As someone who is always up for trying new foods, I have been intrigued by the latest trend on TikTok – caviar as a snack.
The trend was started by TikTok’s Caviar Queen Danelle Zaslavsky (@dzaslavsky), who first showed us all last November one of her favourite snacks- Siberian sturgeon caviar atop fitness bread.
That video currently received more than a whopping 9.2 million views. Two weeks later, she posted another clip of her and her husband trying white sturgeon caviar and caviar butter, which accumulated more than three million views.
Caviar being Danielle’s snack of choice is no coincidence because her family OWNS a caviar company. Her family created the first “farm-to-spoon” caviar company, Marky’s Caviar, 39 years ago. In 1983, Mark Zaslavsky, a Russian immigrant, and Mark Gelman launched one of the United State’s only commercial caviar operations near the Florida panhandle.
In 2001, Zaslavsky opened Sturgeon Aquafarms the only legal farm in America that allows raising sturgeon species and beluga. Renowned for its sustainable model, Sturgeon Aquafarms facilitates an environment that helps endangered species thrive. He even pledged to donate fertilized beluga eggs to strengthen the species after the U.S. government banned beluga imports in 2005.
Danielle consistently promotes her family’s brand of caviar in all her Tiktok videos. Genius!
Why caviar is so expensive
Caviar is made from the eggs of sturgeon fish. Sturgeon fish are typically found in the Caspian and Black Sea regions, as well as various other rivers and lakes around the world. The eggs are harvested by carefully removing them from the fish, which are then released back into the water unharmed. The most famous and valuable caviar comes from the beluga sturgeon, which is found in the Caspian Sea.
Chefs around the world are experimenting with new ways to use caviar in dishes, such as topping sushi rolls, adding it to scrambled eggs, or incorporating it into pasta dishes. Some like @dzaslavsky even pair it with unexpected ingredients, such as potato chips or ice-cream.
Watching all these videos of people indulging in this luxurious delicacy has piqued my interest. But, as with any new and unfamiliar food, I have my concerns.
Firstly, there’s the issue of it being too fishy. I’m a huge seafood fan, but fishy flavor can be overwhelming and off-putting. I don’t want to invest money in something that I will find too strong for my taste buds.
Then, there’s the cost. Caviar is not cheap, and for someone on a budget like me, it’s a considerable expense to dish out for a snack.
Despite these reservations, I still can’t shake off the curiosity I have about caviar.
There’s something about those tiny black beads that just exudes fancy. I want to treat myself to a taste of that luxury and feel like I’m living my best life.
Secondly, it seems to pair perfectly with other snack foods like crackers and cream cheese. Watching people spoon (with a mother-of-pearl spoon no less!) caviar on crackers and a dollop of creme fraiche has got my mouth watering. It looks like the perfect bougie snack.
So, you know what, I think I may end up giving it a try. Maybe not now but soon enough, eventually, I will cave in (pun intended). Until then, I’ll keep watching all those TikTok videos and build up my excitement for my first taste of this bougie snack.