King Crab, Tsar Fish and Red Caviar

The former can actually be sampled in the North and the Far East as well. The true Siberian way is called raskolotka and consists of hitting frozen fish with a firm object such as an axe shank. The scales are removed, while the raw flesh is consumed by dipping it in salt mixed with pepper.    

A rare and tasty fish, Nelma can be consumed even raw as stroganina, in which case it will be finely sliced and served with what is called makalo or a dip such as large sea salt and pepper. 

Nelma can be smoked and salted with dill, parsley, and bay leaf rounded out by sour herbal infusions.

More often than not, broad whitefish is served smoked. Juniper smoked, to be precise, after being lavishly salted and then spiced. Restaurants offer a taste of whitefish ceviche in the Russian style where fish is diced and topped with gooseberry puree with citrus juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.

The areas of the Far East rich in fish are Primorye, Kamchatka, Khabarovsk, Yakutia, Sakhalin, and Magadan. If you travel there, be sure to sample salmon, muksun, caviar or Kamchatka crab.

Red caviar of such species as chum salmon, pink salmon, and sockeye salmon began to be produced in the early 19th century, when it was considered a delicacy and was fried, dried, and cooked in porridge. The bestseller product  has come from Kamchatka, but in fact red caviar is produced along the entire shoreline. The smallest and the most expensive variety is that of sockeye salmon. It is bright red and has a tart sour aftertaste. 

Borsht, vodka and black caviar are the three dishes that Russia is traditionally associated with. Historically, black caviar was not just a royal treat but a favorite meal for people from all walks of life serving as a cold accompaniment for vodka or blini.    

In fact, the lighter the caviar is, the more valuable the variety. Today, beluga caviar is considered the best followed by sturgeon and sevruga. Only very wealthy people could historically afford pike caviar, a fact that earned it the name "Tsar caviar". 

Black caviar often serves as a gift for Russians and foreigners. Moreover, its geography is not limited to our planet: parcels with black caviar are traditionally sent to the International Space Station for New Year celebrations. 

Pressed caviar was included to the menu of Russian cosmonauts. The Art-Caviar, a museum and restaurant in Saint Petersburg, received a cosmonaut's glove from the Sokol spacesuit as a sign of gratitude.

Today caviar is not something you eat every day. Etiquette rules demand that it should be served in a caviar dish made of glass, porcelain or silver. Blini with Atlantic salmon and red caviar are Russia's traditional dishes. Other common caviar uses include include making sandwiches, dressing salads, and throwing it into red fish rolls or even Olivier salad.