MICHAEL GRIMMCultureLuxurious CaviarsBELUGA Pale to dark gray in color, with a buttery flavor, beluga is the largest, most expensive, and scarcest of the basic caviar varieties. It takes about twenty years for this sturgeon to begin producing roe, much longer than for other varieties, but mature females can weigh 2,500 pounds, and up to 10 percent of that is roe.OSETRA Osetra caviar can vary greatly in color and flavor, but in general it has a richer-some would say nuttier-flavor than beluga.GOLDEN OSETRA The golden caviar that was reserved for tsars was either the pale eggs of albino sturgeon (various species) or the yellow eggs of the sterlet. Golden osetra, though, is simply amber-hued osetra roe (the lighter color is a consequence of the fish's diet). It is milder in flavor than dark osetra.SEVRUGA Sevruga eggs are darker and smaller than those of beluga or osetra, and more affordable. Often preferred over other varieties by Russian connoisseurs, sevruga caviar has a more intense sea flavor.SALMON ROE Russians call salmon roe red caviar. Strong in flavor, this roe is often served with garnishes as an appetizer.ADVERTISEMENTADADPRESSED CAVIAR Thick caviar paste, called payusnaya, is made from the damaged or overly mature roe of various sturgeon species. Concentrated and salty, it is a Russian staple.Keep ReadingHow Food Fuels Faith in Sacred Spaces Around the WorldBy JESSICA CARBONE12 Dishes Every Traveler Should Eat in Buenos AiresBy ALLIE LAZARIt’s Not a Party Without an Epic Amount of Wisconsin CheeseBy JACQUELINE KEHOEThese Indigenous Winemakers Are Making History—While Sharing Their OwnBy SOFIA PEREZChef Michael Mina Wants the World to Cook More Egyptian FoodBy JESSICA CARBONERestaurant Workers Impacted by Hurricanes Urgently Need Our HelpBy SHANE MITCHELLMake Your Next Dinner Party a KamayanBy JASMINE TING6 Sichuan Peppercorn Snacks That Pack a Tongue-Tingling PunchBy MEGAN ZHANGNew York City Food and Art Came Together at SAVEUR’s Fall/Winter Issue Launch PartyBy SAVEUR EDITORSSee AllContinue to Next StoryADVERTISEMENTADAD