Russia has resumed sturgeon caviar exports to the European Union after a nine-year ban, a fisheries watchdog said Monday.

Russia has decided to allow exports to Europe of up to 150 kg (330 lbs) of black caviar from farmed fish as “a symbolic volume,” said Alexander Savelyev, a spokesman for the Federal Fisheries Agency.

“The goal is to break the ice which has formed over the past nine years when not a single permit was issued for exports of the black caviar from Russia,” said Savelyev.

The grey pearls burst on the tongue to release their salty, marine aroma, lifted by notes of nut or fruit.

Caviar remains the ultimate luxury food — except these days the Caspian delicacy likely comes from a farm near you.

Exports of wild sturgeon eggs have been restricted since 1998 under UN quotas set to protect the species from chaotic overfishing after the fall of the Soviet Union.

Reputedly the finest form of caviar, beluga, is back on the table this year, after five key source countries agreed on export quotas for the delicacy.

Trade in beluga caviar was halted last year as countries failed to agree on quotas, in line with a 2002 CITES agreement.

But during a meeting in Tehran, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkmenistan agreed on the latest quotas which would run until February 28, 2011.

The new beluga quotas are: zero for Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, 800 kg for Iran, 1,500 kg for Kazakhstan and 700 kg for Russia.

A Russian company has installed 33 vending machines across Moscow, including in the mayor’s office, that dispense glass jars and tin cans of red salmon roe.

This is a less-pricey version of the caviar, that Russians spread on toast and drink with sparkling wine for special events.

But those looking for the black sturgeon varieties — such as Beluga, Ossetra, and Sevruga — won’t find it in vending machines.

Black sturgeon caviar harvesting is limited to about 9 tons a year as many varieties have been hunted to near-extinction.

Two international delicacies caviar and escargot (snails) have birthed a new trend in French luxury gastronomy that is captivating international chefs: escargot caviar also known as snail caviar/eggs.

Snail eggs are more akin to Japanese salmon roe than traditional caviar, as they are larger and plumper.

The taste is described as one-of-a-kind on various gastronomy forums, some compare the flavor to endangered sturgeon caviar.

Maison Prunier in Paris have released this limited edition caviar called Love 2010 by Yves Saint Laurent.

The name is derived from the seasons greetings sent by Yves Saint Laurent to friends and family in the form of paintings, each based on the theme of love.

The caviar used is of the Saint-James variety introduced in 1932 for the opening of the Prunier restaurant on St. James Street in London.