Blini

First acquire your blini pan. In the context of caviar this is not a big expense. And I use my blini pan for much else besides: it happens to be the perfect size for a single, Cyclopean fried egg. Anyway, caviar is not obligatory with blini; I’m not sure they’re not actually better with smoked salmon and salmon roe, pickled or cured herring, sour cream or smetana and a makeshift salsa of red onions chopped with capers. Really good caviar – and I like oscietra much better than beluga – needs