Caviar: made in China

Ashkan Mossafaian, the owner of House of Caviar & Fine Food, is attempting to introduce caviar to the masses. Eating a bowl of caviar should become just as normal as getting fries from the snack bar. How? He is introducing an affordable variety from China. A bowl of caviar is available from as little as 25 euros.

Caviar with white rice and butter, or spread on your sandwich for breakfast. In Iran, this was the most normal thing in the world for a long time. In Europe, caviar is a delicacy eaten only by high society in fairly small portions. If it were up to Ashkan Mossafaian, this would change with his caviar, made in China. Chinese caviar naturally sounds a lot less chic than wild caviar from Iran, but according to Mossafaian, the price-quality ratio is very good. China is entering the market with considerable quantities (80,000 kg per year); consumers pay 1,250 euros per kilo.

Have you tried these incredibly delicious Chinese custard buns yet?

The golden mean

The best farmed caviar in the world, Beluga, comes from Iran and costs 5,000 euros per kilo. A hefty sum for the small quantity, but the price is logical. This sturgeon needs twelve years before the eggs are at their best. In Western sturgeon farms, the bar is set at six years, but the result is that the quality of the caviar is lower. In China, they let the fish grow for approximately eight to nine years—a sort of golden mean.

Because of fishing quotas on wild sturgeon, farmed caviar has inevitably become the norm, even in the most expensive Michelin-starred kitchens. Its quality is continually improving, but in terms of flavor it lacks the depth of the wild variety. The caviar that comes from China is also farmed, but according to Mossafaian it is very popular with star chefs, because its nutty, briny flavor and firm texture hold up well in dishes.

Fries with it

FF’s Nora tried the Chinese caviar during a tasting straight from the hand and combined with fries and crème fraîche. This may seem rather far-fetched, but the cone of fries is amusingly inspired by the Russian classic pomme de terre tsarina. This dish consists of a baked potato, caviar and a generous dollop of crème fraîche. Still, the conclusion is: keep it simple, eat caviar with the classic mother-of-pearl spoon (silver cutlery supposedly affects the taste of the caviar, according to experts) or straight from the hand. It is irresistibly delicious, even when it comes from China.

Would you like to know even more about caviar? In this article from Lucky Peach, you will get a good masterclass.

Text: Nora van den Heuvel
Photography: Nora van den Heuvel