Prunier Caviar “Malossol”
A Prunier masterpiece
TASTING NOTES FROM THE CURATOR
One of Prunier’s masterpiece caviars, the Prunier Caviar Malossol is also known as “pur sel” or “pure salted.” A tribute to the full-bodied caviar made by Emile Prunier for their international clientele, the Malossol is uniquely prepared. So popular was it with the overseas base, that the pilots, Nungesser and Coli took a tin of it with them on their historic 1927 flight across the Atlantic.
The Prunier Caviar Malossol are large-grained, deep black eggs, with strong and intense aromas. It has a powerful and rich character, full-bodied and concentrated, and lingers long on the palate.
PREPARATION AND PAIRINGS
Always use wooden, plastic, or mother-of-pearl spoons to handle caviar, as metal will greatly affect and alter the taste, texture, and quality of your caviar. The Prunier Caviar Malossol pairs best with a clean Russian vodka.
A FRENCH STORY
The Maison Prunier opened in 1872 as a restaurant in Paris, and became a place for the elite to meet. After the 1982 alliance between France and Russia, a Russian craze rolls over Paris, and caviar becomes the new sensation in town. Prunier was the first to open a degustation bar in 1915 with oysters and caviar, and, after the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917, obtains the import monopoly for Russian caviar in 1918.
Prunier gives up this monopoly in 1920, with the discovery that the French river of Gironde is full of sturgeons, and opens the first French production of caviar. The year 1920 is key in the history of caviar, as it is when Prunier’s biggest rival, Petrossian, was founded, importing Russian caviar. Since then, Prunier has been synonymous to the French Caviar, and a precursor of the local production of caviar.
The Acipenser baerii, or Siberian Sturgeon is originally from the major river basins at the north of Siberia. It is now mainly raised in France for its roe.
Storage Instructions
Keep your unopened tin of caviar refrigerated at a chilly -1 to 4°C for up to 4 weeks. Take it out of the fridge 10 to 15 minutes before serving. If you’re setting it out for a long cocktail party or dinner service, leave it in the original tin, nestled in a bowl of crushed ice to keep it cool. An open tin of caviar must be consumed within 2 to 3 days.
