If you enjoy chicken piccata or a bagel with the works, you already know that bright, briny capers can be transformative. Because capers can be stored in the refrigerator for months and added to a dish straight from the jar, they are both easy and convenient to use. But other parts of the plant—the berries and the leaves—are equally vibrant. We purchased several jars of both, compared the flavors and textures of the different products, and tried each in a few applications.
The Differences Between Capers, Caper Berries, and Caper Leaves
The caper shrub (Capparis spinosa) thrives in the hot, dry climate of the Mediterranean region. The capers, berries, and leaves must be harvested from the plants by hand, as Brian Noone, a horticulturist and author, explains in his book Capers: From Wild Harvest to Gourmet Food (2016). Because the plants grow close to the ground—usually no taller than 3 feet—and most have sharp thorns, it's a difficult and time-consuming process.
Capers are flower buds that, when left on the shrub, produce white and purple flowers. The flowers contain stigmas that transform into caper berries. The berries vary in size, and can be as big as grape tomatoes. Caper leaves are flat and roughly circular but end in a point.
Caper berries, like capers, must be cured in salt before they can be eaten (the curing process rids them of their unpleasantly bitter flavor). Caper leaves can be eaten fresh, but most are preserved in oil or a brine that contains vinegar and salt.
Shopping For and Using Caper Berries and Caper Leaves
You can find caper berries near the olives or pickles in many supermarkets. Because of their large size, a single caper berry is punchier and more assertive than a single caper. Caper berries are also firm in texture and have small, slightly bitter seeds that crunch when you bite into them. We recommend using caper berries in dishes where you want to add both texture and a pop of bright salinity. They cut the richness of meat and cheese on charcuterie boards or cheese plates, and a single caper berry is an elegant alternative to olives in a martini or Bloody Mary. Sliced caper berries are also great additions to pizza and sandwiches.
The flavor of caper leaves is milder than that of the buds and berries. The leaves are generally available only in specialty shops and online, but they’re worth seeking out. Caper leaves can be packaged in vinegar-and-salt brines or in olive oil. We like both, but we noticed some flavor differences between the two. The leaves in brine were slightly tarter. Because the olive oil clings to the leaves, we recommend rinsing the leaves under running water or patting them with a paper towel if you’re planning to use them in a dish with other oily ingredients, such as pizza. The flavor and texture of caper leaves are too delicate for a sauce, but the leaves can be used to garnish foods when you might otherwise use capers. We like to scatter a few over pizza, add them to salads, and nestle them onto bagels layered with smoked salmon. Caper leaves are mild enough to use whole, but they can be easily torn into pieces or cut into a chiffonade for even subtler caper flavor.
There aren't many brands of caper berries and caper leaves consistently available for purchase in the United States. For this reason, we’re listing the products from mildest in flavor to boldest in flavor and providing general tasting notes instead of listing and ranking the products we tasted in each category.
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