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American
fish farms are producing caviar so good it rivals the Caspian's best
 
Domestic caviar is making a comeback. For
those of you who didn't realize it ever went away, the U.S. was the world's
major supplier of this fish-egg delicacy back in the 1800s, when sturgeon
were abundant in American waters from the Hudson River to the Great Lakes.
But overfishing depleted the stock, and by the early 20th century, the
Caspian Sea, situated between Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan,
and Iran, became the wellspring of caviar.
Now, Caspian sturgeon -- especially the
kind that yields the famed beluga variety -- are almost fished out. In
addition, the fall of the Soviet Union weakened fishing controls, leading to
pirating and rampant mislabeling. And pollution has degraded the quality of
even legally produced caviar there.
In the meantime, efforts begun over the past two decades by American
fisheries to farm sturgeon are yielding fruit -- or berries, as the briney
eggs are called. A dozen or so environmentally friendly farms are producing
caviar from the white sturgeon of the West Coast, lake sturgeon of the
south, and assorted sturgeon relatives native to the U.S., such as the
paddlefish and hackleback.
Besides being politically correct, the best American caviar rivals the
quality of the imports. It's also cheaper. An ounce of beluga can fetch $100
or more compared with $20 to $90 an ounce for domestic offerings.
For these reasons, American caviar is the choice of a growing number of
connoisseurs and chefs. At the stylish RM in New York, chef Rick Moonen now
serves only American caviar. He recalls a blind tasting of Caspian caviar a
few years ago with some of his staff. The descriptions ranged from
"dirty lake water" to "rubber tire."
At a recent tasting at his restaurant, Moonen served Sterling white sturgeon
caviar produced by Stolt Sea Farm of Sacramento, which raises the fish in
well-water tanks. The caviar had a clean, nutty taste -- and judging by how
quickly it disappeared, it was a crowd pleaser. Also on the menu were tiny
black roe from the farm-raised Missouri paddlefish -- named for its odd,
paddle-like snout -- and voluptuous trout "caviar" from Sunburst
Trout Farm in Haywood County, N.C. By law, only sturgeon eggs can be labeled
caviar without the name of the fish preceding the word.
American caviar may have a way to go before it has the same snob appeal as
its Caspian kin. But chances are if your guests even notice you're serving a
domestic variety, they'll be favorably impressed.
- Business
Week
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