# Caviar n00b, tell me about it! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 26, 2015, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caviar-n00b-tell-me-about-it/723496 "2015-06-26T00:56:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caviar-n00b-tell-me-about-it/723496/1 "2015-06-26T00:56:02Z")
The only caviar I’ve ever had in my life before was as small bits on packaged sushi rolls. So tonight I bought the cheapest caviar I could find just to try it for the experience, it was $10 USD for 2oz of lungfish roe. Haven’t tried it yet, but me and my wife will polish it off with some crackers or something. Ok anyway I realize I have bottom of the barrel stuff(Roland brand lungfish roe) but I was curious if any caviar lovers could advise on what pricier stuff is worth it, what isn’t, or any tips on consumption or what to do with it… ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caviar-n00b-tell-me-about-it/723496/2 "2015-06-26T01:38:03Z")
I’m sorry, but to me there’s caviar (sturgeon roe) and then there’s fish eggs. And caviar is divine! ABSOLUTELY DIVINE!! (and expensive as hell) But fish eggs are cold fish-flavored jelly, at best. Here’s a bit of a guide: [http://finecaviar.com/default.aspx?404;http://finecaviar.com:443/index1.shtml](http://finecaviar.com/default.aspx?404;http://finecaviar.com:443/index1.shtml) I’ve not tried the Pike or paddlefish caviar, but the Beluga, Osetra, Sevruga, and American caviar are pretty nice. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caviar-n00b-tell-me-about-it/723496/3 "2015-06-26T02:52:54Z")
Gotta disagree with QtM… Masago, tobiko, uni, ikura… all wonderful… ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caviar-n00b-tell-me-about-it/723496/4 "2015-06-26T04:57:26Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > I’ve not tried the Pike or paddlefish caviar, but the Beluga, Osetra, Sevruga, and American caviar are pretty nice. I thought a plague wiped out most of Russia’s caviar fish, and President Jimmy Carter gave them several breeding pairs to rebuild the stocks - thus most “Russian” caviar was actually American. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2015, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caviar-n00b-tell-me-about-it/723496/5 "2015-06-26T06:33:54Z")
> [@grude](#): > > So tonight I bought the cheapest caviar I could find just to try it for the experience, it was $10 USD for 2oz of lungfish roe. My dad brought home a tin of cheap caviar once. It was like eating the eraser off a pencil. May you have better luck. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2015, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caviar-n00b-tell-me-about-it/723496/6 "2015-06-27T04:23:28Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > My dad brought home a tin of cheap caviar once. It was like eating the eraser off a pencil. > > May you have better luck. Well I did have better luck! The primary flavor seems to be salty, with a hint of fish and savory. Not really bad as a snack, but nothing special either. I wouldn’t go out of my way for it. Kinda let down by the stereotypical rich people chow. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2015, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caviar-n00b-tell-me-about-it/723496/7 "2015-06-27T05:46:33Z")
It’s disgusting. That’s all you need to know. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2015, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caviar-n00b-tell-me-about-it/723496/8 "2015-06-27T06:14:35Z")
Tasted Australian salmon. Ok for a guy used to dried, salted an fermented fish. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2015, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caviar-n00b-tell-me-about-it/723496/9 "2015-06-27T06:45:27Z")
Salt. Salt salt and salt. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2015, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caviar-n00b-tell-me-about-it/723496/10 "2015-06-27T06:54:04Z")
> [@the\_diego](#): > > Tasted Australian salmon. Ok for a guy used to dried, salted an fermented fish. Maybe I’m being whooshed but are you saying the $$$ stuff is much better than just tasting salty? ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2015, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caviar-n00b-tell-me-about-it/723496/11 "2015-06-27T07:02:56Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Salt. Salt salt and salt. My wife said it tastes like tiny pills of salty cod liver oil that pop in your mouth lol. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2015, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caviar-n00b-tell-me-about-it/723496/12 "2015-06-27T07:07:41Z")
> [@grude](#): > > Maybe I’m being whooshed but are you saying the $$$ stuff is much better than just tasting salty? It’s mainly appearance, texture and the way it goes with toast, butter, sour cream, onions, and mayonaisse. I can’t comment about eating sturgeon roe all on its own. I must add that price and rarity adds to the intrinsic value of anything. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2015, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caviar-n00b-tell-me-about-it/723496/13 "2015-06-27T14:57:20Z")
> [@grude](#): > > Kinda let down by the stereotypical rich people chow. Don’t write it off until you’ve tried sturgeon roe caviar. Otherwise you’re eating possum and deciding that because of your dislike of that, you won’t like filet mignon.