Information about Capers
The caper is a small shrub or bush typical of the Mediterranean flora which flowers every year. The caper shrub has a basal part consisting of the woody trunk, and the upper parts consist of herbaceous branches.
The caper shrub is native to Greece is very popular in many Mediterranean regions, where it grows naturally in limestone soils.
The caper bush has an average height ranging from 30 to 50 cm. The caper shrub leaves are dark green, fleshy and oval in shape, with very brilliant flowers.
The caper flowers are white with delicate pink and violet hues. Many people agree that the capers grown in Pantelleria, Sicily are the one of the best in the world.
The flower buds of the caper shrub are what we call as capers. The caper berries or Cucunci as the Italians call them, is the fruit of the caper shrub. This fruit is produced when the caper buds are not picked and allowed to bear fruit. The caperberry fruit has black seeds inside it.
The caper buds are generally collected by farmers between late May and early September. During this period the caper begins flowering and the buds are collected quickly as soon as they sprout. These caper buds are small, hard and green, and have a very strong flavor.
These handpicked capers are then preserved in oil and later pickled in brine. Using capers in the kitchen is very simple: just wash the capers under running water and remove the salt. If you want your capers a little less salty, simply leave them in a bowl of water for about an hour.
About how to preserve capers, here is a simple solution. If you purchased capers in a pack or a bag, just transfer them to a jar with some salt and tightly close the lid to avoid loss of moisture. If capers are well preserved they can last for years while maintaining their excellent organoleptic qualities.