HOW TO ENJOY CAVIAR ?

An exceptional dish, caviar, also known as "black gold", is much more than a simple delicacy. Tasting caviar is an art. There's no need for artifice: caviar is a delicacy that stands on its own. To ensure optimal tasting and enjoy its subtleties and flavors to the full, there are some very specific rules to follow. Gourmets and connoisseurs, discover how to enjoy a unique gastronomic experience with Fauchon. 

CHOOSE THE CAVIAR TO ENJOY

French excellence and ancestral know-how: that's what Fauchon promises. Executive Chef Sébastien Monceaux has carefully selected the finest caviar for an exceptional appetizer.

From its Balkan origins, caviar has been established in France since 1990, when sturgeon farming began to develop, particularly in Aquitaine.

Each type of caviar offers a unique experience and a different flavor. Depending on your preferences and level of experience, discover or rediscover the eminence of an exclusive product.

Do you know the 3 existing caviar classifications?

Baeri d'Aquitaine caviar

Baeri d'Aquitaine caviar, an opener to the luxury experience, comes from middle-aged fish (around 4-5 years old) called Acipenser Baerii sturgeons. Renowned for its iodine and olive notes, this gray or dark green caviar is appreciated by connoisseurs. While commercial Baerii caviar is generally aged between 3 and 8 months, Fauchon Baerii caviar requires an absolute aging period of 8 months. With its long-lasting taste and unique content, it's sure to please.

Osciètre caviar

For a refined pleasure, osciètre caviar knows how to stand out. With its slightly larger grains and light color ranging from golden to light green, osciètre caviar comes from the exclusive production of Gueldenstaedtii estragon. Fauchon offers you a range of products with character, for a sensual caviar with a delicate length on the palate and notes of butter, dried fruit and avocado. A whirlwind of flavors, its delectable grains roll divinely under the palate.

Beluga caviar

Beluga caviar is the preserve of the most prestigious and discerning connoisseurs. Beluga caviar takes longer to mature than its fellow caviar varieties, making it fleshy and unctuous, with a symphony of harmonious flavors on the palate: marine and iodized flavors, buttery notes, a touch of almond, tonka and a hint of lemon. Available at Fauchon for two years now, beluga, an expert caviar, entices, melts and gradually releases all its delicate aromas. 

Caviar preservation and service

At Fauchon, we strive to offer superior-quality finished products to be enjoyed in the art of precellence.

As subtle and sensitive as your taste buds, caviar should be kept at a temperature of between -3°C and 3°C. For optimal conditions and the most authentic experience, we preserve the precious eggs in their original tins when tasting.    

Before enjoying them, it's a good idea to take the prestigious tin out of the fridge for 15 minutes beforehand, so that the dish can reach the ideal temperature of between 8°C and 10°C. This allows the caviar to release all its aromas and fully reveal the firmness and creaminess of its grains. With the greatest dexterity, the tin is ideally placed on a bed of ice.

To savor caviar is also to be satisfied with a product in its raw state. No frills, no added eggs, salt or herbs. The singularity of the occasion is fully appreciated by tasting a minimum of 15 to 20 grams of caviar per person. It is advisable to consume caviar on a neutral palate and not to mix flavors to fully appreciate this remarkable black gold. 

HOW TO ENJOY CAVIAR ?

Enjoying caviar is not something you do every day, except for some of the greatest epicureans. 

The quintessence of gastronomy, caviar is the perfect start to a fine meal, best enjoyed as an aperitif or before beginning the meal, so as not to adulterate its purity.

But how to enjoy caviar? Fauchon gives you its invaluable advice for a harmonious and inimitable tasting experience.

There are many ways to enjoy caviar:

"A la royale

The most traditional way to enjoy caviar is to taste it straight from the skin. A few grains are placed on the back of the hand, fist closed, between the base of the thumb and forefinger. Then simply bring your hand to your mouth and roll the precious granules between your tongue and palate to appreciate taste and texture.

By the spoonful

Enjoy caviar with a spoon, but not just any spoon! When it comes to tasting caviar, metal spoons are out of the question, as they will alter and oxidize the taste of the grains. Instead, use a mother-of-pearl spoon (or a plastic one if you can't find one), the perfect size for enjoying the unique taste of caviar.

Fauchon caviar is intended for epicureans and connoisseurs, and we recommend savoring at least three generous spoonfuls to fully appreciate its subtleties.

On toast

Although the two previous techniques are favored, caviar can also be tasted with toast, in all simplicity. Fauchon's brioche mini-toasts are a perfect match for the subtlety of caviar.  Place 15 grams of caviar on your toast and enjoy a surprising crackling sensation in the mouth.

For an optimal experience, tasting begins with a spoonful of caviar to prepare the palate, followed by two more spoonfuls to explore iodized flavors, olive notes and vegetal nuances.

WHAT ACCOMPANIMENT FOR A TASTING OF EXCELLENCE ?

For an ideal aperitif, Fauchon caviar is accompanied by an exceptional Champagne like our Champagne Blanc de Blancs, a champagne aged 5 years on laths with great aromatic complexity, or a crystalline white Burgundy like the Bourgogne Hautes Côtes De Beaune Jayer Gilles 2015, round and slightly tart.

In the kitchen, Fauchon suggests tasty combinations such as osciètre caviar with pearly sea bass and caviar beurre blanc, baeri caviar with sea bream and haddock tartare accompanied by a zucchini velouté with thyme and lemon, and plain beluga caviar with butter brioche and Isigny or alpage cream.

CAVIAR : THE MISTAKES NOT TO BE MADE

The spoon is inserted horizontally into the caviar tin to remove the grains. On the contrary, inserting it vertically would break the grains.

Never heat or cook caviar. To avoid spoiling caviar's exquisite flavors, it should be enjoyed in its purest possible state.

Never add lemon to caviar, as this will destroy all its aromas.

Now you know how to enjoy caviar in all its forms. Discover the House's incredible selection of caviar for excellent culinary experiences to share with family and friends.