CAPERS (Fr. Capres ; Ger. Kapern ; Ital. Capriole ;
Sp. Cabriolas). — The plant is cultivated in Spain, Italy,
South of France, and Barbary, from which countries chiefly
Capers are imported into Great Britain ; although, accord-
ing to the opinions of some of our great horticultural
authorities, there is no reason why Capers should not
be cultivated equally successfidly in this country. The
plants are addicted to sheltered spots, but are not dainty
as to soil, growing something like our blackberry brambles,
and draw in ample nourishment for their growth from the
interstices of old brick and stone walls. This peculiarity
of growing from walls is mentioned in ancient history,
the plant being therein spoken of as “hyssop.”
For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, <tc., referred to, see under their special heads.
THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.
283
Capers — continued.
Capers as imported are the flower-buds of Capparis
spinosa (Pig. 321), picked daily as soon as they are ready,
and thrown into casks of strong vinegar. Prom these
stores they are sorted into sizes by sifting through
different meshed copper-wire sieves. The vinegar, acting
upon the copper wire, gives to the pickle its emerald
green, which renders the Caper at all times inclined to he
deleterious. After sorting, the buds are classified under
five headings : thus, nonpareils, capuchins, capotes, seconds,
and thirds, and of all these the nonpareils are best.
Fig. 321. Caper-plant.
The hud is picked long before the flower is formed
ready for blooming, and the further from this the more
pungent it is as a condiment. The flower when fully
formed is large, white or puce, and very elegant.
A very good imitation of pickled Capers can be pro-
duced by gathering the young green seeds, or shoots, of
the nasturtium (Indian cress), and after soaking them in a
weak brine, bottling them with vinegar in the usual way.
The following is a very good receipt for preparing mock
Capers, either from nasturtium-seeds or green peas :
Lay them out on a paper in the sun for an hour or two, then
put them into a bowl, and cover with a not very strong
brine. Leave them in this for about three days, then drain off
the brine, and spread them out in the sun again for an hour or
two to partly dry. Pack them in jars or wide-mouthed bottles,
and fill up so as to cover them with boiling white wine vinegar.
Cork or tie down before the vinegar is cold, and these “Capers”
will be ready for use in a few days’ time. Sometimes a small
piece of alum is dropped into the bottle before adding the
vinegar.
Capers are used only for garnishing and making sauces,
of which latter the following may be considered the best
forms for their preparation.
Caper Sauce. — (1) Put into a saucepan 1 table-spoonful of flour
and 2oz. of butter, hold it over a fire and stir until the flour
is brown ; add 1 pint of good stock, mix it in with the flour,
and season with a little salt, pepper, and Worcester sauce ;
when boiling, add 2 table-spoonfuls of Capers, and serve in a
tureen.
Page 109
Presented as published in 1890. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
CAPERS (Fr. Capres ; Ger. Kapern ; Ital. Capriole ; Sp. Cabriolas). — The plant is cultivated in Spain, Italy, South of France, and Barbary, from which countries chiefly Capers are imported into Great Britain ; although, according to the opinions of some of our great horticultural authorities, there is no reason why Capers should not be cultivated equally successfully in this country. The plants are addicted to sheltered spots, but are not dainty as to soil, growing something like our blackberry brambles, and draw in ample nourishment for their growth from the interstices of old brick and stone walls. This peculiarity of growing from walls is mentioned in ancient history, the plant being therein spoken of as “hyssop.”
For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, <tc., referred to, see under their special heads.
Capers — continued.
Capers as imported are the flower-buds of Capparis spinosa (Fig. 321), picked daily as soon as they are ready, and thrown into casks of strong vinegar. Prom these stores they are sorted into sizes by sifting through different meshed copper-wire sieves. The vinegar, acting upon the copper wire, gives to the pickle its emerald green, which renders the Caper at all times inclined to he deleterious. After sorting, the buds are classified under five headings : thus, nonpareils, capuchins, capotes, seconds, and thirds, and of all these the nonpareils are best.
Fig. 321. Caper-plant.
The hud is picked long before the flower is formed ready for blooming, and the further from this the more pungent it is as a condiment. The flower when fully formed is large, white or puce, and very elegant.
A very good imitation of pickled Capers can be produced by gathering the young green seeds, or shoots, of the nasturtium (Indian cress), and after soaking them in a weak brine, bottling them with vinegar in the usual way. The following is a very good receipt for preparing mock Capers, either from nasturtium-seeds or green peas :
Lay them out on a paper in the sun for an hour or two, then put them into a bowl, and cover with a not very strong brine. Leave them in this for about three days, then drain off the brine, and spread them out in the sun again for an hour or two to partly dry. Pack them in jars or wide-mouthed bottles, and fill up so as to cover them with boiling white wine vinegar. Cork or tie down before the vinegar is cold, and these “Capers” will be ready for use in a few days’ time. Sometimes a small piece of alum is dropped into the bottle before adding the vinegar.
Capers are used only for garnishing and making sauces, of which latter the following may be considered the best forms for their preparation.
Caper Sauce. — (1) Put into a saucepan 1 table-spoonful of flour and 2oz. of butter, hold it over a fire and stir until the flour is brown ; add 1 pint of good stock, mix it in with the flour, and season with a little salt, pepper, and Worcester sauce ; when boiling, add 2 table-spoonfuls of Capers, and serve in a tureen.