On this post today, I will bring you in a voyage of the origin of the world's most expensive food!
How this particular food became so expensive and the history behind it! I hope you'll enjoy the ride same as I did while writing this down for you my dear friends!
*** The Tsar's Caviar ***
The Caspian Sea
Yes dear Steemian, the history of caviar starts here!
The largest enclosed body of water on earth! It has no connection to the world’s oceans…..
More than 75 species are endemic to the Caspian Sea!
One of these species is the Majestic Sturgeon.
A two hundred million old fish also known as The Living Fossil!
The Caspian Sea sturgeon has provided the world with fine caviar for over 500 years…
Many might see caviar as just a food, but others have been trying to analyse its magic!
And there are also those who just refuse to live without it!
Caviar is not to be feasted on to satisfy our hunger! It is consumed for us to be moved into another dimension…in a world of the finest traditions!
An amazing experience of intense moments!
Tsars of Russia and the Shahs of Iran have been protecting this delicacy for hundreds of years.
Everyone was just excited by these fish eggs!
But how come these simple fish eggs became such so famous and the unchallenged king of food for more than four centuries now?
How did this happen???
Texts dating back to the fifth century have mention of caviar and it is praised as a sophisticated meal!
In the city of Constantinople, caviar and sturgeon were considered out of the ordinary entities which inspired poets of that time and it is even said that the word ‘caviar’ comes from the Turkish ‘Khaviare’ which means ‘Cake of Power’.
For seven hundred years as from 1208, there has been a considerable increase in the fishing of sturgeon in the Caspian Sea due to the fact that the ancient Orthodox Church in Russia imposed lengthy fasting time where you could only consume insipid food like salted granular caviar! The demand was enormous!
The price of caviar was similar to butter at that time and was popular within all social ranks until when in 1695 Peter the Great, created the first imperial office for the exclusive harvest and exports of caviar.
All caviar commerce was to be under the exclusive authority of the tsar and this was the start of the climbing up of the price!
Starting in the early 18th century and lasting for about 200 years, a new law was implemented by Empress Katherine I for the commerce of caviar!
Caviar export was to be looked after first before satisfying the local market!
Later on, Katherine the Great - granted a 10 year tax free license for unlimited harvest in the Caspian Sea to a Greek sea captain by the name of Yoannis Vavarkis.
He became the first person to create a full scale caviar trading business and caviar prices continued to increase furthermore!
This is how the small city of Astrakhan became a buzzing community.
Due to the long travel until the caviar reached to the tables of the privileged and the 18th century epicureans, it was heavily salted for conservation purpose.
It is only in 1856 with the arrival of modern steamboats that the new slightly salted caviar was known as Malossol caviar was introduced!
As on board they were able to manufacture their own ice, thus enabling better preservation and no need to over salt the eggs!
During the rule of Tsar Nicholas II, Caspian fishermen were paying their taxes in caviar to the Tsar which was served during hosted state dinners!
His imperial court was world known as the ultimate in taste, sophistication and opulence.
Caviar was considered the ultimate delicacy and the absolute highlight of the dinner and it was now mainly high ranked people in the society who were having the priviledge to eat it!
Now you understand how these became so expensive!
In 1917 with the rise of Vladimir Lenin's power, the Bolsheviks’ brutally murdered the Tsar Nicholas and his family!
The brutal murder of the Romanov family created an unprecedented demand on Russian Caviar all over the world.
Both by Russians who fled their country during that revolution time who perceived Russian caviar as part of their Imperial heritage and also by prominent citizens of the world who desired to taste what the Imperial court was enjoying during its rule.
And since then, the price of Russian Caviar has always been on the high! There is also the reason of demand vs supply which plays a role!
Nowadays Caviar is being produced in all corners of the world in farms! And Italy is the largest producer!
But the best one is the wild one of the Caspian Sea!
Have you ever tasted caviar?
Which one is your favorite?
Beluga , Sevruga or Ossetra???
I hope that you enjoyed this little history on Russian caviar!
Please upvote the post if you like it, follow me for more, and leave a comment to let me know what you think!
Thank you!
Images Source
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This post received a 4.2% upvote from @randowhale thanks to @progressivechef! For more information, click here!
nice post
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Thank you for checking out!
@progressivechef
I love caviar <3 <3 <3
I'm no connoisseur, and couldn't tell the difference between low and high-end but I certainly enjoy the flavor
I love it too @nataliejohnson! Each one has its distinct taste and flavor! But all is amazing on the palate!
Thank you for stopping by!
@progressivechef
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It looks so nasty and creepy but sure it was tasty!
It is indeed very tasty @elijahbunding ! Thanks for your comments!
Cheers
This post has received a 5.08 % upvote from @booster thanks to: @progressivechef.
I enjoy Ossetra- a little too much haha I am embarrassed to say I didn't know the history of such a decadent treat. Thank you for sharing!
Ossetra is a true sturgeon caviar and one of the best actually! The nutty taste is just amazing on the palate and what is also great is that it has no fishy tasty at all!
Glad that you like the post!
Thank you
@progressivechef
It's decadently delicious on blinis with crème fraiche! I like to order a tin or two and serve it that way!
OMG! You making me want some now!
Beluga for sure...having said that I've only had it once and was very lucky to try it, just beautiful! I love Salmon 'caviar' too as an affordable option. Thanks for the post @progressivechef
Ah Beluga, the largest eggs out there! I tried it a couple of times when I was in the Maldives Island on cooked new potato and sour cream! It was just wonderful!
Salmon caviar is great too, i just love the color! Have you ever tried them with a warm parmesan espumas? It is one recipe i created in the past, it just pop in your mouth! Amazing!
Thank you for stopping by @nickoskitchen
@progressivechef
Nice to know the background of the expensive caviar! You have provided detailed history which I enjoyed reading. Thanks for sharing. Upvoted
Thanks a lot @vm2904! Really appreciate your comments!
Steem On!
I only tasted a Russian black-ish caviar before..it was really salty and not as yummy as the books make it sound :(
Happy to hear that there are more than one variation out there..maybe someday I'll get to try some from the Caspian Sea itself!!
Look for the malossol, it's less salty! The caspian sea ones are the best actually!
Great! I will look for that for next time! :))
When you think about it... yeah, just don't think about it.
Hmmm yes better don't think about it! Hahaha!lol!
Wow! I had no idea that Italy is now one of the world's top producers of caviar.
A very interesting and informative post. I always wonder who first had the courage to eat these items which then become like magic and gained the status of a gourmet food item.