How To Serve Caviar
Top ways your guests can enjoy caviar! Perhaps one of the most luxurious foods in the world (if not the most luxurious), caviar is, at its core, a simple food, minimally processed, and best enjoyed with minimal preparation. You don’t need much to enjoy good caviar – and the better quality the caviar is, the less you need!
You have your nice shiny tin of expensive caviar, now what? Find caviar serving ideas, the etiquette, serving amounts, what goes well and what to drink with caviar.
What to serve with caviar: All you need is high-quality caviar, crème fraiche (a French substitute for sour cream), and blini, Russian style buckwheat pancakes that can be substituted for toast points in a pinch. A shot of ice-cold vodka, while not essential, is highly recommended!
- Caviar is extremely susceptible to heat, and when served at the ideal temperature, a delight.
- You want to serve caviar chilled, but not frozen.
- Do not freeze caviar, nor set it out at room temperature.
- The correct way to serve caviar is on a bowl of crushed ice – make it the prettiest bowl you have, bonus points for crystal, silver or any other luxury material.
How Much Per Person Do You Need?
How much caviar should you serve? About ½ ounce to 1 oz. is the approximate serving of caviar if served by itself – say, over blini and crème fraiche. Of course, this will depend on how much your guests love caviar.
1 ounce of caviar is about 3 teaspoons – this is really the minimum, and we recommend more, especially if you’re a caviar lover or inviting true caviar afficionados. Also, you might want to select two varieties of caviar so you can compare. If you’re using it to garnish a dish, you can do with less, but also, don’t spend a fortune.
What do you eat with it?
- Blini: Small and flat classic Russian buckwheat pancakes, these are the traditional vehicle for serving fine caviar.
- Crème Fraiche: the French alternative to sour cream, this light and fresh cream is usually topped over blini, then piled with caviar.
- Toast points: simple toast points.
- Quail or regular eggs: hard-boiled eggs with a wedge of lemon.
- Pasta, risotto and soup dishes: used to top hot dishes like pasta (ravioli is a good choice), risotto soups and even sauces.
- Potatoes: caviar served with simple boiled potatoes is simple and understated.
- Butter: also a classic partner for fine caviar. A smothering of butter over toast and a scoop of roe are a delightful mix.
A key factor to consider is that you don’t ever actually cook the caviar. Heat will destroy both the texture and flavor, so think about it as a garnish, something to add over an already cooked hot dish. Less is more, and you want to make sure whatever you serve your caviar with is mild, and not too intensely flavored, otherwise you’ll overwhelm the delicate flavor of the caviar – which would be a waste.
The best way to serve caviar is the simplest route. More inexpensive caviar like colorful capelin and tobiko roe allow you to be creative without spending a fortune and are especially suited for homemade sushi or as a garnish.
What to Drink with Caviar
The Russians drink their caviar with a shot of ice-cold vodka – it’s clear, it’s simple, it cleanses the palate, and it doesn’t compete with the delicate flavor of the caviar, like a full-bodied red wine would. If you’re not into downing vodka with your appetizer, a simple glass of crisp champagne pairs wonderfully with caviar as well.
A nice dry white wine, if it’s not too fruity, sweet or oaky can also be a nice match. Deciding what to drink with caviar is a matter of taste, so you can also feel free to try your favorite cocktail.
Wine Pairings
- Beluga Caviar: Champagne, Sancerre
- Osetra Caviar: Champagne, Sancerre, Blanc de Noir, Chablis
- Sevruga Caviar: Sauvignon Blanc, Chablis, Blanc de Blancs
- Kaluga Caviar: Sancerre, Dessert Wines, Blanc de Blancs, Brut Champagne
- White Sturgeon Caviar: Pinot Grigio, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Rose, Blanc de Blancs
- Salmon Roe: Light Pinot Noir, Rose, Sparkling Rose, Chardonnay
- Paddlefish Roe: Chenin Blanc, Blanc de Noir, Light Pinot Noir, Rose, Blanc de Blancs, Sparkling Rose
- Hackleback Roe: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay
Serving Tips & Tricks
Serve caviar chilled but not frozen. The easiest way to keep your caviar at the right temperature is by serving it on the tin directly over a bowl of ice. Or you can splurge on a beautiful crystal caviar server with a double bowl – one for caviar and one for ice – that will showcase your caviar in the most spectacular way.
Serve caviar with a mother of pearl or bone spoon, but never use metal. Metal changes the taste of caviar, and you want to keep it untainted. In a pinch, a plastic spoon will do (it will just not look very nice and fancy). The most traditional way to serve caviar is a shiny and beautiful mother of pearl spoon.
Don’t spread or smash the caviar; you’ll break the delicate skin of the eggs and destroy the texture. One of the highlights of tasting caviar is letting each individual egg roll in your palate and then pop when you bite into them, so use the spoon carefully when you’re serving caviar.
Storage & Shelf Life
Caviar is very delicate and perishable and needs to be kept refrigerated at temperatures between 26 and 35 degrees Fahrenheit.
Once a caviar jar or container is opened, air gets inside and its shelf life starts to run out quickly – think 3 days to a week. However, unopened and sealed caviar jars can last up to 6 weeks in the refrigerator. Keep this in mind when purchasing caviar – it’s better to order several small containers and open them as needed, rather than purchasing one big jar.
If you have caviar left over, here’s how to store it: spread it flat, without mushing it, with a mother-of-pearl or a plastic spoon. Cover with plastic wrap, and tightly as you can to avoid air getting trapped inside. Then eat it within 3 days for the best taste, up to one week.
Read more about how to store caviar here.