Island Creek Panchenko Smoked Trout Roe

FROM ISLAND CREEK: The Panchenko Caviar House was founded in 2008, 40km from the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, as one of the first approved sustainable fish farms in the country. Beyond producing beautiful trout roe, Panchenko commercially breeds sturgeon, trout, and carp. This region, although perhaps best known to the average food lover for producing funky, bright wines, is a storied caviar hub. The Republic of Georgia is bordered by the Black Sea to the west and the Caucasus Mountains to the east. In those mountains are the headwaters of the Rioni River, a vital passage and refuge for the country's six varieties of sturgeon, some of which no longer exist anywhere else in the world! Despite the river's remarkable biodiversity, every species is critically endangered. Firms like Panchenko are helping to sustainably preserve the region's interconnection with sturgeon.