Caviar Tailgating

It’s November now and football season is in full swing. One of my favorite parts of the game day experience is tailgating. This past weekend I went to a game between San Diego and the defending champion Green Bay Packers. I knew it was time to go big since I’m a huge Packer fan.

My friends Peter and Paul are big Packer fans as well. Peter is a wine enthusiast and boasts a healthy collection of Champagne.  I mentioned the idea of a Caviar and Champagne brunch at the tailgate and he said he had a bottle in mind: a 2000 Dom Perignon. Everything I read about this vintage spoke of the burst of fruit flavors, so I wanted to compliment that with a sweeter roe. I chose a 2 oz. jar of the Siberian Sturgeon from Mote.

For the special occasion, I decided to make my version of a deviled egg. I halved some hard boiled eggs, chopped some onions very fine and then filled the egg halves with onions and a heaping spoonful of the Caviar.

Despite the plastic flutes (stadium rules), the Champagne was delicious: a perfect match as the hazelnut tones of the wine cut through the sweet finish of the Osetra. A few fellow tailgaters were quite jealous of our setup.

I don’t want to leave an important part of this experience. My San Diego host and good friend Dana, a vegetarian, decided that this would be her only chance to try caviar and she went for it. Her reaction was positive although the texture was a little new for her.

– Mike