Today I shot at the largest food and hospitality convention in God’s dust bowl here in Dubai. Gulfood is really, really big. Day 3 of 5 for me at the foodie fair and I have seen only a portion of what the world has to offer, all on display, with loads of bite-size nibbles on at each stand, representing various nations, all in the name of establishing trade relations.
Personal favourite moment – when the chefs of the world conducted a cook-off and presented the punters with treasures of the sea to taste. First the shutter was depressed, snap! then the mouth opened wide. The offering? Caviar and eggs – a perfect pairing.
Caviar & Eggs: D3000 f/3.5; Exposure Time 1/30sec; ISO-200
Caviar, originating from the Turkish khavyar, first appeared in English print in 1591. Caviar is simply sieved and lightly salted Sturgeon roe. The four main types of caviar are Beluga, Sterlet, Ossetra and Sevruga. The most expensive caviar is the “Golden Caviar” which has an amazing gold amber color. This luxe delicacy comes from the rarest of sturgeon, the Beluga-Albino, which is almost never found in nature. There is less than 10kg produced each year priced at $25,000 per kilogram or roughly $710.00 per ounce.
It is only in the Caspian Sea, which is bordered by Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan, that sturgeon swim. Wild caviar production has now survived only in Azerbaijan and Iran as Russia maintains a self-imposed ban on caviar trade from wild sturgeon.
This precious delicacy, once reserved for Russian czars, Iranian shahs and Austrian emperors now finds its way into my welcoming mouth, tastebuds dancing with each bursting orb.
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