Forgive the blatant tie-in, but I remember reading on here that fish isn't a popular choice for Swiss.

We are having a food "relay" in our apartment block in a couple of weeks and we are preparing the apero "course". I'd like to prepare something a little different and wanted to do an English something (tbc!) and a Russian something (Mrs CC) - blini (small pancakes) with caviar (cheap red, not beluga iranian!) would fit the bill perfectly.

I'm wondering if the Swiss or LT residents can let me know how "out there" this would be. "That's different, I never tried that before but what the hell.....I'll give it a go" is fine from 60% of the people, "Does anybody remember that crazy English guy who used to live here and thought we'd eat fish eggs?" from all of them probably isn't.

(Before I get the expected backlash, I will make sure that it is ethically sourced from "milked" fish rather than killed fish)

I would have a "second option" to the caviar... it not most people's cup of tea.

Most Swiss I know eat caviar, though I do prefer the Belgian stuff (if you don't get it, you're too young).

Tom

I'll eat it but it won't make me go "oooh, that's delicious". Depends on your neighbours, a lot of Swiss I know are super adventurous with their food, others will not even eat a kebab as it's too foreign and you might get sick. Many people don't eat any seafood/fish stuff point blank, maybe it's because we're a landlocked country.

I'd say it's not worth the expense for people who may not even like it. Unless there are several things and sufficient people to improve your odds of having caviar fans among them.

Caviar is one of those 'love or hate' things. I don't think nationality comes into it.
At Christmas one D-in-Law finished the jar that she found in the fridge, the other wouldn't touch it (both swiss), sons (English) are divided on the subject too.

If you're going English/Russian, what about Marmite on Blinis?

From my experience, and from the restaurant menus here - I'd say that the Swiss are a lot less adventurous than the sea-faring nationalities.

My evil mean hostess side says: "You are being nice to present them something nice, so they better eat whatever you give them!"

My rational side says: "I'm a Portuguese fish loving woman, and even I am not a big fan of caviar, so they might eat out of politeness but won't enjoy it..."

Back home, even the most fish "perfume" admirers call me weird because I love a good "fish egg" steak. I don't know many people who really love caviar (some even confessed they ate it at the wedding because it's something fancy and they want to look fancy eating fancy things rich fancy people eat).

In my honest humble opinion, I'd go with something less exotic. It's not Surströmming, but I think your guests would be happier with something less... ähem... fishy...

Though, if anyone wants some, I have three (nicely bulging) cans of surstroemming in the fridge!

Tom

lumpfish eggs is a caviar ersatz to be found in any coop or migros and quite popular among swiss.

What was that delicacy I had in Porto, sort of a sea-worm in a hard tube shell that you broke open and sucked out, it was Lecker and I downed a bowl of the things.
Just can not remember the name and it was not Gagh!

Navalheiras?



Percevas?

Yumm, I LOVE razor clams, buy them whenever I can. However, I shell them, dredge in flour, and fry in butter.

Now those I don't know, what are they?

Tom

They look like severely frost-bitten fingers through to the bone.

OK, found it, it's a goose barnacle! (no, I've never tried it)

Tom

Yes, they are Goose barnacles in English.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goose_barnacle

They are really tasty when well cooked, though you have to be careful when eating because they tend to squish water in the eye of your table companions when you bite them... They are not very welcomed by tourists in Portugal because of their odd look, some of them have the same shape as baby dog paws...

Also something I wouldn't serve to unsuspecting friends

Percevas?

Dat´s dem. Jummy, jummy.

Razor clams, they have them by the bushel in teh sea-food section of French stores.

Oooooooooooooooooops... I've been so long out of the country I can't write my own mother tongue...

It's spelled perceBas...

We in Porto have a little thing going on with the Bs and the Vs...

Sorry about that...

Or in Italy from time to time (so I always buy them when I find them).

Yes, that's why it took me a while to find out what they were!

Tom

But you do have that thing with the badassed monster sandwich from hell..
..the Francesina....
They are only served in restaurants equiped with a difilbrator and are responsable for more deaths than Portugese drving.
So I hear..