Did you know that some Native American tribes commonly refer to the August full moon as the Sturgeon Moon? This time of the year was the harvesting season of these aquatic giants in the abundant waters of the northern Great lakes and the full moon was so named in their honor.
This interesting sturgeon caviar trivia was unknown to me until today and it’s inspired me to write a new gourmet food blog (it’s been a while) to share with you some fun and informative facts about the magnificent sturgeon fish and its much-prized caviar.
• The first written record of caviar being harvested and consumed was in the 1240s by Mongolian military leader Batu Khan (grandson of Genghis Khan)
• Sturgeon have lived on the planet for over 200 million years, thriving alongside the notorious Tyrannosaurus Rex during the Cretaceous period.
• There are 27 species of sturgeon living around the world but they are only in the Northern Hemisphere – no one seems to know exactly why!
• Flying fish - although there is no scientific explanation why, all sturgeon species have the ability to leap out of the water and into the air!
• In New York State bars in the 1800s, customers were served salted Hudson River sturgeon caviar to ensure their continued thirst, just as today we might be given salted peanuts.
• The term caviar stems from the word khayar that is the Persian word for egg.
• Traditionally, someone has to undergo a rigorous 10-15 yearlong apprenticeship before getting the right experience to become a caviar maker.
• Caviar must never be eaten off silver or stainless steel spoons as the taste will be impaired – instead opt for a traditional mother-of-pearl caviar spoon, or maybe decadent gold or even plastic as a last resort!
• Having said that, traditionally caviar was eaten off the skin from a gently clenched hand, with a dollop of caviar placed carefully between the index finger and the thumb.
• Just 1 teaspoon of caviar provides your daily hit of vitamin B12 as well as being a great source of low-fat protein, omega-3 fatty acids, minerals and trace elements.
• Caviar is one of the world’s oldest gourmet delicacies appearing on fine dining tables long before the advent of raw oysters, fresh truffles and champagne.
• Eating caviar is believed to strengthen the immune system, improve circulation and soothe your nervous system, even alleviating depression. Wealthy Russian families used to serve caviar to their children for breakfast to ward off illness and strengthen their constitution.
If you weren't a caviar guru before, you might well be now! Anyone out there have any more little-known caviar facts to share with us today?
If we have whetted your appetite and you wish to order caviar online today, please take a leisurely look around our extensive caviar department to see what we can tempt you with.
