The Finest Caviar Cocktails Begin With This Dehydrated Caviar

Dehydrated caviar delivers the savory, ephemeral brininess of recent caviar with out refrigeration, making it one of many darlings of high quality eating cooks, and now it’s making its means onto cocktail menus. There are a small variety of area of interest producers who make dried caviar choices however world-renowned mixologist Brian Van Flandern is a fan of Caviar Gems, in fact-he appreciated the product a lot he signed on as a model ambassador. Van Flandern, who was named America’s Prime Mixologist by the Meals Community, describes the product as a game-changer. “I fell in love with it immediately,” he explains, “It’s a shelf-stable 100% caviar product that has a lot potential. I can use it dried on the rim or truly infuse it with totally different liquors, syrups and flavors. It’s excellent for mixology and one thing the trade has been lacking for such a very long time.”

Caviar Gems’ Co-Founder Polina Steier, whose love for caviar impressed her to launch {a magazine} known as Caviar Affair, developed the product with Narayanan Iyer, a former colleague from her days at Tsar Nicoulai Caviar. “We realized there was a white house within the trade,” says Steier. The 2 leveraged their trade connections to supply premium sustainable Osetra caviar solely from moral fisherman, then they set about to grasp the method of dehydrating it. “We reimagined caviar however stayed true to its heritage and style,” says Steier. “We aren’t right here to interchange recent caviar however it was our purpose to make the extraordinary accessible. We would like folks to play with it and we wish to attain the customers who hardly ever get an opportunity to expertise caviar.”

With out the issue of perishability, anybody can attain for caviar anytime to punch up taste. Given the briny nature of caviar, Van Flandern likes it greatest with premium vodka. “A clear impartial spirit taste enables you to really expertise the caviar. Different choices to contemplate are blanco tequila, gin, perhaps even a transparent mezcal.” He additionally recommends pairing it, and even higher, infusing it, with different seaside spirits akin to scotch from Islay. “For those who can infuse the caviar in one thing like a smoky scotch, the Gems will plump up and a few of their oils will taste the spirit as nicely. I take advantage of the Gems as a garnish across the rim or simply add them to the cocktail.”

He additionally loves the concept of infusing them in Cognac, which he notes, “has a contact of sweetness and caramel. Or add the infused Gems to champagne and now you may have briny, candy, salty, and lemon twist.”

Dehydration is merely the start; Steier is engaged on different ingenious choices akin to caviar honey, caviar salt, and presumably caviar oil for cooking. “Proper now,” says Steier, “A few of our followers put it into oatmeal, chocolatiers are utilizing it in truffles,” and he or she provides, “Jackie O consumed caviar daily when she was centered on wellness. The nutrient density of caviar is wonderful. It has a lot selenium and omega 3; it’s the final word pescatarian tremendous meals.” The Gems are shelf-stable as much as one yr and begin at $87.50 for a single jar.

Prime Cocktails for Caviar Gems (all recipes from Brian Van Flandern) Observe: the dehydration course of concentrates taste, so slightly goes a good distance—and it lasts for as much as one yr.

Crowning Jewels

1. ½ oz  of caviar gems dehydrated caviar
2. 2 oz. Del Maguey Tobola Mezcal
3. 1 oz. Lustau Dry Palo Cortado Sherry
4. 1 oz. Carpano Antica Method Candy Vermouth
5. 2 Dashes of Cardamom Bitters

Rimmed Garnish: Caviar Gems Reconstituted in 4 oz. Carpano Antica Method Candy Vermouth, Agave Nectar. Glassware: Baccarat Beluga Double-Broad Previous-Customary Tumbler

Ice: Two Cranberry and Campari Diamond Cubes (1:1); Two Inexperienced Crème de Menthe and Water Diamond Cubes (1:1); Two Water Diamond Cubes [Should look like Diamonds, Rubies and Emeralds]

Methodology of Preparation: Place all elements right into a mixing glass with giant ice and stir completely, add diamond ice to tumbler, pour elements over ice diamonds, garnish and serve.

Gems Gin Martini

1. Rinse glass in dry Vermouth
2. 2 oz. Bombay Sapphire Gin Stirred
3. 1 tsp caviar gems infused in Gin

Glassware: Martini Glass. Garnish: Lemon Twist