Caviar concierge Alexandre Petrossian advises first-time buyers to educate their palates and not head straight for the expensive stuff. For example, tranmontanus caviar from California costs about $50 for one serving. After trying this "Mercedes of caviar," you can proceed to "the Rolls-Royce and the Maybach."
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Inspect the tin —
Try the caviar you're going to buy as taste can vary from tin to tin. Also, pay attention to the label. A few shady distributors purposely mislabel them, says Petrossian. To ensure you're getting a quality product, make sure the tin has a Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species number, which represents the actual fish the caviar came from.
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Chill —
Once you purchase your caviar, there's about a six-week window to enjoy it. Make sure to keep it in the coldest part of your fridge, says Petrossian. Open the tin at the last minute and then put it on crushed ice before you serve it.
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How to eat it —
Eat the caviar with a spoon made out of a neutral material like wood or bone as silver reacts with the fish eggs, says Petrossian. Put about a half teaspoon in your mouth and crush the little eggs with your tongue on your palate. To dry the palate and remove the oil before the next delicious taste, take a sip of vodka or Champagne.
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Ignore the price tag —
In the end, don't worry about cost. There is no actual best caviar, says Petrossian. The most expensive caviar only has a high price tag because it's rare. "It's all a matter of taste," he says. "And all tastes are different."
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Share it with someone special —
What matters is that when you do find your perfect tin of caviar, you are also buying the inevitable special memories that come with it, says Petrossian. "Whoever you share caviar with makes the experience even better," he says.
Petrossian
The caviar concierge —
Caviar expert and Petrossian vice-president Alexandre Petrossian's grandfather founded the family's luxury business in Paris almost 100 years ago.
