Chefs weren't impressed by the name. But when they tasted the caviar, they loved it. In 1989, Burke and his partners decided they'd best get serious. This year, Louisiana Caviar will sell some 4,000 to 5,000 pounds of the stuff. Buyers include Commander's Palace, Lafitte's Landing and delis in Los Angeles.
Some customers are in Australia and Tokyo.
Caviar starts with the 10 to 16 ounces of roe that are cut out of a live female fish. The eggs are strained gently through stainless steel screens to clear them of membranes, fibers and fatty matter. Then. salt is added, from 3 percent to 6 percent. It sounds simple, but by all accounts caviar is extremely difficult to make. For one thing, you lose between 10 percent and 20 percent of the eggs in the preparation process.