Capers: A moody orchid of the Mediterranean stone

In nature, they grow freely, in natural conditions that are still confusing to us even after all the knowledge we have accumulated for millennia. One can grow them in staged conditions too, but it’s not the same. They are best left to their own will as they’ll give their best only under their own terms.

Chicken or egg, capers or Kaprije?

The ignorants think of them as another culinary trend, a modern chef’s extravagance. However, they have been present in Mediterranean cuisine since time immemorial. We know the name comes from the language of old Greeks, but etymologically, we are unsure of its meaning. If you visit Kaprije, a small island near Šibenik, you’ll see why the inhabitants believe that their island paradise didn’t get its name for the capers but vice versa: in an astonishing twist, they were named after the island! Here, it’s almost like they grow from the sea and spread all over the seemingly inhospitable rocks. In the season of flowering, they conquer not only the territory but our senses too. We can’t help but marvel at their bewildering beauty while enjoying the stunningly salty and deep aroma that’s a pure embodiment of history and geography, the Mediterranean spirit itself.

Less is so much more

However, if you have been waiting for the flowering season to enjoy their magic, you’re late to the party. One should harvest them when their buds are the smallest, the hardest, and the roundest. Only at that stage do they give the umami, the je ne sais quoi that mayhaps can’t be defined, but its absence is glaring. Harvested buds should be kept in salty water that’s changed daily for ten days and preserved in homemade wine vinegar to ennoble meat dishes, seafood, salsas, salads, and gravy. Don’t throw away the caper leaves; put them in brine, yeast, or sea salt and use them as a spice. But don’t overdo it; they are way too aromatic and will dominate everything else. This way, you can enjoy a deep piquant taste of the Mediterranean all year long.

A song of freedom

With time, humans have succeeded in the idea of growing capers, but that’s just not it, as much as we’re told otherwise by manufacturers. The aroma and the taste just don’t fit. The buds need absolute freedom to release all their mighty power. Moody and so capricious – dare we say caper-icious? – capers are viewed as the orchids of our stone, sea, and sun. We think that’s an apt comparison, as the orchids are much prettier in the Amazon rainforest than in our living rooms, regardless of how green the thumbs of their jailor are.