In this forum there are many many epic tails and journeys. I did not really know if I can compete with of those epic trips that anyone has taken. Until just recently, when I had a trip of a lifetime. This trip was neither in first class, nor was it in an ultra rare high end luxury hotel. It was a trip that money won't necessarily be able to buy you. So what makes this trip so special? Well many of you have sat in first class. What is the one thing most look forward to? The common theme seems to be when the cart rolls up to you with the ice bowl and small metal tin. That's right, caviar! I was recently privileged enough to travel to the production facility for caviar.

What makes this facility so special? How does this all relate to FT? Well for one it is a trip report. Secondly, the production facility's biggest customer is Deutsche Lufthansa AG, and the rest of the airlines (ANA, JAL, Emirate, etc) also purchase raw materials from them.

For my own reasons, I have chosen not to reveal the exact locations of trip, but it was a three day trip. But I can discuss my companions, I was surrounded by a couple of Michelin star rated chefs, Restauranteurs with more than 30-40 restaurants, Hoteliers of 5 star hotels. and leading food gourmet foods suppliers.

Now onto my trip.

Day 1
We kick started our trip with dinner in City V, a remarkable city indeed. Pre-dinner cocktails were at a roof top bar overlooking the remarkable cityscape. There the group of between 10-20 of us enjoyed about 8-10 bottles of pierre jouet. We chatted for about an hour or two before making our way to dinner, which was located in the place to be in the city. You can tell it is the place to be by looking at the crowd and the car park. We took our seat under remarkable chandeliers. Then a surprise arrived in the room a methuselah of louis roederer. Dinner was a simple affair: whole roasted pig, foie gras, crab, some gamey meats, ravioli. But as it is said in some old ancient chinese proverb: anybody can cook good fried rice, but it takes skill to cook great fried rice. Everyone took their hats off and personally thanked the chef who cooked us that wonderful meal when they came into the room. During dinner we also had another 8 bottles of reds from two different vineyards. After which most of us retired for the night. While other headed off for a third round back at the bar.

Day 2
Today we get to sit in a bus for 5 hours as our trek begins to the farm, lets call the place town 1000. The bus left at 10 am, and it felt like I was stuck on a transcon flight in economy. But the destination was worth it, as we arrived at a picturesque lake. This is where all the magic happens.



We had to take a boat ride today and without time for a proper lunch we roughed it eating sandwiches, but we weren't uncivilized enough to not have another 6-8 botttles pierre jouet during our boat ride. We arrived at the facility on the lake where we saw the fish itself. It was a prize waiting to happen.



That is an example of a fish. It was amazing to see them live in their natural environment. After a long day we sat down and had local dinner consisting of various local dishes such as pig ear terrine, pickles, and lots of fish. We had about 4-5 fish dishes. No meal would be complete for most of this group without the booze. We had about 12-14 bottles of 2.5% bear to start off. Then we kicked it up to the local liquor which we had about 5-6 bottles off, and rounded everything off with more red wines for which we had about 6 bottles off. Anticipating another long day, half of us retired early. As there was a nearby spa that was still open at the time, I went for a short 1 hour treatment to calm myself from the time I spent on the bus.

Day 3
Another day, another bus ride, this time we left at 8 am to the horror of many in the group (especially) the ladies. This time it was just a short 2 hour hop from the lake to the production facility. The facility itself is like any abattoir I have visited, but the difference is that they stage the fish in some tanks containing water from the lake that is more purified to enhance the taste of the caviar and meat of the fish itself.



That is the photo of a 6-7 foot long close to 300 pound fish that is one of the owner's pet. After touring the staging facility, we proceeded to the abattoir itself where we watched the processing of the fish. We wrapped up our tour and headed back to our hotel and freshen up for dinner.

Dinner was an amazing affair as we had caviar from 2 master tins (total 3600 gm/apx 8 lbs). However, this was special because unlike caviar that is processed and kept for several month, the caviar we partook it was harvested the day before. The taste, and texture is totally divine and is a once in a life time experience. Of course we needed 6 bottles of philipponnat rose to wash it all down. Not to mention the additionally 6-8 bottles of reds, and probably another 6-8 bottle of pierre jouet we had too. It is rare to be able to eat caviar without the need of something to counteract the saltiness, which I did and thoroughly enjoyed.



It took us about 9 hours the next day to return to city V the next day but the trip was well worth it to me. I hope you enjoy my virgin TR.

Till next time. Toodles.

So where did you go?

Wow what an interesting TR, and all that booze that was consumed, surprising anyone was standing let alone able to concentrate on what was going on the next day, yes would be very interested to know where the location was Russian area maybe^

Wow, that is trip of a life time! Russia or Azerbaijan? (With all that booze, can't be Iran! )

Didn't know they eat pig ear terrine in Azerbaijan!

I left out a meal or two where we had more booze too.

70% of the booze was consumed by 30% of the group.

Fascinating, even without knowing where you went. Fresh caviar, not something anyone gets very often. Thanks for the report. I hope your liver is recovered!

An epic "tail" indeed.