caviar

Sturgeon, after being fished to near extinction, are now farmed along the Gironde, Garonne and Isle rivers in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, an area that yields almost 24 tonnes of the 25 tonnes of caviar that France produces annually (second in the world after China).

The French are also working on a cruelty-free, non-kill method of extracting the eggs from the sturgeon. As wild caviar from Russia and Iran have been banned in the EU since 2010, this is what you’ll usuallly find in the fancy shops and restaurants. It’s essential to never eat it with a metal spoon, as the caviar takes on the taste of the metal.

In 2017, Aquitaine caviar was designated IGP.

You may also see caviar d’aubergine, made with mashed roasted aubergines, mixed with olive oil and lemon, garlic and parsley, or even caviar d’escargot