What are Capers Anyway?

A few weeks ago Matt and I went out to dinner with his parents. His mom had some tartar sauce that had some little green things in it. At first she thought they were some kind of pickled peas, but when I saw them I said "oh those are capers." I dont think she believed me at first (because she had never had capers), but eventually she was convinced. Of course, I have no idea what capers are... I mean I know one when I see it, I know what it tastes like (actually they taste a lot like what pickled peas probably taste like), so I looked it up in Wikipedia... because that is the easiest way to get quick info now a days.

The salted and pickled caper bud (also called caper) is often used as a seasoning or garnish. Capers are a common ingredient in Mediterranean cuisine. The grown fruit of the caper shrub is also used, and prepared similarly to the buds to be used as caper berries.

The buds, when ready to pick, are a dark olive green and about the size of a kernel of corn. They are picked, then pickled in salt, or a salt and vinegar solution.

Capers are a distinctive ingredient in Sicilian and Southern Italian cooking, used in salads, pizzas, meat dishes and pasta sauces. Examples of uses in Italian cuisine are Chicken piccata and Salsa puttanesca. They are also often served with cold smoked salmon or cured salmon dishes (especially lox and cream cheese). Capers are also sometimes substituted for olives to garnish a martini.

Capers are categorized and sold by their size, defined as follows, with the smallest sizes being the most desirable: Non-pareil (0-7 mm), surfines (7-8 mm), capucines (8-9 mm), capotes (9-11 mm), fines (11-13 mm), and grusas (14+ mm).

Unripe nasturtium seeds can be substituted for capers; they have a very similar texture and flavour when pickled.