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Arya and Ahmad Razavi personally travel around the globe to select the finest caviar for their customers. Since its founding, Caspian Tradition acquired a German company which specialises in importing Japanese sushi products, and in 2011, it acquired Brussels’ La Maison du Caviar. Both acquisitions led the company to expand its product list to include delicacies such as foie gras and smoked salmon. Other products include lumpfish roe, salmon and trout roe, king crab, truffles, saffron and pistachios, just to name a few. Arya Razavi advises first-time buyers to try Imperial or Oscietra, as they have “a light and nutty flavour which appeals to all tastes”.
holds a Self-Checking System Certificate from the Belgian Ministry of Health, and the lab has all the tools to ensure a product’s origins can be fully traced and each batch can be identified by reference numbers. According to Caspian Tradition, a key tip for serving caviar is to avoid metal utensils as much as possible, especially silver which causes the caviar to take on an oxidised flavour. Teaspoons made of mother of pearl are ideal. Always try to serve the caviar cold, for example, by placing the box on a bed of crushed ice. If you prefer it accompanying a warm dish, try to isolate it – for example, if using it as part of a potato dish, consider covering it with a layer of
lightly whipped cream, to isolate the caviar from the hot potato. The company places prime importance on the storage and handling of the caviar; it is an incredibly fragile and delicate product that should be consumed as soon as possible once opened. So how can you tell if the caviar you are sampling has been wellpreserved? A little trick, says the team, is a test of the nose. Crush a few grains on the back of your hand, at the base of your thumb and bring them to your nose – the caviar should have no smell. Web: www.caspiantradition.com
Caspian Tradition has its own fish farm on the Caspian Sea’s shores, and the Beluga caviar it produces has a guaranteed authentic taste because the sturgeons are raised with water from the Caspian Sea. The different varieties of caviar come from the best fish farms globally, with Iranian specialists playing a key role in the production chain by selecting first-rate caviar from different species and origins in accordance with its ethos of sustainable development and ecology preservation. Caspian Tradition scrupulously selects and prepares the caviar in the country of departure, and then experts in its laboratory test and condition it to guarantee the impeccable quality.
A profound expertise The Waterloo laboratory includes top-ofthe-range equipment and highly-trained staff working to stringent hygiene standards. These are comprised of multiple double-door fridges, work rooms and cold rooms, complying with European rules. It
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