Caviar on Bread: Why Less Really Is More
Strictly speaking this isn't a recipe, and that's exactly the point. If you're trying a really good caviar for the first time – or want to understand how two varieties differ – don't hide it in an appetiser. Bread, butter, caviar. Done.
What you need
- sourdough bread from a proper bakery, a day old is ideal
- very good butter, lightly salted or unsalted
- caviar of your choice – it gets interesting with two varieties side by side, say Imperial Baerii and Royal Albino
How it's done
Cut the bread into thin slices and toast briefly, until the edges take on colour but the centre stays soft. Let it cool – warm bread melts the butter, and melted butter makes everything greasy instead of creamy.
Spread the butter generously. It's not a side note here but the bridge between the bread's acidity and the caviar's salt. Skimping on butter would be the wrong place to save.
Add the caviar only just before eating, a heaped small spoonful per slice. Between two varieties, a sip of still water helps reset the palate.
Our tip
Take your time with the first bite and press the pearls gently against the roof of your mouth with your tongue instead of chewing. That's when a good caviar shows what it's made of: first the salt, then the creaminess, and at the end the long, nutty finish.
