My first encounter with Bottarga was on the Island of Favignana, one of the Egadi islands, off the Sicilian Coast. It was 1994 and I wasn’t a very adventurous eater. Additionally, all over the island they had posters of the mattanza or the annual slaughter or tuna in the Tonnara. This event takes place in May-June of each year and has been celebrated on Favignana for many years. While I appreciate tradition and local lore as much as the next person, the whole thing was a little gory for my taste and kept me away from this delicacy for years. Luckily for me, a friend insisted that I try Bottarga when we were in Sardinia years later. I remember the fishiness of that first bite but then I grew to appreciate its delicate and subtle flavors. Over the years I have eaten Bottarga a number of times and had even…