Capers

Capers are the small unripe buds of a plant that grows wild around the Mediterranean basin, climbing into tiny clefts and minute openings in stone walls and cliffs. Capers come in two sizes: tiny nonpareils, which are usually bottled in a vinegar brine, and a much fatter variety that is often preserved under salt. The finest capers are collected on the islands of Sicily, such as Pantelleria, and kept under salt. They must be soaked in cold water for 15 minutes and then rinsed before they are used, but they truly taste of caper and add immeasurably to a dish, while the brined variety may taste strongly of the vinegar in which they are preserved. Keep salt-preserved capers in the refrigerator and you will have them for up to 2 years.