Caviar

Whenever there's a posh party for the elite society in movies, caviar is always served. You can't miss it; there will be always one character that will mention the name caviar, perhaps to connote the host’s social stature. Caviar is nothing more than salted eggs of various groups of large fishes, particularly sturgeons. Due to expensive cost of the caviar, it is synonymous to wealth and luxury in the Western culture. In other countries such as Russia, it is a commonly served in important celebrations such as holiday feasts.

Caviar ranges in color from black to gray. The most expensive caviar comes from a type of sturgeon called Beluga. Other prized caviars come from the Osetra and Sevruga sturgeons. In the past, the golden Sterlet caviar was the favorite of nobilities and monarchs, but the species is now near extinction. A cheaper alternative to Beluga eggs are pressed caviars. These are flavorful and less expensive products made from broken or crushed sturgeon eggs. The eggs of other fishes like lumpfish, salmon, and whitefish are sometimes marketed as caviar in stores. Caviar is usually used as a garnish or spread.