As we move out of Dry January and into the season of love and indulgence that is Valentine’s Day, I would like to offer up that there is an opportunity to expand the possibilities from Champagne, chocolate, and roses to include….caviar!

I had the pleasure and opportunity to sit down with one of owners of Polanco Caviar Farm in Uruguay.

Since 1998, the UN (CITES – Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) has been regulating and prohibiting the unsustainable harvesting and illegal trade of sturgeon species to foster sustainable farming for production of caviar; today, there are around 140 farms in the world and 99% of caviar globally comes from a farm. (Some exceptions exist for local communities in Caspian Sea for personal consumption.)

What makes Polanco unique as a Caviar farm: the fish are farmed in a natural river environment under controlled  practices protecting the local ecosystem.

How it’s made: Sturgeon roe + salt.

Why so expensive: need to wait 10-12 years to have caviar (invest in farm, river)- sturgeon take 8-10 years to produce caviar. See the farm on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/DZnNzuGcuTo
[Price: $110….to $250/ounce retail]

Flavor profiles of caviar: there are 16 species of Sturgeons, 6 of them produce highest quality of Caviar (one of them is Beluga which is prohibited to be commercialized in US); color of caviar varies by the species of sturgeon

• Sterlet- smallest beads, briney
• Siberian Sturgeon (can produce caviar in less time, 6-8 years)- grey to black; used by Thomas Keller! (Polanco triple gold quality ITQI! 2017); typically 2.7 mm = “GRAND CRU”
• Ocietra Sturgeon- “top quality” caviar (typical sturgeon: 100 lbs!) – can be any color (from light grey to black and from light to dark brown even gold)- pricing varies by color and size; Reserve + Gran Reserve
• Siberian: soft, supple, cheesy, finish (highly popular cost/value)
• Ocietra: elegant robust intense flavor, more body, buttery

How long it lasts in the tin/sealed: 4 months (if refrigerated)

Ideal Caviar Pairings:
Carpaccios: salmon, tuna, artichoke, etc.
Typical French: scrambled eggs
Wagyu beef with caviar
White Pasta with caviar
Sushi’s with caviar
Trendy in a wide range of cuisines including high end tacos!

Polanco Farms GRACIOUSLY offered 25% off this Valentine’s Day season at their website to #hacksthenewsletter readers a with promo code  PCMS25 at  www.polancocaviar.com or www.finetasteclub.com.

Instagram: caviarpolancousa