If you're ever in NYC, try the Egg Caviar dish at Jean Georges. It's dreamy!

I do like the caviar on LH but haven't liked it on other airlines.

Caviar is far better than lutefisk. Even if you don't get what the big fuss is over caviar, at least it's still edible. Lutefisk is one of those things that don't taste good no matter what. :o

Let's not confuse other fish eggs with caviar, the latter is without exemption sturgeon roe. Ikea is probably selling eggs from "farmed" rainbow trout, the bulk category in the fish egg world. ;)

There are a lot of delicious fish eggs out there, I regularly (every Winter) indulge in at least 5-10 different kinds with onion, sour cream and black pepper. Caviar is an added delight but I'd be happy with other fine fish eggs as well.

I remember the first time I tried it. It was at Per Se in NY. I did not particularly care for the taste. But since then, my tastes has evolved and I love it! Either straight up or with blinis.

Delta747

I love foie gras, truffles, but NOT caviar. Doesn't matter if it was served on a first class flight or as an appetizer at Per Se NYC. Not for me.

Were talking a food culture here that in my humble opinion in the USA is best represented by old fashioned Jewish deli shops and restaurants.

I think there is a "food culture" sphere ranging from Scotland and Ireland in the west, through the Netherlands, Flemish Belgium and Northern Germany into Scandinavia and on to Poland, Russia and the Ukraine.

Think salty and sour taste, beetroot, sour cream, pickled and fried herring, potatos of course etc.

What is the difference between roe and caviar?

A Swedish friend was excited to bring us some caviar.

It was some kind of paste in a tube...

We were not that excited, especially after we tasted it...

What a funny Swede our friend is...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalles_kaviar

Yeah, that was my same reaction to vegemite when it was presented with the same sort of enthusiasm

In my humble opinion, caviar is like a lot of gourmet foods. Primarily, quality is everything - you get what you pay for. Also, some people just do not care for the taste, no matter the brand. My first caviar experience was on LH, and I thought it was absolutely delicious.

I think you have to be raised on vegemite to like it! I think it is foul.

I cannot usually tell the difference between a $15 bottle of wine and a $150 bottle of wine...

I can assure you, and am sure you were not being serious, that "Kalle's" does not come from sturgeon eggs...:)

"Kalle's" is made of smoked and sugar/salt-coated eggs of Icelandic cod mixed with vegetable oil. It's not bad, actually I enjoy it once in a while on knackebrod as a daytime snack.

From the Petrossian Newsletter FAQ:

How to serve it-Service and accompaniments

A special presentoir designed by Petrossian showcases our caviar with a truly elegant presentation. So as not to break the eggs, caviar should be spooned carefully onto lightly toasted bread or directly into the mouth with our specially designed Petrossian palettes. Serve fresh premium quality Petrossian caviar in its original perfection. Do not sprinkle with lemon or serve with chopped egg, onion, or sour cream. Save these garnishes for inferior grades of caviar.

I spent several weeks in the Soviet Union during perestroika and I had caviar frequently. I remember telling them that obtaining quality caviar could be difficult in the U.S.A. Their response was they understood: it was sometimes difficult for them to obtain enough spoons to eat the caviar.

My experience was it was a truly amazing food and I've never had caviar of that quality before or after my trip.

I agree with you on this. I think food and wine are different in quality for price, although I am an amateur on both fronts.

Quality is not necessarily correlated with price.

Wine is a great example of that. Beyond a certain baseline price-point, you're often paying for the name/allure of a region.

A case in point would be a comparison of relative bargain wines from up-and-coming regions with very entrenched/notable regions; plenty of wines from up-and-coming regions are considered at par with more established regions/wineries/etc. when evaluated side-by-side, blindly.

A good bottle of wine can be found for a very reasonable price, all the world over.