Capers Nutrition facts

Capers

Unique, piquant flavored capers are flowering buds of a low-growing caper shrub. The buds, indeed, are one of the most desired ingredients in the kitchens all around the Mediterranean basin. The buds botanically belong to the family of Capparaceae, in the genus: Capparis. Scientific name: Capparis spinosa.
The plant is a spiny, trailing, deciduous shrub native to the Mediterranean. It prefers a warm, humid climate and grows in abundance all over Cyprus, Italy, Greece, North African, and some Asia Minor regions. The shrub begins producing flower (caper) buds from the third year of plantation.
Normally, tiny, cream-white flower buds are gathered by handpicking in the early morning hours of the day. Otherwise, the buds unfold into a beautiful whitish-pink four sepal-flowers with long tassels of purple stamens. Soon after harvesting, the buds are washed and allowed to wilt under the sun for few hours. The buds are then placed in jars, covered with salt, vinegar, brine, or olive oil.
In the commercial practice, capers are categorized by their size in the markets. Small buds fetch more value than large ones. Non-pareil, and surfines are some of the small bud types, while capucines, capotes, and grusas fall into big-size category capers.