Simple problem:Trying to source caviar, need enough for a season menu, my suppliers are boycotting Russian export. I'd rather not buy Russian, but that's a secondary consideration. Primary issue is quality and brand recognition. European producers have tried to rush into Russian export markets but they're often scalping, have poor supply, are rebranding, aren't recognised brands. And it's not that I can't get Russia caviar, but if I'm not sourcing it through commercial channels I'm likely to get counterfeits, Russian or otherwise.
Russian embassies get a quota of top shelf beluga caviar. Maybe they will sell you some.
I don’t get why people boycott countries like Russia. The average Russian is some poor bastard trying to get by in life just like you. Not buying caviar just hurts Vlad the fisherman at the end of the day.
>>21788112I cater for embassies specifically, which is why I care so much about sourcing. The Russians will sell me anything I want, I know them well. But I can't source anything from them because of the risk of them poisoning someone. As in, an assassination. Also half the reason physical embassies even exist thesedays is for snuggling and smuggling, but the items most often snuggled are countrefiet. The Russians have fake watches, fake caviar, all their champaign is fake even if they insist it isn't. If clients want Russian caviar from the Russians I'll just buy it, who cares? But for my season menu, and for everyone else, I need a legitimate supplier. I do my canapes and sushi mostly with trout roe, nobody wants salmon that pops in your mouth, it's meme caviar. But I need mild, black caviar for heavier dishes involving crab.
>>21788142You should go on a tax deducted journey abroad to find your caviar. Then write a book about it and become an esteemed member of Oprah’s Book Club.
>>21788074italians make really good caviar with very high quality standards, you should try that.
>>21788168Good tip, I suppose that was always the answer but I'm really just complaining at this point. It's all farmed anyway. The only thing wild in the black Sea are the daughters of petro executices, similarly hunted to extinction; and tasteless.
>>21788142lumpfish roe goes alright with crab but it probably falls under "fake caviar"idk OP, i doubt any of Iran, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan are much easier to deal with commercially than Russia you might just be screwed
>>21788324Well most of their exports are just rebranded Russian products, which raises multiple problems. And nobody wants to eat anything with Turkmenistan on the lable unless it's horse meat.
Get the white sturgeon caviar that is native to west coast and is farmed commercially in California
>White Sturgeon CaviarThere's many American producers
