>albino sturgeon caviar

Caviar comes in many hues of rich jewel tones.

Amber, emerald, coral, black pearls - festively adorning your blini.

Prices of caviar run the whole gamut from cheap as chopped liver to significantly more pricey than the best foie gras, and way beyond.

Pretty - the humble orange-red salmon roe, ikura, and (artificial) green wasabi tobiko.

And then there is the Almas "white" golden caviar, the most expensive foodstuff in the world, costing thousands of dollars per serving. Luminous morsels to treasure? Rather, a glittering folly.

>Kanpachi tartare topped with wasabi tobiko, ginger-coriander emulsion - Le Bernardin, New York, NY

>Herb marinated sockeye salmon, jicama-radish salad, ikura, citrus vinaigrette - Bushi-Tei, San Francisco, CA

>Almas albino sturgeon caviar in a 24-karat gold tin, 1kg - Caviar House, London (₤15,000 British pounds)