Caviar is now mainstream – here are the new ways to enjoy it
The “food of kings” (quite literally: King Charles is known to have a penchant for caviar) is now being democratised, thanks to the power of social media. No longer seen as fin de siècle excess, the salt-cured fish roe is cropping up on the Instagram feeds of Gen Z foodies and business is booming as a result. Katie Joseph, fresh and deli buyer at Fortnum & Mason, reports that December’s caviar sales were up six per cent versus the previous year, while the UK caviar market is forecast to grow by 40 per cent over the next two years.
It all started with caviar “bumps” going viral. Converts were seen putting a small dollop on the back of their hand, giving it a few seconds to warm, then licking it off in one hit, preferably followed by a swig of champagne or ice-cold vodka. When Taylor Swift took a selfie devouring a bump, it was watched by millions; their interest piqued, her followers rushed to photograph themselves emulating their idol. At £30 for the smallest 10g tin of entry-level caviar, enough for a bump for four friends, the trend costs about the same as a G&T in a pub.
How to taste caviar
A bump isn’t just a hedonistic way to enjoy caviar – it’s how the cognoscenti taste. It showcases the caviar in its purest form with the warmth of skin contact gently softening the eggs, releasing their complex aromas and distinct flavours.
Laura King, “The Caviar Queen” is the founder of King’s Fine Foods which holds the Royal Warrant, supplying caviar to King Charles. King confesses that she and her partner John Williams, executive chef of The Ritz, spend an afternoon of their weekend “bumping” for essential quality control.
“To taste properly,” advises King, “place the caviar under the tongue and allow it to burst. Good caviar has an initial creamy roundness on the palate, opening to roast walnut – and the eggs are well defined, never mushy. Too much of a kick or brininess isn’t desirable.”
How caviar became more affordable
Caviar House is one of the world’s largest importers and distributors of caviar. It has owned its own sustainable sturgeon farm since the mid 1990s but it’s only since wild caviar was banned in early 2006 that sustainable caviar farming has become the norm all over the world, with China now the single largest producer. This means there is a greater choice of suppliers (including reliable online stores), better affordability, and a broader clientele.
New ways with caviar
King has run her business for almost 20 years and cheerfully acknowledges that the past 12 months have seen a seismic shift in the number of chefs wanting caviar on their menus.
“Caviar is my favourite ingredient,” enthuses Tom Booton, head chef of The Grill at The Dorchester. “I love how the pop of caviar can enhance a dish, whether it is lifting the crispness of fried chicken or adding a delicate burst of umami to cod chowder with clams. The demand for caviar is insane, especially as I offer it as a ‘side’ for any dish for £10.”
In Cornwall, Paul Ainsworth serves a ‘Land & River’ tart at No 6 Padstow. Filled with hot-smoked eel, whipped smoked cod’s roe, apple and crapaudine beetroot, it’s complemented by the roast hazelnut, buttery flavours of caviar.
Chet Sharma cooks some of London’s most innovative Indian food at Bibi in Mayfair. He uses N25 kaluga in a tangy Orkney scallop dish with ajwain (wild celery seeds), pickled yellow chillies and fermented pineapple. “I relish showing that chilli and caviar can definitely work together,” says Sharma. “The kaluga has notes of brown butter, hazelnut and a soft, lingering umami that brings harmony to a dish with so many components.”
High-low combinations
It’s not just high-end chefs that are embracing caviar’s versatility explains King who cites a more informal approach to its use. At Noto in Edinburgh, Stuart Ralston put a dish of buttermilk fried chicken with waffles and caviar on his menu that proved so popular the kitchen couldn’t make it fast enough. Now, the recipe is immortalised in his Catalogued Ideas and Random Thoughts: A Cookbook (£35).
The high-low combo is also embraced by Max Coen at Dorian in Notting Hill where potato rösti are topped with crème fraîche and a generous quenelle of N25 kaluga caviar. Even gastropubs are getting in on the act – Belgravia newcomer The Prince Arthur serves its own in-house brand caviar on turbot dripping potatoes at £20 for 10g.
Caviar goes mainstream
At Fazenda, the nationwide Mexican rodizio grills, churros are paired with Cornish caviar and crème fraîche and now caviar is on the menu at modestly priced Sticks n Sushi. Executive chef Mike Lewis says: “Our Exmoor Caviar is not out-of-reach for that extra treat diners often seek when celebrating. The nutty nuances of the caviar complement the delicate umami flavours of our fresh nigiri and our wagyu bites.”
Waste not, want not
For an even more wallet-friendly option, Exmoor Caviar sells caviar crisps at £3.50 a bag. The company also produces caviar oil from waste caviar egg sacs which are flavoured with kombu or smoked over oak logs to produce more modestly priced caviars, explains director, Harry Ferguson.
Go to work on a (caviar) egg
Chris Mehmet, managing director of Caviar House believes “there’s a willing curiosity to be more experimental with caviar. We host tasting masterclasses which sell out instantly. On the menu, besides bumps, there are tasting boards of five different caviars with accompanying blinis and sour cream.” As part of its all-day brunch menu, you can try scrambled eggs and caviar for £18, while “Soldiers Royale”, two soft-boiled eggs served with smoked salmon soldiers, and a generous dollop of house caviar will set you back £25.
Perhaps, the Egg Marketing Board could improve on its 1960s advertising slogan “go to work on an egg”. Make that 10g of caviar eggs too.
