I've been traveling the past few weeks and am wading through
a huge number of e-mail message, including this rather long
string about Caviar.
"Definitely not worth it"?
"like salty, fishy, jello"?
As have oft been written, to be an effective counter force,
the words "know thine enemy" certainly apply.
I suggest you take a look at:
http://www.homedelivery.com/tempest_ect?op=9&storeid=26677646&aisles=0&global=1&affil
iate_id=1 and
http://www.caviarchef.com/default.tpl. and
I should think that prices like $46/oz., $710/lb., and $1,557/kg. would
convince anyone that there is something special about fine caviar that
is firing the current controversy and fear of extinction of some sturgeon
species.
This is not the sort of low grade salty black stuff one finds in the local
supermarkets and delis!
I first encountered fine Russian caviar (or maybe it was Iranian), back
in the late '50s, when I was invited to accompany a wealthy young
Washington DC area car dealer and his wife to a Broadway show.
I met them at their suite in the Plaza Hotel (I said he was wealthy).
There was a small bar in the suite, with various hors d'oeuvres
elegantly laid out on a side table - including a large tin of caviar sitting
in a hollow carved in a block of ice. It was my first exposure to fine
caviar, but certainly not my last. I'm not sure it was Beluga, though.
Perhaps it was Oscietra, Sevruga, Imperial, Royal Black, although
since it was dark gray to black in color, I'm sure it wasn't the extremely
rare Almas.
In checking caviar on the Internet, I came across http://www.caviaremptor.org/,
"Caviar Emptor: A Campaign to Protect and Restore Critically Endangered Beluga
Sturgeon and Other Threatened Caspian Sea Sturgeon" I don't know anything
at all about this organization, but it might be worth a read for those who have a
special interest in the conservation of these marvelous ancient species.
Bob Sinclair
Santa Barbara CA
PS: Over the years I've had a chance to taste fine caviar relatively few
times, and most those occasions when in Europe. But until recent years
when the threat to the various sturgeon species became evident, this was
mainly due to the costs.
Contact Us: info_at_caviaremptor.org
Date: Fri, 16 Aug 2002 23:50:37 -0500
From: "matt richardson" <mrichardson2_at_charter.net>
Subject: Re: NANFA-- Beluga Sturgeon
Most definitely not worth it!
-
From: "Bob Bock" <bockhouse_at_earthlink.net>
To: <nanfa_at_aquaria.net>
Sent: Friday, August 16, 2002 8:51 PM
Subject: Re: NANFA-- Beluga Sturgeon
What's the big deal about caviar anyway? It's like salty, fishy, jello?
It definitely is not worth pushing a species into extinction for.
From: "Brian Haas" <bhaas_at_netexpress.net>
To: <nanfa_at_aquaria.net>
Sent: Thursday, August 15, 2002 11:14 PM
Subject: Re: NANFA-- Beluga Sturgeon
I also heard the report. USFWS is considering putting a ban
on the importation and sale of Beluga caviar in the U.S. in order to
help out the sturgeon. The flip side of this is that an enormous amount
of Beluga caviar is sold on the black market (was it 10x as much as is
sold legally!?). Opponents to the ban say that the current legal marketing
of the roe contributes money to restoration and management efforts.
If the roe was banned, that money would no longer be available to
restoration efforts - at the same time, the demand on the black market
would continue (probably increase) and cause further harm to the species.
Yet another sticky situation in the sometimes seemingly hopeless world
of conservation. (Wow, what a sentence - talk about alliteration.)
Travis Haas
Hazel Green, WI
--- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.375 / Virus Database: 210 - Release Date: 7/10/2002 /----------------------------------------------------------------------------- /"Unless stated otherwise, comments made on this list do not necessarily / reflect the beliefs or goals of the North American Native Fishes / Association" / This is the discussion list of the North American Native Fishes Association / nanfa_at_aquaria.net. To subscribe, unsubscribe, or get help, send the word / subscribe, unsubscribe, or help in the body (not subject) of an email to / nanfa-request_at_aquaria.net. For a digest version, send the command to / nanfa-digest-request_at_aquaria.net instead. / For more information about NANFA, visit our web page, http://www.nanfa.org