True caviar comes from a specific species of sturgeon fish, everything else is just roe. That’s not to say that caviar is objectively better – this difference purely semantic. Like many things, caviar and roe are priced according to rarity rather than taste. After decades of rampant overfishing, caviar producing sturgeon are rarer than ever before, making prices unattainable for many. Combined with a USDA ban on imported caviar, there was a caviar crisis in the mid-2000’s. Luckily for us, American fish farms began cropping up to provide the market with a variety of delicious, homegrown alternatives. Even better news? The following varieties can all be ordered online!
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Tsar Nicoulai Estate – If you’re stuck on the idea of wanting sturgeon eggs, this California company offers a deliciously creamy medium sized Osetra caviar that is hand harvested from white sturgeon. A provider for big names like Wolfgang Puck and Thomas Keller, this brand is a safe bet for the traditionalists out there.
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Mote Marine – Florida-raised Siberian sturgeon also produce an elegant buttery roe comparable to the more well known Caspian sea varieties. This sustainably raised caviar’s approachable flavor is great for everyday use as well as special occasions.
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Seattle Caviar Co. – Yellowstone River farmed paddlefish provide the Seattle Caviar Company with juicy grey beads exploding with a nice buttery flavor. Paddlefish is commonly known as “American caviar” and has a familiar taste at an accessible price.
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Shuckman’s Fish Co. – Caviar might be the last thing on your mind when you think of Kentucky, but the Bluegrass state is home to this fourth generation fish farmer producing top of the line spoonfish caviar. The small grey beads are rich in flavor and texture – a Wildcatter favorite!
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Browne Trading Company – Portland-based company sources the finest salmon roe from hatcheries across the Pacific Northwest – the very same caviar sold in places like New York’s Zabar’s and Seattle’s Joule. A long time staple of Japanese cuisine, salmon roe are easily recognizable by their familiar reddish-orange color and provide an oozing burst of concentrated salmon flavor.
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Sunburst Trout Farms – A North Carolina freshwater tuna farm has been in business for decades, producing top-quality trout roe that provide a delicious burst of flavor. With a bright orange hue, trout roe is a more subtle alternative to the salmon roe, but with smaller pearls.