The flower buds that have not yet opened are used dried. The orchid-like flowers only appear when buds have been forgotten when picking. The flower itself produces the fruit. Capers grow particularly well in dry, windy climates with volcanic soil. (or on sunny walls) Some of the plants can live over 100 years. Today the caper cultivation area is spread across Liguria, Apulia, Campania and the Sicilian islands. In Sicily, capers are mainly grown on the islands of Pantelleria and Salina. Both islands have made a name for themselves as highly qualified growing areas, with Salina in particular standing out.
While the “Spinosa” variety is grown in Pantelleria, the variety most commonly grown in Salina is the Tondina (or “Nocellara”), which produces firmer and heavier capers. The special characteristics of this caper variety are its fragrance, uniformity and firmness. A firm bud is the guarantee of the capers' durability.
There are different sizes - from smaller than number 6 to number 14. In Sicilian cuisine, the choice of caper size depends on the use. The large ones are preferred for sauces, pasta dishes and also fish and the small ones are preferred for salads, with the exception of the Aeolian potato and tomato salad for which the number 13/14 is used. The trade is demanding smaller and smaller capers, although size alone says nothing about the quality.
Each individual caper is harvested by hand, every 8 to 10 days from the end of May to August inclusive, from five in the morning to twelve o'clock in order to avoid the strong sunlight. After harvesting, the capers are spread out on jute in a cool room to dry. This measure prevents the buds from blooming. After a few hours, the capers can be separated from those that are about to bloom (“capperono”). There is also a separation based on size. Then a layer of capers is placed in containers, alternating with a layer of coarse sea salt. The capers must be treated within the following 4 or 5 days. This means that they are transferred from one barrel to the other to avoid fermentation being triggered by the reaction between heat and salt. The salt takes away the bitter taste from the capers. The salt-pickled capers from Salina last 2 to 3 years. Typically, capers harvested in June are ready to eat in September.
Caper production has declined significantly since the early 1980s. The reasons for this are, on the one hand, the often presumptuous appearance of North African countries on the market. On the other hand, the costs of manual labor and the impossibility of mechanization, as well as a new, previously unknown species of parasite, have a negative impact on the production volume.
To retain their flavor, capers should always be preserved in salt - never in vinegar or oil. Only the fruit of the flower, the “cucunciu”, is marinated in oil or vinegar and served as an aperitif.
The capers are often packaged in plastic for transport and weight reasons. As soon as this packaging is opened, the capers must be poured into a jar with a cap and can therefore continue to be preserved safely. Under no circumstances should you store capers in the refrigerator. Before they find their way onto the plate, they must be rinsed well with water over a sieve and, if the salt is to be completely eliminated, soaked in cold water for a few hours. Change the water several times and then lightly squeeze out the capers.