Feb 11, 2021
If you have enjoyed caviar but don't know much about it, this episode will give you enough information to feel confident spending the ducats for a can of the premium stuff.
Host Joe Janish speaks with expert Chiara of Calvisius Caviar, one of the world's top producers of premium, pure, sustainable, fully traceable caviar. All the questions about caviar that you were afraid to ask, were put forth by the prideless neophyte Joe. You're welcome!
Topics covered:
- What, exactly is caviar (and sturgeon)
- Types of caviar
- How sturgeon went from nearly extinct to currently thriving (the project began with only 6 fish in the 1970s!)
- Importance of where your caviar comes from
- Beluga, the caviar (sturgeon, actually) vs the whale
- How to choose caviar
- Why caviar can be so expensive
- How to serve caviar
- How to store caviar, and how quickly you should eat it
- Why and when you should, and shouldn't, serve caviar with accoutrements (like creme fraiche)
- Why the spoon you use matters
- The caviar "bump" (you do bump it, don't you?)
- Why Champagne and caviar are a classic match
- Other wine pairings for caviar
https://www.instagram.com/calvisiuscaviarusa/
Over 40 years of passion and expert craftsmanship have shaped Calvisius into an industry leades for both environmental methods and the production of premium-quality caviar.
The sturgeon flourish in two farms in northern Italy: Calvisano, between Milan and Venice (close to Lake Garda), and Canove, by the Ticino Natural Park, for a total of 150 acres of freshwater ponds fed by pristine, natural water, thriving in an environment that is as close as possible to their natural habitat.
All caviars are processed at the headquarters in Calvisano.
Calvisius was one of the first companies in the world to create a large scale sturgeon farm: to date it is, in fact, the most cutting edge farm with respect to the know-how for the production of caviar of the highest quality.
Calvisius produces the largest variety of caviars in the world and is an industry benchmark in terms of farming standards, quality and quantity of the caviar produced.
Their state-of-the-art sustainable practices include replenishing rivers worldwide with previously endangered stocks, as Calvisius specializes in raising pure sturgeon breeds.
Calvisius prides itself for being one of the largest sturgeon DNA databases in the world, having contributed to the replenishment of depleted stock worldwide; its sustainable aquaculture model is based on the management of complex systems that promote biological processes and maintain the natural balance of the ecosystem. Sturgeons live in an environment very close to their natural habitat, with access to additional food supplementation, as they would catch in the wild. This increases the sustainability of the production, as well as the organoleptic quality of the fish and particularly of the caviar.
For over forty years, the expert hands of the Calvisius Caviar Masters have been taking care of caviar, using state-of-the-art techniques combined with old-world production methods, resulting in the production of a fully traceable, sustainable, fresh, premium quality caviar. The attention to detail makes Calvisius some of the most sought after delicacies of the gourmet world, appreciated worldwide by chefs and consumers alike, and bringing the tasting experience back to the Golden Age of Caviar.
Have a question, comment, or idea for an upcoming episode? Email me at joe@insidewinepodcast.com or leave a voicemail at 917-727-9242
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