storing and serving caviar

Storing Caviar

Caviar is highly perishable and delicate (remember, it is still seafood- albeit gourmet seafood), and such a precious and exquisite delicacy should be handled with the outmost care and respect. Read all labels carefully once you get your product.

• Keep refrigerated at about 26 to 39 degrees Fahrenheit
  (-1°C -+4°C).
• If you’re keeping it out to serve, and it’s not going to be consumed immediately (i.e. it’s going to be sitting out on a buffet), keep it in the original jar or tin, over a bowl full of crushed ice.
• Take caviar out of the refrigerator 10-15 minutes before serving.
• Fresh caviar (not pasteurized) can be kept unopened in the refrigerator for four weeks.
• Once opened, consume caviar within 2-3 days.

Caviar Serving Etiquette

• NEVER serve caviar frozen; it should just be perfectly chilled.
• Don’t mush it up while you’re serving yourself or other, lift the spoon carefully.
• The requisite (and definitely most grand!) way of serving caviar is using beautiful crystal caviar servers that include two pieces (one for the ice). Another gorgeous option is a traditional mother-of-pearl set (they’re easy not that easy to find in stores, but several online stores carry them).
• To preserve the full flavor of caviar, scoop it out using mother-of-pearl utensils, and NEVER, EVER, EVER (we cannot emphasize this enough) use a metallic spoon, which will create an unwanted (and pretty horrid) metal bite. If necessary use a wood or plastic spoon.

Learn more about how to eat caviar >>