Caviar’s birthplace originated in the belly of the sturgeon fish. The sturgeon fish, itself, has a long ancient history dating back some 250 million years.
The word ‘caviar’ first appeared in print in 1591. Eventually, caviar became a delicacy for Middle Eastern and Eastern European diets, in particular Russia.
The replacements were not the same caliber as sturgeon roe, the primary source of the infamous Beluga caviar, but served as adequate substitutes.