L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2022 www.italoamericano.org 30 L'Italo-Americano B riny, tart, and s u r p r i s i n g l y c o m p l e x , t h e t i n y M e d i t e r - r a n e a n c a p e r has played a key role on din- ner plates for several thou- sand years. Can you imagine Pasta Puttanesca or Capona- ta or Chicken Piccata - and don't forget tartar sauce - without the pungent, slightly sweet punch of these little flavor bombs? You've seen them in tall cylindrical jars on the super- market shelf, but where do these small, dusky green edi- bles originate? Capers are actually fledgling flower buds from the Capparis Spin- osa plant, a spindly low- growing bush that supports fleshy leaves and beautiful white and purple flowers. But it's the precursor to the flow- ers – the tiny buds – that rule the day. Caper bushes grow under cultivation and in the wild t h r o u g h o u t t h e M e d i t e r - ranean basin; however, the finest are believed to hail f r o m t w o s p e c i f i c I t a l i a n islands, Salina and Pantel- leria. Both are considered cultural treasures, and both produce, under very hard- knock conditions, what are considered the world's best capers. On the small island of Sali- n a , a p a r t o f S i c i l y ' s o f f - s h o r e A e o l i a n I s l a n d s , caper production has been the community's lifeblood for centuries. The island's resi- dents don't take it lightly, either, preferring to continue old-school methods of hand- p i c k i n g t h e b u d s a n d painstakingly packing them in sea salt from the Sicilian salt beds of Trapani. Bloom- i n g o c c u r s M a y t h r o u g h A u g u s t d u r i n g s o u t h e r n Italy's most scorching season. When the buds reach a dark green shade and are about the size of a kernel of pop- corn, it's time to pick them. Harvesting occurs approxi- mately every 10 days from 4:30 to 10:30 a.m., and then again from 5:30 p.m. onward to collect the youngest, most valuable buds when the heat is bearable. They are immedi- ately laid out on matting to cool in the shade, then placed in containers with alternating layers of coarse sea salt and buds. For the first 15 days, the harvest must be moved from container to container to avoid fermentation. The remaining curing takes any- w h e r e f r o m o n e t o t h r e e months before the capers are r e a d y t o s e l l . I n t h e b e s t years, Salina's farmers har- vest and pack up to one mil- lion pounds of buds, along with the not-quite-ripe fruit known as cucunci (caper berries). A bit tougher and seedier, these bell clapper- shaped fruit are preserved a n d f r e q u e n t l y s e r v e d a s appetizers throughout Italy. Rich volcanic soil, hot days w i t h c o o l n i g h t s , a n d Mediterranean trade wades make for ideal conditions for these hardy bushes. They reach only about a foot in height but can spread their tendril-like branches three or four feet from the gnarled base. The plants are often found, as well, growing as volunteers from cracks and crevices in old walls, thanks to the lizards and geckos who drop seeds from gorging on the buds. Rome's Aurelian walls are quite well known f o r s p o r t i n g t h i s g r e e n décor…and the produce can be picked by anyone willing and able. But don't pop them in your mouth without prop- er curing – raw capers are bitter and harsh. A journey from Trapani of about four and a half hours will bring you to Italy's other island famous for quality capers – Pantelleria. Salina and Pantelleria both claim to be home to the world's best capers – debatable I'm sure – but it's safe to say capers from either are the cream of the crop. Located midway between Sicily and Tunisia, t h i s r e m o t e i s l a n d o f f e r s year-round sunshine, tran- quility, and spectacular views of land and sea. Tourism is a healthy industry here, but it's the capers that sustain both local economies and egos. Known as the "Island of the Wind," Pantelleria's rugged beauty might distract you, but it doesn't offset the harsh climate. Days are stifling hot; nights bring uncomfortable l o w s … a n d t h e u n c e a s i n g wind blows over it all. Yet t h e s e c o n d i t i o n s a r e w h a t C a p p a r i s S p i n o s a thrives on. What would make a h u m a n m i s e r a b l e o n l y brings out the best in the spindly plants, their aroma sweet and profitable. Like Salina's harvest, the capers collected on Pantelle- ria are painstakingly cured before going to market. As t h e b u d s s e t t l e i n t o t h e i r b r i n y e n v i r o n m e n t , t h e y begin to release glucocap- parin, a mustard oil responsi- b l e f o r t h e u n i q u e a n d piquant flavor we love. As is the case in Salina, harvesting is done only by hand, thus a v o i d i n g t h e w a s t e a n d destruction of mechanical means. Both islands have faced difficulties in the past ten years or so with fraudulent competition from knockoff products produced in nearby countries such as Turkey and M o r o c c o , a n d e v e n o t h e r neighboring Italian islands. Without a lot of recourse, many farmers have taken a "such is life" approach, link Santino Rossello of Salina: "The scale on which this kind of fraud happens is either the new normal in food produc- tion or, hopefully, receding i n t o m e m o r y … " ( M o d e r n Farmer, Oct. 2013). It's not all left to stoicism, however. In 1996, Pantelle- ria's prized buds received PGI status – Protected Geo- graphical Indication. For the consumer, that assures that a t l e a s t a p o r t i o n o f t h e process occurs in Pantelleria. For example, capers can be g r o w n o n t h e i s l a n d b u t p r o c e s s e d e l s e w h e r e , o r capers from another area are processed according to Pan- telleria's standards. Salina might be the winner of this contest, however, as PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) status was awarded in 2020, thus assuring pro- d u c t i o n , p r o c e s s i n g , a n d preparation all occur within a specific place of origin…that being, Salina. One litmus test remains, however, for those of us liv- ing far away from any Italian soil: capers packed in vinegar have never seen the light of day on either Salina or Pan- telleria. Premium quality capers are packaged in either salt or olive oil, neither of which will mask or alter the natural flavor of the bud. Of course, capers are not exclusive to just a couple of Italian islands. Indigenous t h r o u g h o u t t h e M e d i t e r - ranean, these spunky shrubs have been utilized for thou- sands of years, serving not only as cuisine but as the source of medicinal cures and even a biblically inferred aphrodisiac (Ecclesiastes 12:5). Recent research has revealed even more health benefits, including previously unknown high concentra- tions of valuable antioxidants such as quercetin and rutin. Even Pliny the Elder, Hip- pocrates, and Aristotle sang t h e i r p r a i s e s i n t h e i r writings. Impressive, yes, but just plop a spoonful on my pasta – that's all the convincing I need! Harvesting Green Gold: the capers of Salina and Pantelleria PAULA REYNOLDS Capperi are a traditional ingredient in Italian cuisine (Photo: Barmalini/Dreamstime) HERITAGE HISTORY IDENTITY TRADITIONS PEOPLE

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