The Volzhenka family has been producing the best caviar for half a century following the ancient traditions of the Caspian Sea, where the roe has been consumed since at least the 12th century, according to the first written records. In 2007, when Russia banned the export of caviar to Europe, the second generation of this line moved production from Astrakhan to Italy and Greece. They searched for rivers that replicated the sturgeon’s historic habitat and brought Caspian-born fry there.
The overexploitation of sturgeon catches put this species in serious danger of disappearing, in fact since 2008 it is totally prohibited to fish it in the Caspian Sea. Now, Ekaterina Bataeva, the third generation of these caviar artisans, takes care that the animals are raised sustainably, continue to be fed in a completely natural way, and advocates cruelty-free production. So they are not sacrificed to extract their roes.
Bataeva explains to Lifestyle Magazine the secrets of Volzhenka caviar and how to taste this delicacy that was part of the usual menu of Persian warriors, who believed that caviar boosted strength and physical resistance. Later it was a must for cosmonauts during the USSR and now it is considered a superfood.
The different varieties of sturgeon that Volzhenka breeds, with pure Caspian DNA, without crosses, grow in a Greek nature reserve where natural springs constantly renew the water. They eat fish, I never think, and their natural maturity time is respected. Sturgeons are slow-growing fish of prehistoric origin. They can live up to 100 years, and do not develop their sexuality until they are 16 or 18 years old -20 years in the case of the sevruga and 10 in the oscietra-. At that time the females begin to produce eggs.
Expert women who have already worked on the Caspian mother farm oversee the production. A minimum of salt is added to the roe, approximately 3% of the volume of each container, made of glass, because the cans can influence the delicate flavor of this delicacy, says Ekaterina Bataeva.
Of the twenty-five existing varieties of sturgeon, the three best known, today in danger of extinction, and which give the best caviar are fished in the Caspian, a brackish water lake that bathes Azerbaijan, Iran, Russia, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. They are the beluga, the sevruga and the Russian or osiotr sturgeon. Then there is the Siberian sturgeon, which lives in the waters of China, Russia and Kazakhstan.
The beluga sturgeon (Huso huso) is the largest freshwater fish in existence. It can measure up to five meters and weigh more than 1,500 kilos, although they are normally between 40 and 300 kilos. It is majestic and its name is synonymous with excellent caviar. Its texture is ethereal and its flavor of the sea, with a slight touch of hazelnut, is delicate and buttery. The roe are a luminous shade ranging from light silver to dark gray and can reach four millimeters in diameter. When it reaches 16 years it is already ripe to produce its first roe.
Oscietra caviar offers a complex flavor with hints of nutty. It takes up to 15 years to harvest and its velvety roe ranges from shades of amber to the darkest mahogany, hence its nickname “the gold standard” of caviar. For years it was the most numerous species in the Caspian and for this reason it was the most consumed.
The carbon-black caviar produced by the Siberian sturgeon is revered for its unique, aromatic flavor. Rich in omega-3, it is considered a luxurious superfood. This sturgeon matures between 9 and 12 years old and can reach up to 3 meters in length and weigh up to 200 kilos. Its roe measures between 2.5 mm and 2.9 mm, and is distinguished by its intense, complex and fatty flavor.
Described by Volzhenka as “the queen of beauty” for its long snout and slender body, sevruga is a physiological wonder that produces caviar with a very delicate and fresh flavor. This sturgeon is recognizable by its star-patterned skin and gleaming silver roe, which is just 2 millimeters in diameter and ranges from pale slate to charcoal.
