Caper
Capparis spinosa · Condiment
Top 10 pairings
Tiny flower buds from a spiny bush, picked before they bloom. Curing in salt, brine or vinegar turns a bitter, grassy nub into a sharp, tangy, mustardy pop that brightens puttanesca, piccata and smoked salmon.
Picking a good onedrag
Sealed, firm, sharp and cleanFizzing, fuzzy, off
Open and keepingEveryday bestStir them into puttanesca, piccata or salsa verde. Rinse or soak salt-packed buds to tame salt and bite.
Size and firmnessBigger, firm, holding their shape
White on the budsWhitish flecks on sound buds
The jar and the lidOpened, rim clean, buds covered
Smell on openingBriny and tangy, less mustardy