My guess is that the first time many of us saw caviar was when Conrad Veidt in CASABLANCA was spooning copious quantities of those glistening little back eggs into his mouth as he grilled Humphrey Bogart about his political activities. It was then and continues to this day to be the epitome of elegant living.

During Les Années Folles in Paris caviar was raised to the rank of the finest dishes. Under the impetus of immigrant families and princely traders fleeing the Russian revolution of 1917 and through the know-how of La Maison Petrossian, the art of caviar has become in the finest restaurants in the world and artistic circles the essential ingredient to the success of the best receptions.

I arrived at PETROSSIAN on la rue de la Tour Mauborg in the 7th arrrondissement at 11AM for a dégustation of three caviars accompanied by flutes of iced PETROSSIAN vodka that made my toes tingle. Not wanting us to stumble out of the building an array of smoked salmon, herring and sturgeon awaited us along with more vodka.

A trip upstairs to the dining room featured more delectable nibbles and after having been identified as someone who would assist the bartender in emptying the bottle, more vodka.

If you are very lucky when you come Petrossian you will be served by Mme. Petrossian who must be the most elegant lady to ever to work behind a retail counter.

Caviar: a primer The current caviar comes from 8 species of sturgeon that were historically fished in inland seas of Eurasia and in the Amur River Basin, which borders China. Today these species, although still caught in these waters many of them are farmed, particularly in China, Bulgaria, United States and France. Beluga: measuring 1.5m to 6m per 100 kg to 1,000 kg, the Beluga are anadromous, that is to say they back the sea to spawn in freshwater. The eggs can represent nearly 25% of the weight of the female. This is one of the largest fish in the world.. He lives in the Caspian Sea, the Black and Azov and in the eastern Mediterranean.

Ossetra: 1,5 m to 2m, 80 to 150 kg, is present in Black Sea, Azov and Caspian. There are two subspecies persicus that spawn in the rivers of the Iranian coast. It is an anadromous fish that feeds on invertebrates and small fish.

Sevruga: 30 to 80 kg for 0.70 m to 1.5 m, it is also called starry sturgeon. It is also anadromous and is found in the Black Sea, Azov Sea and Caspian Sea.

Petrossian Boutique
18 Boulevard de la Tour Maubourg
Tel 01-4411-3222
Metro: La Tour Maubourg