What are Capers? And how do you use them?

[Elizabeth Lindemann]

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You’ve cooked with them, eaten them in chicken piccata, or at least heard of them, but what ARE capers, anyway?

Wonder no more, my friends. I’m here to answer your questions: what are capers? How do I prepare capers? And most importantly: what are the best recipes that use capers?


What are capers?

Simply put, capers are flower buds. That’s right- flower buds!

More specifically, they are the dark green, immature flower buds of the caper bush (Capparis spinosa or Capparis inermis). The caper bush, also known as Flinders Rose, grows commonly in the Mediterranean region and parts of Asia.

Capers are harvested and preserved with salt or, more commonly, by brining/pickling them. You’ll usually find them in your grocery store in the pickle aisle, or with the Italian imported goods.

You can also buy capers on amazon, of course!

Capers vs. Caper Berries

While capers are the small, immature bud of the caper plant, caper berries are the larger fruit that the caper bush bears. Both are served cured / brined.

Caper berries are larger, and usually served with the stem attached, and have a much stronger flavor.

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