Russian Food - Caviar

Caviar is the quintessential luxury food which everyone has heard of and admires. There is no single “best” caviar; although everyone has a favorite.

Beluga

The Beluga is the largest sturgeon, weighing up to two thousand pounds and at lengths of more than fifteen feet. The female beluga sturgeon takes up to twenty-five years to mature and produce eggs. Beluga caviar is the largest grain caviar and varies in color from light to dark gray. These Beluga pearls are the most delicate and have a mild buttery flavor.

Osetra

The Osetra sturgeon is smaller than the Beluga and weighs from fifty to two hundred pounds. The female Osetra require up to ten years to produce eggs and offer medium grain caviar of a light to dark brown color with golden highlights. These eggs are firmer in contrast to Beluga and have a nutty flavor. Golden Osetra caviar is a rare form of Osetra that is golden yellow in color and has abundantly rich flavor.

Sevruga

The Sevruga sturgeon is smaller than the Osetra and most weigh under forty pounds. Female Sevruga mature after seven years and produce a small grain caviar. Sevruga caviar is light to dark gray in color and has a distinctively strong intense flavor.

Russian Tea

Russians are great tea drinkers and make as much fuss over their tea as the British. Before the onslaught of imported flavoured teas, Russians would eagerly add mint, cherry and walnut leaves to their tea to give it an extra dimmension.

Piping hot green tea is a popular favourite and other varieties include ‘kvas’ made from rye bread, currants and spices, and ‘medovuka’, a mixture of honey, spices and water.

Both are experiencing a comeback thanks in part due to the challenge that is being thrown down by more tradional Russian restaurants and cafe’s in the face of the threat to traditional culture posed by the likes of McDonald’s and CocaCola.