How to Eat Caviar

Though considered a luxury, those salty fish eggs are easy to prepare and serve.

Things You'll Need

• Champagne
• Caviar
• Crackers
• Caviar Servers
• Caviar Spoons

Instructions

1. Serve caviar in a crystal, glass or porcelain bowl on a bed of crushed ice, or in a special caviar server with a tiny spoon that is neither silver nor stainless steel (these metals can give the caviar a tinny taste). Classically, a mother-of-pearl or gold spoon might be used, but you can use horn, wood or glass. Plastic would be gauche.

2. Put about 1 tsp. of caviar on your plate.

3. Spread the caviar over dry or lightly buttered toast points or unsalted, bland crackers.

4. If you like, squeeze a drop of fresh lemon juice over the caviar.

5. Eat it plain or choose your garnish: typically crumbled, hard-boiled egg, chopped onion or creme fraiche.

6. Drink champagne, ice-cold vodka or chilled white wine with the caviar.

7. Try a very traditional Russian recipe of caviar on whole-wheat pancakes (blini) with a dab of sour cream.

Tips & Warnings

• Etiquette dictates taking only a small portion of this expensive treat.

• Make sure caviar is served and stored between 26 and 32 degrees F.

• Eat the whole tin at once. If you must store opened caviar, wrap it tightly in plastic and turn the tin over so the oil is always evenly distributed.

• Use unsalted butter on the toast points, as the caviar itself is salty.

• Some people think garnishes ruin the caviar experience, unless you want to stretch out the caviar or are eating a less premium variety.

• Likewise, some only use lemon for lower grades of caviar.