Small history

Origin: Southeast Asia

Have you ever noticed we always say "capers" and not just "caper"? It's because these little green buds are always used in quantity to enhance a dish. Traditionally they are served with smoked fish and used to garnish certain salads. An ingredient in cooking since ancient times, capers were used by the Romans to flavour their sauces.

The caper is actually the unopened bud of the caper bush, a spiny perennial shrub that reaches a height of 1 metre or more. It grows on dry stony ground in warm climates, and is found in olive-growing regions, particularly the Mediterranean. The buds are picked by hand, with the youngest, smallest ones being the most highly-prized. They are then pickled in vinegar or preserved in salt. Capers' particular pungency comes from the mustard oil they contain, and curing helps bring out their piquant flavour. They are graded according to size, the smallest being "nonpareilles," followed by "surfines," and then the larger and less valuable "capucines" and "communes."