Red caviar is a symbol of the festive table, but it did not become such at once. Before getting into our diet, she has come a long way towards the title of delicacy.
They began to use red caviar for a long time – it was a nourishing addition for residents of the Far East, Siberia, Sakhalin, Kamchatka – where fishing is a large-scale industry. First of all, it was available to fishermen and hunters – nourishing caviar rich in protein and vitamins supported strength, kept it in good shape, relieved fatigue. In order to preserve the caviar, it was boiled, fried, fermented and dried. Of course, this was not the sophisticated delicacy we are used to now.
In the 17th century, red caviar left the borders of Siberia and spread to Europe. The general public did not immediately like it, the upper strata of society did not appreciate it at all, but the common people sometimes stored high-calorie caviar, which was very inexpensive. It was served in cheap taverns as an appetizer, pancakes were seasoned for it on Shrovetide, adding caviar directly to the dough.
Only in the 19th century, the nobility tasted the taste of caviar and demanded the delicacy on their tables. The price of caviar jumped up sharply – now only the cream of society could afford it.
At the beginning of the 20th century, caviar was salted in a mixture of a solution of salt and oil. The product became so popular that it spread all over the world. The church classified caviar as a lean product, and its popularity rose sharply again. And since demand exceeded supply, caviar began to rise in price again.
In Stalin’s times, many could afford caviar, but with the onset of the Khrushchev period, caviar disappeared from the shelves and all “floated away” for sale abroad. It was possible to get an incredibly expensive delicacy only with connections.
Today, red caviar is an affordable product, although for many it is still a symbol of celebration and chic. Many unusual tasty dishes have been created on the basis of red caviar, and it has reached a new level of consumption, inferior in quantity to quality.
At the same time, it became possible to create protein caviar, which looks very similar to the original, but in structure and taste only resembles real caviar from a distance.
Interesting facts about red caviar
– Red caviar was thrown out when gutted along with the rest of the entrails, until they learned how to preserve it even for a short time.
– Chum salmon have the largest eggs, they have a yellow-orange color and its diameter is up to 9 mm. This is followed by the dark orange caviar of pink salmon – the diameter of its eggs is 3-5 mm. Slightly bitterish, rich red caviar of sockeye salmon has an egg size within 3-4 mm. Coho salmon eggs have the same size. The smallest caviar of chinook salmon and sima is 2-3 mm.
– The most delicate Sakhalin caviar – the reservoirs there are salty and preserve the eggs in advance.
– Oddly enough, the most delicious caviar is the one that is smaller in diameter and has a richer color. Keep this in mind when choosing larger eggs.
– Red caviar contains 30 percent of the total protein, which is also easily absorbed by the body, unlike meat.
– About a million tons of red caviar are sold annually in the world. In recalculation per person, it turns out that each inhabitant of the planet eats about 200 grams of red caviar annually.
– Red caviar is considered a dietary product – there are only 100 calories per 250 grams of the product.
– Red caviar is considered a powerful aphrodisiac, it increases the level of the hormone of joy in the blood and saturates the body with useful fatty acids, thereby increasing potency and promoting a romantic mood.
– Red caviar contains a lot of cholesterol – 300 mg per 100 grams of product. However, this cholesterol is one of the beneficial ones.
– By consuming red caviar all the time, you have a chance to increase your mental abilities and extend your life by 7-10 years.
– When buying caviar, pay attention to the production date – it must be July or August. This is the salmon spawning time. Other dates speak of a frozen product or overpacked – the quality and taste of such caviar is an order of magnitude lower.
– To determine the quality of red caviar, place a few eggs on a flat dry plate and blow on them. If the eggs have rolled out, the quality is good, if they are stuck – not very good.
– The recipe for the very first Olivier salad contained hazel grouse meat and red caviar.
– Fedor Chaliapin loved red caviar and used it every day. This amount of caviar is harmful to health, as it carries a large load on the liver.
We will remind, earlier we advised with what to serve red caviar, and also told who it is useful to eat it.