No More Caviar - PLEASE

I hate to go back to the good old days but I remember formal night on the old Noordam. As you entered there by the ice sculpture was a good pound or two of caviar in an ice throne. Portions were judiciously portioned out (about a tea spoon) -- came with toast points and all the trimmings. ---You recall this ??

I've always believed that is you can do it right - don't do it !

With caviar being off the menu for several years I was pleasantly suprised to find it on the menu on our last cruise. I ordered it a what arrived was beyond belief. I found the trimmings and was about to ask where the toast points and the caviar were when I noticed a small speck of black on the plate. It was caviar but the portion was about half the size of your your finger nail -- I'm referring to your little finger. It sat on an oyster cracker. --- I kid you not. What transpired from there is that the entire table broke out laughing as did the waiter.

Don't get me wrong I appreciate the thought and I love caviar but this was something that they should either do right or not at all.

I hate to go back to the good old days but I remember formal night on the old Noordam. As you entered there by the ice sculpture was a good pound or two of caviar in an ice throne. Portions were judiciously portioned out (about a tea spoon) -- came with toast points and all the trimmings. ---You recall this ??

 

I've always believed that is you can do it right - don't do it !

 

With caviar being off the menu for several years I was pleasantly suprised to find it on the menu on our last cruise. I ordered it a what arrived was beyond belief. I found the trimmings and was about to ask where the toast points and the caviar were when I noticed a small speck of black on the plate. It was caviar but the portion was about half the size of your your finger nail -- I'm referring to your little finger. It sat on an oyster cracker. --- I kid you not. What transpired from there is that the entire table broke out laughing as did the waiter.

 

Don't get me wrong I appreciate the thought and I love caviar but this was something that they should either do right or not at all.

Agreed. Oddly enough, one of the best caviar services that I have had at sea was on the Disney cruise line, everything was quite perfect. On our last HAL the Neptune Lounge was able to put together a very nice service which they served on our Verandah. It was a great experience. They charged me $35 for the service but it was very much worth every dime and it was more than I could eat. We also had caviar during an officers luncheon. I think that the ships doctor and I ate most of the offering. Caviar is very much available on HAL but on a request basis. I have learned never to eat caviar at dinner because I don't want to be rushed and I don't want to keep hearing the "ohhhh fish eggs" comments coupled with how can you eat that.

BTW, if you are dealing with a server who really knows his/her stuff, they will test you with an offering of champagne. Those who really know caviar, know that caviar and champagne really are not a great pairing, and that the champagne should be reserved for afterwards. The combined elements of caviar and champagne are a marketing ploy of high end products. An official from Petrossian (sp?) told us all about caviar pairings on a cold late winter afternoon when it was only us in the store. He joined for at our table for what became caviar 101.

I was rather appalled at the suite passenger's luncheon on our last Zuiderdam cruise. They had all the accompaniaments -- toast points, chopped egg, chopped chives, chopped onion -- and a small bowl of ...

ready ...?

Golden "caviar"!! Salmon eggs!!!

Disappointing, to say the least.

It is possible, on some ships, to get a decent spread of beluga or sevruga caviar in the "champagne" bar -- for about $60 an ounce. Still, that is great compared to the price of beluga ashore.

And no, no champagne with caviar. Absolutely ice cold vodka, straight, is the required chaser!

And......

what is the best pairing, if champagne is not?

Great post, Oceanliner. Thanks for it.

Thanks for the suggestion of Vodka, MercedMike. But, nay.....not for moi!!!

And......

 

what is the best pairing, if champagne is not?

 

Great post, Oceanliner. Thanks for it.

 

Thanks for the suggestion of Vodka, MercedMike. But, nay.....not for moi!!!

 

 

I have had vodka with caviar, but it really hits me hard and after a short while I really cannot remember the caviar....or suite number....or my name.....You want something that will clean your palate such as vodka, which for me after two or three might as well be Everclear. My personal favorite, is a very lightly carbonated sparkling water. Groelsteiner or San Faustino works well for me, or a dilluted Pellagrino or Perrier.

Sail ,

Ice cold Vodka (preferably Stolichnaya ) is the drink of choice with caviar.

The Russian Tea Room in NYC used to do a beautiful spread with all the accompaniaments MercedMike mentioned. Only they served the beluga or sevruga (priced accordingly).

Oh my goodness.......I'd forgotten about The Russian Tea Room. Had several wonderful evenings there. They aren't still open, are they? Thought I read they closed.

DH enjoys an icy vodka but I'll have to stick with your suggestion of a lightly carbonated sparkling water.....Pelligrino con gas?

A good friend of mine who worked as a sommelier and had an extended food and wine paring seminar from a wine master from Italy told me something I've never forgotten. He said the wine master said, "There are only two kinds of wine. Wine you like, and wine you don't. Not everyone's tastes are the same."

I love champagne with EVERYTHING. For me it's the perfect accompaniment with any food. From cheeseburgers to pizza to salmon. LOVE IT. Vodka for me, is too much with caviar. I actually like the taste of caviar. Vodka kills the taste in my mouth instantly and all I taste is vodka. Champagne with caviar adds a nice sparkle and I can still taste the caviar. I prefer a brut, not something sweet like an asti. My favorite is La Grande Dame. mmmmm!

So if that makes me uneducated in the ways of caviar, so be it. I like what I like. That's why God made Baskin Robbins! :D

Oh my goodness.......I'd forgotten about The Russian Tea Room. Had several wonderful evenings there. They aren't still open, are they? Thought I read they closed.

 

DH enjoys an icy vodka but I'll have to stick with your suggestion of a lightly carbonated sparkling water.....Pelligrino con gas?

 

Sail ,

They did close a few years back, however , I did hear they either recently re-opened or are going to soon (not sure if its the original owners doing this) I also believe they are re-opening in their original location (W.57th St., right next to Carnegie Hall)

Read in the paper last week that they had re opened on W 57th St............jean:cool:

Bargal; Do you ever order the "Henkel Split" on the ship? A small ICE COLD bottle of fairly dry champagne? Its my FAVORITE too- and DH gave me a CASE of it for Christmas last year here at HOME! LOVE it!!!!!!! Anne

 

BTW, if you are dealing with a server who really knows his/her stuff, they will test you with an offering of champagne. Those who really know caviar, know that caviar and champagne really are not a great pairing, and that the champagne should be reserved for afterwards. .

I'm with you all the way!

Recently on the STATENDAM we were able to enjoy caviar on each formal night... five of them. First evening we requested a chilled vodka... I happen to like Belvedere. OK, first time it was served over ice but Enrico quickly caught on and so oon subsequent formal nights he has the vodka well chilled and served in frozen glasses.

Best place to enjoy caviar is on board QE2 in Queen's Grill. Unlimited quantities (within reason of course) and good frozen vodka... every night! On one voyage I requested a serving of haggi... with a shot of good single malt scotch. I had the vodka with my caviar and then the scotch with the haggis and by the time I got to my main event I was feeling no pain!

Stephen

We lwere given a surprise from the hotel manager on MAASDAM in February. We were ordered to be in our suite at six.

In marched a brigade of servers with trays and trays of goodies, including a huge bowl of caviar and all the trimmings. Mariner was in heaven!

It also was available at the suite luncheon.

And yes, S7S, the Russian Tea Room has reopened. Some of the ``old'' favorites have been modified for younger palettes and waistlines. But it's still a NYC classic.

Perhaps you might want to get a bowl of borchst for lunch on your pre-cruise.

I thought that caviar wasn't being served because there was a moratorium on harvesting it in order to increase the fish stocks (I think in the Black Sea). Am I wrong?

Roberta

Anne - We normally bring our own champage onboard, but I'll have to try the Henkel one night. Sounds yummy.

Stephen - OMG! I LOVE HAGGIS!! And with a single malt.... purrr... :D

I thought that caviar wasn't being served because there was a moratorium on harvesting it in order to increase the fish stocks (I think in the Black Sea). Am I wrong?

 

Roberta

You are correct about the Black Sea, luckily there are other sources. There is a considerable back stock of product before the embargo; there are limited sources from Iran, but very expensive; there are several wild species out of the US and Siberia; and there are several farmed labels.

 

Stephen - OMG! I LOVE HAGGIS!! And with a single malt.... purrr... :D

Ah! A cultured CC member!!! :rolleyes:

Have you ever asked for it on a Princess cruise? If you get one of the ships with more Brits than Italians you might get lucky. On Cunard ships you just ask the Maitr'd. No problem at all.

Stephen

Ah! A cultured CC member!!! :rolleyes:

 

Have you ever asked for it on a Princess cruise? If you get one of the ships with more Brits than Italians you might get lucky. On Cunard ships you just ask the Maitr'd. No problem at all.

 

Stephen

Last trip on the Diamond we had a great wait team - from I think Romania - who would make us a local dish of polenta, sour cream, feta, and hard boiled eggs - OMG was it good! But it would fill us up to the point we couldn't eat anything else! We had to beg them to stop even though it was so yummy!

Haggis - people thing I'm nuts. It's so good! I'll have to try it next time I'm on any ship that has some Brit staff! Thanks for the tip!

:D

mariner...We were in NY City last year and were so disappointed to find the Russian Tea Room closed..but we had heard it was re-opening..we will be in NY City on 12/30 for 1 night only...and would love to go there...do you know if it will open by then? Thank you LuAnn

Luann. Yes.

But make reservations now, or have your hotel concierge do it. As you well know, the city is very crowded with tourists that time of year.

thanks for the info...will do!! LuAnn

I was doing a search for Noordam menus and found this thread. :cool:

A good friend of mine who worked as a sommelier and had an extended food and wine paring seminar from a wine master from Italy told me something I've never forgotten. He said the wine master said, "There are only two kinds of wine. Wine you like, and wine you don't. Not everyone's tastes are the same."

 

I love champagne with EVERYTHING. For me it's the perfect accompaniment with any food. From cheeseburgers to pizza to salmon. LOVE IT. Vodka for me, is too much with caviar. I actually like the taste of caviar. Vodka kills the taste in my mouth instantly and all I taste is vodka. Champagne with caviar adds a nice sparkle and I can still taste the caviar. I prefer a brut, not something sweet like an asti. My favorite is La Grande Dame. mmmmm!

 

So if that makes me uneducated in the ways of caviar, so be it. I like what I like. That's why God made Baskin Robbins!

Best place to enjoy caviar is on board QE2 in Queen's Grill. Unlimited quantities (within reason of course) and good frozen vodka... every night!

I'm with you all the way!

 

 

Best place to enjoy caviar is on board QE2 in Queen's Grill. Unlimited quantities (within reason of course) and good frozen vodka... every night! On one voyage I requested a serving of haggi... with a shot of good single malt scotch. I had the vodka with my caviar and then the scotch with the haggis and by the time I got to my main event I was feeling no pain!

 

Stephen

The inaugural year of the QE2 there was only the Grill Room - No Queen's Grill, Princess Grill, etc. and you could order all the caviar you desired. The last time I ate in the Queen's Grill on the QE2 a lady at my table requested caviar and sevruga was served. She told the Maitre she wanted beluga. There was a big conference and finally it arrived with the explanation that it had to be retrieved from a locked vault. I think real beluga is an uncommon occurrence on ships these days because it is outrageously expensive. However, years ago I had wonderful caviar in north Wisconsin on a farm that raised sturgeon. It was terrific. I have always wondered why there is not more production of caviar in the U.S. since some states have the proper climate and it can be obtained from farmed sturgeon.

I don't know a hell of a lot about caviar, except that I lived five years in Moscow eating it. This was in the 1980s, and you could always tell tourists from resident foreigners at receptions. Foreigners beelined to the caviar table, residents attacked vegetables in the dark of the winter because they were so much harder to get than caviar.

Anyway, I live in Baltimore in an area where we have half a dozen Russian groceries and delicatessens. I have bought both Russian caviar in cans (I must say that I prefer red caviar because it's of more consistent quality than black) and a variety of others, including Alaskan and Chilean.

I have been very satisfied with my buys. Cheap too.

As to what to drink with caviar, vodka, of course.

Champagne goes so nicely with strawberries.

DedeM - Sorry to go off-topic. Your avatar is adorable, but WHAT did you do to your cat???? :)