Caviar guides

Tasting caviar

• Black tobiko vs masago

  Black tobiko is crunchy flying fish roe, and masago is soft capelin roe, sometimes dyed black. How to tell them apart and when to use each.

• Black tobiko vs orange tobiko

  Black and orange tobiko are the same crunchy flying fish roe in different colors. How they differ in look, taste and use, and what to check on the label.

• Frozen vs fresh ikura: which is better?

  Frozen and fresh ikura can both be excellent. How they differ in taste and texture, when to choose each, and how to thaw frozen ikura properly.

• How to eat ikura: raw, cured or cooked

  Ikura is sold cured and eaten as it is. How to serve salmon roe over rice, on sushi and toast, and whether you should cook it.

• How to store black tobiko

  How to store, thaw and freeze black tobiko, the crunchy flying fish roe, and how to tell when it has gone off.

• How to store ikura for maximum freshness

  How to keep salmon roe fresh: unopened and opened, refrigerated and frozen, plus how to thaw it and how to tell when it has gone off.

• Ikura vs tobiko vs masago: what's the difference?

  Three kinds of fish roe you see on sushi, side by side: salmon roe, flying fish roe and capelin roe, and how they differ in size, texture, flavor and price.

• The best types of ikura, by salmon species

  Ikura is salmon roe, and the species matters. How chum, coho, sockeye, king and pink salmon roe differ in size, color and flavor.

• What does caviar taste like?

  Good caviar tastes lightly salty, buttery and clean, with a nutty finish and pearls that pop. How the flavor changes by sturgeon, why caviar sometimes tastes fishy or metallic, and how to taste it.

• What is ikura? A complete guide to salmon roe

  Ikura is salmon roe. What it is, where the name comes from, how it tastes, how it is cured and served, and how to buy and store it.