The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-10-30
HOW CAVIARE Is MADE.
Secret of the Preparation Of the Rus.
sian Dclieney.
Journal of the Sosciety of Art.

Journal of the Sosciety of Art.
Fishing Is one of the most important
branches of Russian industry. There
Is, perhaps, no other country In the
world where fish plays such leading
part in the economy of life. In proper
tiOn to other countries, there are more
people in Russia who, not being able
to buy meat, have to depend upon fish
for food. On fast days, of which there
are so many, fish is an indispensable
article for the whole nation. Russia
has a large number of important riv-
ers. streams and lakes, besides coast
of 4,9iS miles, which are rich in fish,
with some rare and fine species. The
most valuable products of the fish in
dustry in Russia. are Cod Liver oil,
and caviare. Russian caviare Is OBJ
tained mainly from sturgeon. In the
Volga district the white sturgeon leads
for the high quality of its roe, and
next comes the common sturgeon. The
United states consul general at st. Pet
ersburg says that although the prep
aration of Caviare does not differ from
that in other countries. it's superiority
being due to the fine quality of the roe,
he has studied the process of it's man.
ipulation, which Is as follows: When
stranger Is admitted into the fish
ing section where caviare Is prepared
he finds 1t supplied with q number of
troughs, wooden tubs and vats, q
stand, looking like a bench with upper
frame open, on which is placed the
freshly salted caviare in order to sep
arate it from the superiluous brine.
There Is also very important imple-
ment-the caviare press-with which
the pressed caviare is prepared. On
the walls hang the caviare sieves, con-
sisting of wooden frames and nets of
strong cords. The workmen separate
the caviare from the egg bags, in which
it is inclosed. by rubbing it with the
hand through the sieve into vat.
The egg skin does not go through,
but remains on the surface of the sieve.
When fish are in the first stage of de-
composition the egg skins get so soft
that they can be separated from the
roe. and from these the low grades
of caviare are made. Next, in the salt
ing of the caviare, ii is sailed only with
brine made of fine salt. The differ
ence in fresh" caviare is caused by
the smaller or greater quantities of
salt contained in the brine. and this
is regulated to meet the length Of
time tine caviare is to be kept. The
fresh brine is kept in large wooden
tubs, and the fine. clean salt used for
the preparation of the brine is put into
small barrels. The superfuous brine is
used again. Immediately after the
eggs have been rubbed through the
sieves they are put through the brine,
and as soon as they are deprived of
the supertluous salt they are placed in
tin jars or cans and small wooden kegs:
and the so-called fresh caviare, which
is high priced, is ready for market.
The cheaper kind is cured In the brine
and then put into linen bags and
pressed. This is called pressed cavi-
are. The roe should not be taken from
the fish before the third or fourth
year, when it is ripe. and grown to It's
full size. Many fish are cut before
the roe is ripe, and In such case the
roe must be used Immediately. This
is one reason why fresh caviara can be
obtained at all times. During ten
months of 1895 Russia exported 4.G5S. .44S
pounds of pressed caviare and 6l3.9OA
pounds Of fresh caviare.