Linda’s Tips and Travel Notes

Food and Dining Radio Show – 12.20.07

Guest Alexander Petrossian from Petrossian Caviar

 

Linda Gassenheimer (LG)

Joseph Cooper (JC)

Fred Tasker (FT)

Alexander Petrossian (AP)

 

LG:  When I think about special treats for the holidays I think of beef tenderloin and truffles. Another one of my favorites is caviar. There are a lot of different types of caviar for different budgets.  Our guest today is Alexander Petrossian, the third generation and grandson of the original owner of Petrossian Caviar. Welcome Alexander.

 

AP: Thank you for having me.

 

LG: Caviar conjures up opulence and luxury. How did these eggs become the queen of fine foods?

 

LG: We got these eggs from The Czar. When my grandfather came to France it wasn’t something people knew or liked. But they worked a lot and brought caviar to fancy and beautiful parties. Now if you want a beautiful party you must have caviar at the table.

 

FT: When the French first tasted it they didn’t like it?

 

AP: They hated it.

 

LG: They don’t hate it anymore! Beluga from the Caspian Sea is now endangered and prohibited in the US. Why do we see it in the stores?

 

AP: If it says Beluga it either means it’s Beluga from 2004 or 2005 and it was frozen or it’s not Beluga.

 

FT: Is it bad frozen?

 

AP: You are paying a lot for something that becomes like a soup. It’s not worth the expense.

 

FT: The real joy of caviar is feeling the eggs burst in your mouth.

 

AP: Exactly, and eggs that have been frozen won’t burst in your mouth.

 

Caller: I wanted to ask, for someone who has never tried caviar, what can I try that won’t be harsh and turn me off? Also, being the holiday season, is Joseph making gravy and if so what kind?

 

JC: Turkey deglazed with white wine.

 

LG: How fancy!

 

AP: There are a lot of different kinds of caviar for different palates. The best to start with is Transmontanus or Alverta President, which is California farmed. That is the name of the fish. Those are not too salty or strong. It’s something everyone can enjoy. You can buy it in our store at www.Petrossian.com, Whole Foods, Bloomingdales…many places.

 

LG: We’ve got some here. Alverta President is $200 for 1 ounce. It’s not cheap but it’s less than others! It’s almost sweet.

 

AP: Yes, it has a nutty almost sweet flavor.

 

LG: The Transmontanus is $120 for an ounce.

 

AP: We mature the caviar. It’s like wine. To have beautiful caviar you must mature it a little bit – like 6 to 8 months. This gives it a full body and taste. We also sell it a little bit younger. That’s the difference between the two.

 

JC: What keeps it from spoiling?

 

AP: That’s a secret, but it’s the temperature.

 

LG: The last one we tasted is the high priced stuff. It’s Iranian Persicus. It’s quite expensive but it’s the real thing.

 

AP: That’s a special reserve for $700 per ounce.

 

All: WOW!

 

LG: There are lots of kinds of fish eggs that are very good and festive, and are not expensive. Can you tell us about them?

 

AP: Trout and salmon roe provide beautiful presentation and taste. It’s very fancy and makes your table look nice.

 

LG: Is there a difference between Norwegian and Scottish smoked salmon?

 

AP: We don’t say where it’s from on our packages; we just buy it from where we can get the best.

 

LG: It’s not thinly sliced, it’s thickly sliced.

 

AP: It’s the belly of the fish called Czar-cut. It melts in your mouth and is really tender. We like thick pieces to enjoy this texture. There is one that’s called black sea spice. The recipe is a secret but it’s a lot of pepper and herbs.

 

JC: What kind of wood do you use?

 

AP: That’s also a secret! We mix different chips of wood to get this flavor.

 

[break]

 

LG: It’s time for dinner. Today’s dinner in minutes is Sirloin Steak in Cognac Sauce with Saffron and Pepper Orzo. This is an easy dinner that’s special enough for the holidays. First I sauté the steak in a skillet; next I add cognac and some chicken broth. After that’s reduced I add Dijon mustard and cream. Then we have orzo (rice shaped pasta) cooked with some saffron, and I’ve added red and green bell peppers for the holidays. If you’d like the recipe go to the website.

 

FT: Alexander, what would you drink with caviar?

 

AP: I prefer vodka with caviar because it’s a party drink and caviar is for parties. Champagne and sparking wine can be very good also. But vodka cleans your mouth after each bite you have. Put it in the freezer to get it really cold and thick.

 

LG: How else would you serve caviar?

 

AP: The best way is with a spoon. Don’t use silver because it makes a chemical reaction, but stainless steel, bone, or gold spoons are fine.

 

LG: But if you’re going to have the lesser priced caviar, how would you serve that?

 

AP: On toast with crème fraîche.

 

LG: You said earlier you don’t add salt? What does malossol and pasteurized mean?

 

AP: Malossol means less salty and pasteurized means the caviar has been cooked slightly to remove the chemicals or anything dangerous for your health. Before caviar was really salty, but when they took the salt out, they called it malossol.

 

LG: Where should you keep it?

 

AP: Store it in the coldest part of your refrigerator around 32-34 degrees.

 

LG: Where can we buy your caviar?

 

AP: Petrossian.com or Bloomingdales in Boca and Palm Beach Gardens. There are also several restaurants that serve our caviar like Prime 112 and Nemo.

 

LG: Thank you for joining us.