THE F&W GUIDE TO CAVIAR

For special occasions, at dinner parties, or in the comfort of your own home, caviar is the answer for easy celebrations.

- GABRIELLA GERSHENSON AND AMELIA SCHWARTZ

CAVIAR HAS LONG BEEN associated with unattainable luxury. But in recent years, it has become a more egalitarian treat. Much of the caviar of yore was wild-caught, coming primarily from the Caspian Sea. But factors like overfishing, poaching, and pollution have led to the near-extinction of Caspian sturgeon, and strict bans are now in place to protect them. As a result, today's caviar is mostly farm-raised. For consumers, that has meant more consistent and traceable-and in many cases more affordable-sources for the esteemed fish egg. You might say caviar is having its blue-jeans moment. Whether you want it for your next holiday cocktail party or a special night in, there's never been a better time to savor caviar.

CAVIAR 101

A quick guide to the wide world of caviar

KEY TERMS TO KNOW

Caviar is a term that specifically describes sturgeon eggs. When the female sturgeon reaches full maturity and is preparing to spawn, the fish is killed, and the eggs are harvested, treated with salt, and tinned. The individual fish eggs are sometimes called grains or pearls.

Roe is the generic term for fish eggs. Although caviar is defined as sturgeon roe, other fish eggs are delicious in their own right, and in some cases, they're difficult to differentiate from real caviar. Wild-caught American paddlefish roe, for example, has small black pearls and a flavor that some call sevruga-esque (see "Most Common Types of Caviar," below). Roe also comes in different sizes and colors, like large orange ikura (salmon roe) and tiny red tobiko (flyingfish roe).

If you want to really zero in on caviar's flavor, experts recommend starting off tasting it solo with a caviar "bump": Slurp a dollop off the back of your hand, letting your skin warm it slightly to coax out the subtle flavors.