Cool Tip: Marilyn Cole's Caviar Set-up...

My parents always loved caviar. It's a special treat that they never took for granted. They especially enjoyed it during the holiday season, and my mother had a way to make serving caviar easier.

Caviar is traditionally served on blini or toast points, with champagne or vodka,  accompanied by sour cream (or crème fraîche), minced onion, sieved hard-cooked egg - often with whites and yolks separated - and lemon.

But all those garnishes can convert this delicious salty treat from festive to “fussy”: organizing a small bowl and a small serving implement for each garnish, the time it takes each guest to assemble each small bite, and the inevitable messy spillage detracts some of the appeal of serving caviar.

Unless … like my mother, you mix the sour cream, onion, and egg into one bowl, melding all those flavors into one mixture that creates a base for that dollop of caviar on top …. The essence of simplicity, assuring that you and your guests can enjoy all the traditional flavors without getting into each other's way … enjoy! … and raise your glass to my Mom, who introduced us to this elegant idea!