Many of the foods considered a luxury today had humble beginnings. Truffles, for example, were an inexpensive treat for the French as recently as 30 years ago. They grew in abundance and were free to whoever found them. Snails, too, which sound so much more enticing as escargots, are now a feature on the menus of Michelin-starred restaurants, but they used to be peasants' food. Sturgeon caviar has never been cheap but the price was reasonable until sturgeon were overfished in the Caspian and Black seas. Of the three main types of sturgeon caviar - beluga, sevruga and oscietra, the sevruga is my favourite. It's less salty and has a thinner membrane than the breathtakingly priced beluga. It has more than a hint of the sea about it and a better textured solidness than the cheaper (but still expensive) oscietra. There are many other types of caviar that are delicious, including those from salmon and Chinese sturgeon. While vodka is a traditional match with caviar, champagne is a more luxurious alternative. Louis Roederer Cristal 2002, Reims, France The year 2002 was a cold one in Reims and the resulting fruit was perfect for the lean elegance of the Cristal style. It's unmistakably layered and seems to go on and on in the palate. It's a worthy match with sevruga because the champagne's fine, linear structure almost carves the tiny fish eggs into laser-precise quarters. The combination really demands your full attention, so serve it to those with finely tuned palates. Available for HK$1,590 at Altaya (tel: 2523 1945) Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin La Grande Dame 1998, Reims Reims had a bountiful 1998, with ripe fruit from sunshine that is rare in the cold Champagne region. La Grande Dame seems to be dominated by the richness of the pinot noir fruit but on closer inspection it only plays an almost equal part to the other noble champagne grapes in the blend. This is a full champagne that goes well with food. Salmon caviar - large roe that burst with sea tang - is a great match with this champagne. Try a drop of truffle oil on a spoonful of salmon roe - the earth, the sea and the champagne's bubbling stars come together in one bite. Available for HK$948 at Watson's Wine Cellar (tel: 2526 2832) GH Mumm Cuvee R Lalou 1998, Reims R Lalou is one of the most head-turning champagnes created in the past 15 years or so. It's stylish, to say the least, but all of its complex flavours are tightly wrapped into a core of silk and velvet. It's highly refined and not at all loud. It's a good accompaniment to any fresh caviar. The salty fish eggs heighten the already very complex fruit and aged flavours. The predictable caviar explosion adds further distraction to a pure and focused champagne. Available for HK$1,200 at Pernod Ricard (tel: 2378 7955)
