A 49-year old Russian with a big spoon in hand swallowed a pound (500 grams) of caviar in about 90 seconds to win what was billed as the world’s first eating contest featuring the pricey fish roe.

Since 1970, Yves Saint Laurent has been creating original drawings, inspired by the “sesame” word LOVE, which have become his greeting cards.

Convinced by the quality of the Prunier caviar, Yves Saint Laurent accepted that each year one of his drawings be used to illustrate the tins of the caviar “Love” selection.

Poaching and illegal trade in sturgeon caviar persist in Romania and Bulgaria, posing a serious risk to the highly threatened species of fish, WWF warned Monday.

A total of 52.5 kilos (115.7 pounds) of illegal caviar, retailing for upwards of 6,000 euros ($8,200) per kilo, originating in the two countries was reported by European Union member states between 2000 and 2009, the report said.

“The real volume of illegal trade is likely to be considerably higher. Any illegal trade poses an unacceptable risk to these highly threatened species.”

Luxury Parisian caviar purveyor Kaviari has launched small, portable tins of the delicacy for the traveling gourmand for whom caviar is an everyday, “dainty” snack.

As spotted by trendhunting site Springwise this week, En-K de caviar is a collection of six, 15 g Osetra caviar tins that come in different colors and a small serving spoon.

Osetra is one of the most expensive caviars on the market and comes from the Osetra sturgeon. It’s second only to the Beluga caviar as the most prized.

Los Angeles-based Chef Jack Lee Catering Agency has just released a $100 lobster egg roll that includes rare ingredients.

The luxury dish is composed of succulent Maine lobster tail, Alaskan king crab, summer black truffle and julienned nagaimo, baby carrot and wild baby taro root.

It’s topped with a crown of Sveruga caviar and gold leaf and paired with a fresh raspberry and 2009 Dry Creek Sauvignon Blanc reduction dipping sauce.

Abu Dhabi is closer to building the world’s largest caviar farm after two dozen live sturgeon were flown from Frankfurt in last month.

The fish arrived at the world’s largest aquaculture plant in Abu Dhabi, a new 60,000 square meter facility that is expected to produce 32 tons of caviar a year.

The notion of building a caviar market was an audacious and ambitious one for a desert city.

But as appetites for luxury goods continue to climb in this affluent city, spiking demand for one of the most decadent food products was destined to follow.