For Christina Musgrave, the creator of Tasting with Tina, memorable food starts with sharing it. The recipe developer, food photographer, and cookbook author brings an Italian-inspired approach to home cooking, with simple ingredients and dishes that feel special. Her favorite from Imperia’s selection is Kaluga Hybrid Reserve, which she would serve over crispy potato rösti with crème fraîche and fresh chives.
In this interview, Christina shares how family gatherings shaped her love of cooking, the New Year’s Eve when she first tried caviar, and the pairings she returns to at home. Her ideas range from potato chips and Champagne to cacio e pepe with roasted mushrooms.
Cooking and inspiration
Tell us about your relationship with food. How did you get into cooking, and what keeps you inspired today?
Food has always been a big part of my life - I have 40 first cousins and big family gatherings with lots of food. These are my favorite memories from my childhood. Because of this, I’ve loved cooking for others for as long as I can remember, but I didn’t initially think of food as a career. I studied engineering and spent several years working in corporate tech consulting while cooking and developing recipes in my free time. I started Tasting with Tina as a creative outlet to share what I was making at home, and over time it grew into something much bigger.
Eventually, I left my corporate career to pursue food full-time, and today I work as a professional recipe developer, food photographer, and cookbook author. What keeps me inspired is finding ways to make everyday cooking feel a little more special. I love taking familiar dishes, adding my own spin, and creating recipes that feel elevated without being overly complicated.
What is your earliest food memory?
One of my earliest food memories is waking up before my family as a kid and making everyone “breakfast.” It usually consisted of crackers, sliced cheese, salami, and whatever else I could find in the kitchen. I’ve always loved putting food together and sharing it with other people.
How would you describe your cooking style and the flavors or ingredients you gravitate toward?
My cooking style is fresh, approachable, and very Italian-inspired. I live on The Hill in St. Louis. Italian food and culture are a big part of my everyday life and definitely influence the way I cook.
I love simple ingredients prepared really well, and I’m always looking for ways to put my own spin on classic dishes. Pasta, seafood, fresh herbs, good olive oil, Parmesan, seasonal produce, and plenty of garlic are often used in my recipes. I want my food to feel special and elevated, but still realistic enough to make at home.
Her first caviar experience
Do you remember the first time you tried caviar? What was that experience like?
I tried caviar for the first time with my husband at home on New Year’s Eve years ago. We kept it really simple with caviar, crème fraîche, potato chips, and a bottle of Champagne. We both loved it immediately, and it became one of those foods that we genuinely look forward to enjoying together.
How would you describe the taste and texture of great caviar to someone trying it for the first time?
Great caviar has this wonderful combination of briny, salty, and savory flavors with a really luxurious texture. The pearls have a delicate pop, followed by a rich, almost buttery finish.
Serving caviar and finding new pairings
What is your favorite way to eat or serve caviar?
I love serving caviar in a way that feels elegant but still relaxed. If I’m entertaining, I usually like to create a spread with a few different ways to enjoy it, whether that’s blinis, potato pancakes, crème fraîche, or simple seafood bites.
I also love using caviar as a finishing touch on a dish rather than making it feel overly formal. I recently made Cod Meunière topped with caviar and microgreens, and it was the perfect example of how a caviar garnish can completely elevate a dish.
What foods or drinks do you think pair best with caviar?
For drinks, a really cold dirty martini is probably one of my favorite pairings, especially with caviar and oysters. Champagne is always a classic, too.
For food, I love pairing caviar with smoked salmon, oysters, and anything creamy or crisp that lets the caviar stand out. And I’ll also always love the high-low pairing of caviar with crispy chicken nuggets. It’s fun and unexpected, but so good.
What's an unexpected caviar pairing or dish you think everyone should try?
One of my favorite recipes from my cookbook is Cacio e Pepe with Roasted Mushrooms. For New Year’s this year, I topped each bowl with caviar, and it was incredible. The creamy, peppery pasta and earthy mushrooms paired so well with the salty, briny caviar. It’s definitely something I’d recommend trying if you want to take a classic pasta dish in a more unexpected direction.
Choosing caviar and her Imperia favorite
When choosing caviar, what do you personally look for?
Freshness and quality are the biggest things I look for. Because caviar is such a delicate product, I also pay attention to sourcing, packaging, and how quickly it will arrive. I want it to taste incredibly fresh and have that distinct texture and pop when you eat it.
Which of Imperia Caviar’s selection is your favorite, and how would you serve it?
The Kaluga Hybrid Reserve is my favorite. I love the larger pearls and buttery flavor, and it has just the right amount of brininess.
I’d serve it over crispy potato rösti with crème fraîche and fresh chives. You get the warm, crispy potato with the cool crème fraîche and caviar on top, which is just a perfect combination of flavors and textures. It feels special enough for entertaining, but it’s still simple and lets the caviar really stand out.
Try Christina’s favorite pairing
Christina’s serving idea puts crisp potato, cool crème fraîche, and caviar together in one bite. For your next gathering, take inspiration from her rösti pairing or her relaxed spread of blinis and seafood bites.
Explore Kaluga Hybrid Reserve and follow Tasting with Tina on Instagram for more of Christina’s cooking.
