Capers: The Flower That Never Bloomed

Did you know? That small green dot, which adds character to a puttanesca or vitello tonnato, is actually a flower. Or rather, a flower that never bloomed.

The caper is the still-closed bud of Capparis spinosa, a tenacious plant that grows wild throughout the Mediterranean: amongst the rocks, in the cracks of dry stone walls, where the sun beats down fiercely and water is scarce. If not harvested in time, that bud opens into a white and pink flower, with a tuft of purple stamens. Beautiful to behold — but by then the caper has already transformed into something else entirely.

And this is where patience comes into play. Harvesting is done by hand, one by one, in the cool morning hours, all summer long. A slow and precious endeavour, often on steep terraces overlooking the sea: what is, not by chance, called heroic agriculture. The most famous capers come from the Sicilian islands, kissed by the sun and salty wind.

And caperberries? These are the fruits of the caper plant, which appear once the flower has run its course: small, elongated, firm berries, perfect for serving whole as part of an aperitivo. Same plant, two different delights.

When freshly picked, the caper is bitter and almost inedible: it's the salt that slowly transforms it into the concentrated savoury flavour we know. A tip from those who have always processed them: rinse them before use and add them raw, at the last moment, because when cooked they lose their fragrance. Just a few capers are enough to invigorate a pasta dish, a sauce or a summer salad.

Small gems born in the sun: with Zuccato, even a flower that never blossomed becomes a delicacy.