What are Capers?

Are they beans? Are they seeds? Are they related to olives? The salty bite of capers confuses many. But don’t get it twisted just yet—we’re here to help explain these Mediterranean delights. These tiny flavor bombs aren’t often the focus of a dish, but despite their size they bring a lot to the table that’s worth talking about.

What are capers? 

Capers are—technically speaking—a fruit. They come from a plant that grows along the Mediterranean sea called the Flinders rose. In Latin, that’s Capparis spinosa. They’re harvested from these small bushes in bud form, and undergo a curing process in vinegar or salt, and sorted by size. Capers have been eaten for centuries in Europe and the Middle East. They have appearances in the Bible and the Talmud, and were used as medicine by the Ancient Greeks.

Caper buds growing on a bush. (Source: Wikipedia)

What do capers taste like?

Capers are briny and tangy. The curing process imparts a sublime salinity with notes of mustard. Texture-wise, they supply a crunch like any good pickle does. Their firmness depends on the size of the caper—the smaller they are, the tighter the outer skin. Biting into a dish full of capers will hit you with a zingy taste paired with a burst of salt that is not quite like anything else in the world.

What should I eat with capers? 

It makes sense that capers taste excellent when paired with other elements of Mediterranean cuisine. They can uplift a vegetable dish, put extra zip in a Cesar salad, or even put a twist on a martini or bloody mary. We’ll go ahead and say that appetizing platters need capers to be complete—next to smoked fish, cream cheese, and fresh-baked bagels, they round out a show-stopping brunch. They also constitute an essential part to antipasti and salumi plates. In reality, it’s worth trying these tiny morsels in any dish you think the crunchy zing of a pickle would help. Why not give capers the love they deserve?

Capers sorted by size (Source: Country Willows Inn)

Did you know?

Capers come in six different sizes! From smallest to biggest, they are as follows: non-pareil (<7 mm), surfines (7–8 mm), capucines (8–9 mm), capotes (9–11 mm), fines (11–13 mm), and grusas (14< mm) Since they’re harvested by hand, the really tiny ones—the non-pareils—are the most expensive. These are what you’ll see in most American stores, but the bigger ones can be found in specialty stores. Whereas the tight crunch of small capers makes them work great in a garnish role, the larger capers work best in stews and sauces, where they impart their flavor and crunch is secondary. But enough talk! Go try them for yourself.