Caviar Service

Caviar tastes best served very cold. It is traditional to present caviar on ice. Simply press the container of caviar into a bowl of crushed ice and set the bowl on a plate or tray lined with a linen napkin. The ice may be decorated with parsley sprigs or edible flowers.

Caviar berries are easily crushed or broken when transferred from the original container into another vessel. Further, repeatedly inserting a utensil into a caviar container can contaminate the contents. For these reasons, it is traditional to present caviar in the jar or tin in which it was originally packed. Thus, many chefs choose to order caviar in 1-oz (28-g) jars at a higher per-serving cost rather than store a larger container that has been opened. If you must remove portions of caviar from a container, handle it gently with a disposable plastic spoon and avoid cross-contamination by using a fresh spoon each time. Do not touch the caviar with your fingers.