Caviar Night In for Two: The 20-Minute Plan

A table for two at a good restaurant means a reservation, a long wait and a bill you'll think about on the drive home. A tin of caviar at home means a cold box on your doorstep and twenty minutes of setup. Here's the whole plan.

What you need

• Caviar. Two or three kinds if you can, so you can taste them side by side.
• Ice. A bowl of crushed ice to keep the tins cold on the table.
• A non-metal spoon. Mother of pearl is the classic. Wood or bone work too. Here's why it matters.
• Something to put it on. Mini blinis, good potato chips, or a hot buttered potato.
• Something cold to pour. Brut Champagne, a dry sparkling wine, or very cold sparkling water. More pairing ideas here.

The Introduction covers most of this list in one box: three 30g tins (Kaluga Hybrid, Osetra and Siberian), mini blinis, truffle chips, a tin opener and a mother of pearl spoon. You bring the ice and the glasses.

How much caviar for two

• A tasting: 15g of each kind is enough to compare.
• A starter before dinner: about 30g per person, so 60g for two.
• The main event: 50g per person or more, with blinis and chips on the side.

Not sure? Our serving size guide breaks it down by occasion.

Keep it cold. That's the one rule.

Caviar is at its best properly chilled. Store the tins in the coldest part of your fridge, usually the back of the bottom shelf, until you're ready. At the table, set each tin on crushed ice. Open the tins just before you serve. Our storage guide has the details.

The 20-minute plan

1. 20 minutes before: put the bottle on ice and fill a bowl with crushed ice.
2. 10 minutes before: warm the blinis following the pack, and pour the chips into a bowl.
3. 5 minutes before: set the table. Tins on ice, spoon, blinis, chips, and crème fraîche if you have it.
4. Go: open the tins at the table, together. Opening them is half the fun.

Three ways to eat it

1. Straight from the spoon. The best way to taste the difference between kinds. Let a few pearls sit on your tongue before you bite.
2. On a blini. Warm, soft, a little crème fraîche, a spoonful of caviar on top.
3. On a potato chip. Salty, crunchy, and much better than it sounds. Truffle chips make it a moment.

Taste each kind on its own first. Then decide which one goes on what.

Three mistakes to skip

1. A metal spoon. Many people pick up a metallic note. Use mother of pearl, wood or bone.
2. A warm tin. Caviar left out through dinner loses its snap. Keep it on ice the whole time.
3. Too many toppings. Chopped egg, onion and lemon juice all cover up the caviar. Lemon juice also breaks down the pearls. Keep it simple: crème fraîche, maybe chives.

Questions

How much caviar do two people need?

About 60g as a starter, or 100g or more if caviar is the main event. A tasting of several kinds works with 15g of each.

Do you eat caviar cold?

Yes. Keep it in the coldest part of the fridge and serve the tins on crushed ice.

How long does caviar last once it's open?

Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface, close the lid and refrigerate: it keeps 2 to 3 days. See our storage guide for details.

Can I choose the day it arrives?

Yes. Pick any Tuesday to Friday in your cart, up to two weeks ahead. Order by 12 PM ET.

Planning a bigger night? Read Anniversary Dinner at Home or Caviar as a Birthday Gift.