This name is given to the small, dull-green, unopened flower buds of a trailing shrub which grows wild in Greece, North Africa, and various parts of South Europe. It is cultivated to a small extent in Great Britain.
The bud is picked long before the flower is ready to bloom, and the further it is from that stage the more pungent the condiment.
After the buds have been picked and left in vinegar for a time they are sorted into sizes by sifting them through sieves with meshes of varying sizes, then bottled and named accordingly, being classified as nonpareil, capuchins, capotes, etc. Capers are used for arnishing purposes and for flavouring sauces. Caper Sauce. This may be either white or brown To make the white sauce, melt 1 oz. butter in a small saucepan, add 1 oz. flour, and cook them together for about 3 min. over a slow heat without browning them. Next add gradually a pint of hot stock, stir it till it boils, then cook it gently for 5 min. Take 2 tablespoonful’s of capers, cut them in halves, add them and 2 teaspoonful’s of caper vinegar to the sauce. Season it to taste with pepper and salt, and it is ready to serve. If the sauce is to be served with boiled fish, use fish stock.
For the brown sauce, take 1 pint of any good brown sauce, season it carefully with salt, pepper and grated nutmeg, and boil for 15 min with 2 tablespoonful’s of caper vinegar and add to it one tablespoonful of halved capers.
