Tsar Nicoulai Caviar
Sustainably Raised in the Sacramento Valley
by Holly Madrigal
Tsar Nicoulai Caviar Eating caviar can be a ritual of luxury: Top a cracker or blini with a dollop of crème fraîche, using a mother of pearl spoon, scooping a portion of the salty jewels, sprin- kling with fresh chopped chives, and popping it into your mouth. Savor the rich sea butter taste, complemented by the cooling crème fraîche and tangy chive with the caviar bursting in your mouth.
For the caviar-curious, the product is the salted cured roe of the sturgeon fish. Considered a delicacy, it historically hailed from the wild fish in the Caspian and Black seas near Russia and Iran. These fish are now endangered (because the fish is killed in the harvest process), so enterprising entrepreneurs decided to find out if they could cultivate sustainably-grown sturgeon in the United States. Founded in 1984 in San Francisco, Tsar Nicoulai sought to create handcrafted, small- batch American caviar, and they have succeeded.
Christina Jones has been with Tsar Nicoulai for two years. Growing up in Mendocino County, she knew she wanted to pursue a culinary life from a young age. She attended the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, followed by a decade cooking on private yachts before returning to Anderson Valley, where she opened a restaurant called Aquarelle. Eager for a new challenge to stretch her skills, Christina went on to work as the head event and wedding chef for a retreat center in Anderson Valley. She then helped build the culinary tasting menu at Roederer Estate, which is when she got into caviar.
Caviar is a luxurious product to pair with bubbles, and Christina discovered Tsar Nicoulai when crafting the offerings to pair with Roederer’s award-winning sparkling wine. When she began working with Tsar Nicoulai regularly, they tapped her to be the local sales representative. She now provides this top-notch caviar across northern California, as well as places like Palm Springs. “We have a lot of customers in Palm Springs now,” shares Jones, continuing, “It is so easy to get there from Santa Rosa, and the restaurant scene is exploding there.”
Tsar Nicoulai’s farms are based in Wilton, in the Sacra- mento Valley, where they farm the sturgeon that produces the caviar. They work hard to be eco-certified by creating a closed-loop system that filters the fish tanks through water plants, partnering with U.C. Davis to study how to reduce their environmental impact. Water use is a big issue in California, so the company is vigilant; the primary water loss, 10% or less, occurs via evaporation. They use no antibiotics or GMO additives in the farming of the fish.
American White Sturgeon is native to the waters all along the west coast. They are very similar to the Russian and Iranian ossetra, which is the type that used to make up the bulk of the world’s caviar production. The founders realized they could farm these fish near the delta where the wild fish swim.
The fish need to age for seven years before they can be harvested for caviar, though some are grown for eight years or more for certain types of caviar. To utilize as much of the fish as possible, Tsar Nicoulai has several products in addition to their caviar. They have a state-of-the-art smokehouse on the property, and since sturgeon primarily have cartilage instead of bones, they are especially suited for making fish stock full of collagen and Omega-3s. A fish biologist friend who has visited the farm declared, “The caviar is amazing, and it is super cool what they are doing. If you get the tour, you can touch them, and it is the closest experience I’ve had to petting a dinosaur.”
“[Caviar] all comes down to levels of quality. The quality is deter- mined by color, flavor, firmness, and size ... The entry-level is darker, smaller, and not as firm ... The most exclusive variety is lighter in color, firm, and larger in size,” explains Jones. Tsar Nicoulai sells six grades: Classic, Estate, Select, Reserve, Golden Reserve, and Crown Jewel.
“It is the ultimate slow food. To eat caviar is a luxury. I love the ritual and care—it’s an event. Because it is an expensive treat, you can eat it at celebrations or when you just want a reason to savor.” Some people can be intimidated by trying caviar, and Jones shares that one of her favorite ways to introduce people to it is to top a potato chip with crème fresh, a dollop of caviar, and fresh chives. The chips are approachable, and then the tasters are blown away by the flavors of the caviar. It’s something you could try at home or with friends for a special event. “Caviar elevates every event where it is served,” Jones adds.
Recently the company, whose business offices are based in Concord, purchased a competitor, making them the largest provider of domestic caviar in North America. This is a big deal because most of the imported caviar sold in the U.S. comes from China, which has no similar ecological or safety measures.
In Mendocino County, you can purchase Tsar Nicoulai’s caviar at Harvest Market and a few other specialty shops. Or stop by their caviar tasting bar in the ferry building if you are visiting San Francisco. You can also purchase directly from the website, and Jones says that she is happy to be your caviar concierge if you would like to purchase larger amounts and have them shipped to you. So if you find yourself a bit “caviar-curious” as the new year approaches, get your hands on some California-grown caviar and welcome the new year with a little bit of luxury.
Order online at tsarnicoulai.com.
Photo courtesy of Tsar Nicoulai Caviar