly from Turkish or Greek. Overfishing led to bans: Russia suspended wild caviar production from 2008 to 2011 and banned harvest and sale in 2007. China became the top producer, with the largest company, Kaluga Queen, cultivating sturgeon at Qiandao Lake. Italy also produces caviar, notably from the world's largest sturgeon farm in Calvisano. Quality factors include texture, flavor, and whether roe is taken by massage (higher value) or by killing the fish. The rarest caviar, Iranian 'Almas' from albino sturgeon, sold for £20,000 per kilogram. Today, farmed caviar has grown due to depletion of wild stocks.

Did You Know?

• The word caviar was first introduced into English in the late 16th century, with archaic spellings including chauiale, cavery, and cauiarie.
• The FAO states that roe from any fish not in the family Acipenseridae is not caviar but 'substitutes of caviar'.
• In 1753, a diplomatic war broke out between the Papal States and the Venetian Republic over sturgeon fishing rights in the Po River.
• American caviar was once so plentiful it was given away at bars to induce or prolong patrons' thirst.