'Grey Babies' - The Lavish Seafood Elizabeth Taylor Couldn't Get Enough Of - Tasting Table

"As a woman known for her jewelry collection as much as her movies, it should come as no surprise that Hollywood icon Elizabeth Taylor had some expensive tastes in food. Fashion designer Vicky Tiel, who lived with the actress and her husband for more than 10 years, recalls Taylor's love of the finer things in life on her personal blog. In particular, her fondness for Iranian beluga caviar."

"Taylor was such a fan that she even had a nickname for the fish eggs: grey babies. Iranian beluga is larger and lighter in color, something akin to grey pearls. Taylor preferred them to all other types of caviar and considered serving the small black caviar a "no-no". This was a treat to be enjoyed at New Year's Eve in particular, when Taylor celebrated by flying in her favorite foods from around the world,"

"Tiel also shares the star's recipe for caviar "sandwiches." It starts with baking Idaho potatoes, which are then cut in half and emptied of the flesh, leaving a very thin skin. The skin is loaded with crème fraîche, two or three generous spoonfuls of Iranian beluga, and finely chopped white onions. It's then topped with another potato skin to create a rather luxurious sandwich. And to serve, a glass of the best champagne, of course."

"Think of the most expensive and luxurious foods and caviar would certainly be on the list. While there are other kinds of fish eggs, true caviar is only taken from sturgeon, the scarcity of which contributes to the delicacy's famously high prices. Within the world of caviar there are different grades and price points determined by the type of sturgeon and the region where it is produced."

Elizabeth Taylor had expensive tastes in food and particularly loved Iranian beluga caviar, which she nicknamed "grey babies." Vicky Tiel lived with Taylor and her husband for more than ten years and recalls Taylor's fondness for that caviar, especially at New Year's Eve when favorite foods were flown in. Iranian beluga eggs are larger and lighter in color, resembling grey pearls, with a delicate, creamy texture. Taylor preferred beluga over small black caviar. A favored recipe hollows baked Idaho potato skins and fills them with crème fraîche, generous spoonfuls of Iranian beluga, and finely chopped white onions, topped and served with fine champagne. True caviar comes only from sturgeon; beluga is from the huso huso species, and caviar grades and region affect price.

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