- What's in the box!
You guys are over me walking in.
You're just like, okay, open the box.
That's fancy.
[taps]
I'm getting some vibrations here.
Go fishing, right now?
In a fish tank?
On, the East River, on the Hudson River?
It's pretty late in the
day to start fishing.
Who the [beep] knows Andy?
I'm going fishing.
Is that like a plate from
Perseus from like 2003?
- That's what I'm saying.
I thought there was gonna be like
some fancy thing under there.
- Caviar.
- That's what I thought.
I'm confused, are there fish in here?
- No, there's no water in there Molly.
- I know what I need to fish.
How 'bout Andy reads my second clue?
Don't [beep] it up.
Don't lie.
- [laughs].
She knows me too well.
- You're like give Andy
a compliment [laughs].
- No, please don't.
Meet your ride.
A car will pick up up
tomorrow morning at 9:15 A.M.
and take you to your destination.
- Are you gonna be in the car?
- No.
- But what about the fish bowl?
- She likes to sleep in.
That's a little early for you.
- I'm sensing something fancy
and something fish related.
And I'm getting caviar vibrations.
Okay, guys so see ya tomorrow at 9:15
to go fishing?
[upbeat classical music]
Petrossian!
My favorite.
So Petrossian is a family run business
for the past 100 years or so.
And now, honestly, their pretty synonymous
with the top tier caviar in the states.
When I think of caviar,
I immediately think of Petrossian.
I figured it it's about caviar.
I've been validated.
Love caviar.
I'm very excited.
[pop] Ah!
I was given a bunch of presents,
a bunch of clues and
taken on a really wacky
scavenger hunt to learn everything
there is to know about ...
Oh, through the ramp?
- Damn.
- Caviar [slap].
Can I just go in?
- Hi.
- Oh, Jesus.
Alex, nice to meet you.
- Hi.
- Nice to meet you, I'm Molly.
- Yeah, we're gonna have
some fun with caviar.
- Oh, my gosh, I wish I had dressed up.
You look so nice.
- Well, no, we're gonna
be in a cold environment,
we're gonna ne all dressed up so no.
- Okay, wow.
I love caviar.
- Ready?
- Yes.
- Let's go.
- Part of what was so
amazing about that day,
was that I got to eat caviar
with reckless abandon.
I can't even keep a straight face
'cause it was just overwhelming.
- [Molly] Whoa, whoa, whoa.
- This way, we're gonna dress you up.
- Wow, this is gonna be really cute.
Do I look like a marshmallow or what?
- This is where we mature
all the caviar in the U.S.
Caviar is very easy to think about.
You have four or five type
of caviar like Merlot,
Sauvignon Blanc all that.
Four or five type of caviar,
Ossetra, Kaluga.
And within each of those species,
you have different grades.
Between four to five grades
depending on the caviar.
And each grade represents a
different maturation period.
- [Molly] Okay.
- So super simple to think about it.
So basically maturation is time.
- Caviar is harvested from
different species of sturgeon>
- Correct, from different countries,
farmed in different countries.
All the caviar that you have
in the U.S. is farm-raised.
We get the caviar from different farms,
buy them in bulk,
bring them here,
maturate and start selling them.
Comes from Israel,
from Poland,
from China,
from France.
- [Molly] Got it.
- We import it here and
start the maturation process
and once ready we start to sell it.
- Lets just say, tomorrow we were like
we're shutting down
Petrossian and we're selling
everything in this room.
What would the total value be?
- Retail or wholesale?
- Retail, retail, like for a consumer.
- I couldn't tell you.
I mean if I would sell those retail,
all this row it would be one brownstone.
- One New York City brownstone.
- Retail price.
- One, two, three, four,
five, six, seven, eight,
nine, 10.
We have like the equivalent
of 10 very beautiful,
Upper West Side brownstones in here.
In caviar.
- And that's why we're not
gonna say where we are.
- Except for, I know.
[laughs]
I mean that's [puckers], fancy stuff.
Okay, no caviar in here.
Grade some eggs.
Oh.
- Yes, it feels like it's warm in here.
- It's so warm in here.
- But it's not.
- Oh, my gosh.
- It's just a feeling.
- Hey everyone [laughs].
- So we're gonna play a little game.
A guessing game where
you're gonna try to guess
which one is the higher
grade for each species.
[royal horns]
This is one grade and
this is another grade.
- [Molly] So these are the same.
- So the way that you do it,
you take a little bit,
lift it up and then try it.
- How much should I take?
- As much as you want.
- Said no one ever about caviar.
- Exactly.
- Mm, wow, so delicious.
- I love caviar [laughs].
- This guy's so excited.
That is--
- It's so good.
- It's almost like--
- I wish you guys could try it with us.
- Oily.
It's very like fatty.
- And now the other grade.
- Wow, I mean they are so different.
This one has this kind of
basementy flavor to it.
This comes on a lot stronger.
It's much more intense
and I think you can taste
the maturity in it.
- So this one would be the more mature.
- Okay.
- And this would be less mature.
The salt appears a little
differently because
it's not mature enough,
but the flavor is already more robust.
It lingers a little more.
- It's definitely more intense.
- It stays on your
tongue a little more too.
- Totally.
So you always prefer the more mature.
- No.
- Not necessarily.
So it's like a personal
preference thing also?
- It really is.
This is completely different
[ding] as you can tell by the look.
You're gonna love that.
- Is there one that you're gonna be like,
I don't think you're gonna like this?
- Well, maybe but no.
- For whatever reason,
the texture of these
are like more poppy,
Like their more sturdy almost.
- And you wanna help.
- So sweet.
Before you told me that
the more mature ones
were less salty because it had been like.
- Yeah, but also it
depends on each caviar,
if the eggs are big or small,
it all effects the maturation process.
So it can be more mature than this one
but not bread yet.
- So now I have to guess?
I think this one's more mature.
- I don't know.
[drum roll]
- Damn it!
- [laughs].
This one is way rounder.
You have and it stays on your tongue more
and this really what
gives it away each time.
Is how long the caviar
stays on the tongue.
This one, kinda stops fast and evolve.
This one kinda stays and
it stays and it lingers.
- [Molly] Okay, the lighter in color,
the more they mature.
- Not always.
But yes ish.
- A lot of ishes going on.
[ding] It's almost giving me like a
olive flavor.
- The salt, the process
that gives you this kind of.
- It really tastes like
an oil cured olive.
That one tastes like Parmesan cheese.
- That's not what I am.
But I love the analogy.
- That's not what you're getting.
It's very like mellow.
- Yeah, so mellow.
- And gentle.
I feel like I'm gonna [beep] it up.
I think this one's more aged.
Am I right?
[dings]
This is definitely more caviar
than I've had in one sitting already.
And we've just gotten started.
Across the board,
I liked a whole variety of
different levels of caviar best.
I guess my point is all caviar is great.
Did you start this company?
- No, my grandfather started it.
- Okay, when, when did Petrossian--
- 1920.
- 1920, okay.
- 1920, my dad started
to work in the early 70s
and I started to work full time in 2004.
- So you've been--
- 15 years ago.
16 years, yeah.
16 years ago, Jesus Christ.
Go too fast.
- Pack some tins.
[royal horns]
- Molly, we're gonna
start packing some caviar.
This is your tools.
So for the big tin, the small tin,
to open them and to remove the broken eggs
when we're done.
[upbeat whimsical music]
- [Molly] So you're just
inspecting for broken eggs.
- [Alex] Exactly.
That's it.
And that's your first tin of caviar.
- Okay.
- Now, press hard.
You got it.
- Wow.
- First tin, completed.
- Cheers.
- Last one we're gonna do
is the rubber band metal.
This is the first one we've ever done.
It doesn't involve a machine.
- Is there like a reason
that you would pack certain
caviar's in certain tins?
Or is it just a matter of
how quickly you're gonna
go through it?
- The customer choose,
you know how fast their
gonna go through it.
And how big they want their tin to be.
This time I slam the tin,
it sits the caviar in the tin.
We're good and then you take the rubber,
lay it right on the edge and push it.
And there's your tin.
Exactly.
[creaks]
- [Molly] Ah!
It hurts your fingers.
It's a really strong rubber
band because it's air tight.
I couldn't really do it.
Okay, you did that a lot more gracefully.
- Not too bad.
Well, you need to do it again,
I'm so sorry.
'Cause it doesn't cover
both things so the air
can come in.
[curious music]
- Ow.
I did it again.
- Almost, it's okay.
That's what makes you
learn faster I guess.
You have your tin.
- Love.
It's like he's been wrapping
his tins in rubber bands
for 20 years.
It hurts.
- So the only problem with your tins
is when you open,
you take a spoon and close it back.
- Yep.
- Then there's air,
there's a big pocket of air
in your tin and that's
when it starts to spoil.
If you repack it and close
it properly, no problem.
- I like have a lot of pressure on me.
I'm getting nervous.
- You have the--
- What if I get robbed?
- You did it already!
- I know.
- You did the big part already.
- It's a lot, it's a lot.
- If you have a problem you call me.
And I'll walk you through it.
- All right, okay.
- Promise.
- Okay, that sounds great.
- Thank you so much for coming.
- Thank you for having me.
- I can't wait to see what
you're gonna do with it.
- It has been incredible.
Once again, I'm all alone.
[laughs] Hail a "Cavi-car".
I am fully loaded with
caviar and I'm going to go
back to the test kitchen now.
Taxi!
[whistles]
[honks]
[hero music]
Ohp.
Pop the balloons.
It's gonna be loud.
[pop]
[yells]
- [Woman] You guys should have warned us.
- [Man] Sorry.
- Make caviar the low way.
- [Man] We're popping.
- Kay, popping.
[pop] Make caviar the medium way.
Make caviar the high way.
[pop] God, that is [beep] loud.
That's it, we're done.
Make caviar the Boz way.
Okay, I'm gonna make a game
plan because I have two hours
to do something high,
something low,
and something Molly.
So, high, I think we do
oysters on the half shell
and I will make a champagne mignonette
because duh.
And caviar.
And then, low, I want to do
like a loaded baked potato,
sour cream, smoked salmon, chives, caviar.
And then, for Molly way,
the high little low,
I wanna do a seven layer dip.
Those layers will be like a
lump crab salad at the bottom.
We'll do a layer of creme
fraiche, diced shallots,
egg yolks that have been
passed through a sieve,
chives, egg whites and
then top it with caviar.
With a big layer of caviar.
And I'll do that in a mold,
like a ring mold.
And then, I'm gonna serve
that if I have time,
a homemade hot potato chips.
Does that seem like a plan?
[royal horns]
Okay, I need to get cooking.
So I'm gonna start by baking my potatoes.
Boiling my eggs, I'm gonna
make my champagne mignonette.
I'm gonna peal the potatoes.
Hey Carla, what was the thickness?
I know you've measured but like.
- Three millimeters.
- Do you think that's three mills?
- Yeah, that looks,
- Or a little thick?
- Pretty dead on.
It's great.
- I have a lot to do.
So feel free to help out.
- Your eggs are going.
- I have my water going.
- Well, it's boiling, you should--
- Why don't you go help
drop some eggs in there.
[beep].
Andy and I have a special relationship.
I love him so much and
I always [beep] hate him
a lot of the time.
My little sues chef.
- Never will I ever.
- I get to boss you around.
Chop, chop over there.
- How do you do it Molly?
I don't just you could just leave them out
but I end up just dipping them a few times
in the hot water.
- Just put them in a bowl
of warm water and let
them come up to temp.
- But yeah, we're kind of like
siblings in the test kitchen.
- Timer.
- Hey, Siri!
Hey Siri!
- Siri, listen to us!
- Hey Siri!
- Siri!
- Siri [laughs].
Hey, Siri.
- Hey, Siri.
- Set my timer for 10 minutes.
- Hey, Siri, set my timer for 10 minutes.
- I got it.
- [Siri] Setting your timer 10 minutes.
Should I send it tomorrow instead?
- No, calm down, sh, chill.
- Calm down, Siri.
- I feel like caviar
would be like a food that
represents me.
- Oh, my sweet Andy boy.
Why, cause it's just so lux and desirable?
- And rare.
- Unattainable.
- And weird.
- Yeah, and salty.
You're salty.
- Yeah, what are you gonna be.
You wanna be foie.
No, I don't wanna be foie.
- So you're force fed and fatty.
- No, maybe I'd be.
- You wanna be truffles.
- No, come on, I'm not that basic.
I'll be champagne.
[pours]
I'm gonna do crab on the bottom.
Layer of red onion.
Yes?
- I found a couple things over there.
- Oh, did you know that
this is part of my show?
♪ Delaney ♪
- That you drink martini's all the time?
- And a [beep] sidecar.
- It's not a real martini
unless there's a side car.
- I agree.
Oh, my God, there's so
much happening right now.
Oh, and we did a little
for the presentation.
- Oh, my God, I love that!
I was just talking about
this the other day.
- Right, do it.
Do it now.
- Throw a party.
I was already going to.
- [laughs] One step ahead of the game.
- I'm always one step ahead.
[royal horns]
So this is I believe, my
fifth layer of creme fraiche.
Ew, I kinda wanna keep it in a big pile.
Okay, and the final layer.
I'm gonna start shucking oysters.
Now, I'm going to top the oysters.
I'm gonna take the baked potatoes out now.
Sour cream.
So here's my baked potato
caviar that I chose.
I really just wanna go
over the top with it.
'Cause who [beep] cares?
[classical music]
Never in a million years
would I think I would be here
serving you guys caviar.
But here we are!
Presenting my first course,
which is oysters on the half shell.
These are blue point oysters with caviar
and champagne mignonette.
- [Andy] Yum.
- Please enjoy.
- Oh, what type of caviar?
- That's special reserve Kaluga caviar.
This is baked potatoes with
sour cream, smoked salmon,
Kaluga Huso Hybrid
Imperial caviar and dill.
- This is amazing.
- And lastly, ladies and gentlemen,
my seven layer caviar dip.
- [All] Wow!
- Featuring the Imperial
- Damn!
This has a layer of crab salad,
a layer of diced red onions,
a layer of sieved egg yolk,
a layer of sieved egg whites,
a layer of chives,
a layer of creme fraiche
and an enormous amount of caviar.
[laughs]
- That's a seven layer dip right there.
- Yeah.
- That's the kinda seven
layer dip I'm trying to eat.
[classical music]
- I think we're spoiled by
a lot of different foods
but I have yet to be like,
this indulged by caviar.
- Ever in my life.
- It's pretty special.
- Yeah, this is over the top.
So ...
- I mean like growing up,
how often did you have?
- Never.
- Never.
- Never, oh hell no, I
didn't have that growing up.
I don't think my mom's
ever had caviar or my dad.
- Once in a blue moon for a special party.
- Once in a blue moon.
Maybe New Year's Eve.
Maybe on New Years eve.
- Maybe as a grown up also.
Once in a blue moon.
I think the last time I had it
was when Petrossian was here.
- Right.
- So people we don't eat caviar everyday.
Just so you know.
- Yeah.
- Definitely more caviar
than anyone had ever consumed
in one sitting.
Like both based on like
types of caviar but also
just sheer volume.
I have a lot more and it's
all in vacuum sealed tins
but what I learned is
that once you crack open
the vacuum seal,
you have to eat it within the day.
- So it's really an argument
for when you have caviar,
you should really just--
- Go for it.
- [Man] Don't put it back in the fridge.
- You're only gonna be eating a teaspoon.
- It doesn't get better if you save it.
- No.
- That's why that tins
are so small I guess.
[chings]
- Cheers.
- I feel like I'm always having parties.
- Mumbles.
- Yay!
- Thanks for coming guys.
Hopefully, the take away
from this episode is not like
wow, they eat a lot of
caviar in their lives.
'Cause that was also a very
special experience for us
and unusual.
If you were a luxury food,
which personifies you the most?
- I would be whatever the better version
of Andy's caviar is.
[laughs]
- All right.
