Thursday April 16, 2009

 

 

Capers

 

Several weeks ago, after featuring some unusual fruits, purpleamethyst asked if I would research capers.  I never heard of capers, and had no idea what they looked like.  Now I even know what they taste like.

 

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The Research

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Internet photo

Capers are the unripened flower buds of Capparis spinosa, a prickly, perennial plant which is native to the Mediterranean and some parts of Asia.  Their use dates back to more than 3000 B.C. 

Capers are a common ingredient in Mediterranean cuisine, especialy Cypriot.

 

 

 Internet photo

The buds, when ready to pick, are a dark olive green and about the size of a kernel of corn.  Much of the expense comes from labor costs since the caper buds are picked by hand. 

 

 

 Internet photo

The caper bush grows wild on walls or in rocky coastal areas.  The size of the buds range from tiny (about the size of a baby petite green pea) up to the size of a small olive. The smallest variety from the South of France, called nonpareil, is the most prized. Larger capers are stronger in flavor and less aromatic. 

 

 

 Internet photo

If left on the plant, these buds develop into large flowers with white petals and numerous violet stamens. This shrubby, thorny plant prefers hot, dry conditions and often grows near the coast as it is salt tolerant. This example is from the Negev, a desert region of southern Israel.

 

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The Purchase and Taste Test

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I found these in our local grocery store.

After the buds are harvested, they are dried in the sun, then pickled in vinegar, brine, wine, or salt. The curing brings out their tangy lemony flavor, much the same as green olives. 

  

 

Capers are a distinctive ingredient in Sicilian and southern Italian cooking, used in salads, pasta, pizzas, and pasta sauces. They are often served with cold smoked salmon or cured salmon dishes (especially lox and cream cheese).

 

 

 Their intense flavor is developed, as mustard oil (glucocapparin) is released from each caper bud. This enzymatic reaction also leads to the formation of rutin, often seen as crystallized white spots on the surfaces of individual caper buds.

 

Medicinal Uses

The first recorded use of the caper was for medicinal purposes in 2000 BC by the Sumerians.  Ancient Greeks and Romans also used the plant for these purposes.  It has been suggested that capers have been used in reducing flatulence, in the treatment of rheumatism, anemia, arthritis, and gout.  Further uses include ingesting for improving liver functions, as diuretics, and kidney disinfectants.

 

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My Conclusion

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Their taste is similar to an olive – the closest thing I can compare it to – but more tangy.  (A granddaughter who is visiting thought it was a cross between an olive and a dill pickle.)

I will now notice if they are served in a restaurant salad or with salmon – and I may choose it just because it includes capers.

Thanks for the challenge Shanda!