Eat Caviar From the Back of Your Hand
Several years ago, I took my dream trip to the south of France where I took cooking lessons at La Pichun (Julia Child’s summer home for nearly three decades). I shared the cost of living and lessons with five other women, one of whom was clearly used to this kind of life. (Although I studied overseas in Florence many years ago while attending a local community college, this trip was a very big gift that I gave myself after a lot of savings, and it was clearly much more common for this person.)
Anyway. Traveling with a wealthy person is a journey, but this woman, who accidentally mentioned that she paid taxes as much as I earned in a year , taught me how to taste caviar properly. “Put it on the back of your hand like this,” she advised us after a wonderful day in Cannes. “You can taste it better.” I tried it and she was right. I could taste it better.
I now do this with every little jar of fish eggs I buy, and I have yet to find another product that delivers the scent so cleanly. Even my little pearlescent caviar spoon is second only to my palm.
In an interview with the Huffington Post, John Knierim, vice president of Calvisius Caviar , explained that this method works so well because your brain ignores your body pretty well:
“If you eat something off your hand, your brain will automatically tell you there is no flavor profile or texture on the back of your hand,” Knirim said. “But if you eat something off a spoon, your brain will tell you that the spoon has taste and texture.
In addition to nifty brain tricks, your body heat removes the chills from your calves just enough to make these aromatic compounds move and stretch, making them easier to absorb. It’s also very sensual, and anything flashy like caviar should be a little sexy.
I still eat caviar that doesn’t suit me. Pancakes, potato chips, breakfast carbs – even bagels – are all great delivery vehicles for tiny fish eggs. But every time I open a can or tin can, I begin my process of eating caviar with a small piece in my hand. This gives me a clearer idea of the true flavor profile that translates into well-chosen outfit, which is important because no one likes the combination of an amateur pair of caviar accessories.