1. We've had very few donations over the year. I'm going to be short soon as some personal things are keeping me from putting up the money. If you have something small to contribute it's greatly appreciated. Please put your screen name as well so that I can give you credit. Click here: Donations
    Dismiss Notice

Food Capers?

Discussion in 'Tilted Food' started by Street Pattern, Nov 26, 2013.

?

Have you ever eaten a caper?

  1. Yes, I love them!

    7 vote(s)
    43.8%
  2. Yeah, they're okay, I guess.

    6 vote(s)
    37.5%
  3. I'm not sure if I ever have.

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  4. I've never had a caper.

    1 vote(s)
    6.3%
  5. Ptooey! I can't stand them!

    1 vote(s)
    6.3%
  6. What's a caper?

    1 vote(s)
    6.3%
  1. Street Pattern

    Street Pattern Very Tilted

    A few months ago, I ordered a lox and cream cheese bagel at a deli. I watched as it was put together. I was a little surprised to see that they made it with capers.

    And capers made the sandwich better.

    I have known what capers are since I was a child, but I think this was the first time I knowingly ate any capers.

    This morning, I bought a bottle of capers. Apparently there are a number of varieties: balsamic capers, sherry vinegar capers, capers of different sizes, etc. I bought what seemed to be basic small capers. I figured I could put them on bagels along with cream cheese.

    The bottle itself had some interesting information. The "serving size" for capers is one teaspoon, or 4 grams. These capers allegedly have zero fat and zero carbohydrates, but a lot of sodium.

    Do you use capers? What do you use them for?
     
    Last edited: Nov 26, 2013
  2. Borla

    Borla Moderator Staff Member

    I'd say the most common use in our house, or in dishes that I eat out, would be to have them in pasta. I'm not one to go out of my way to order them, but they can be good as an addition to a cream or light sauce for pasta.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  3. PonyPotato

    PonyPotato Very Tilted

    Location:
    Columbus, OH
    I've only ever had them in salads and pasta. I've never purchased them myself to use at home, though - I've only had them at restaurants.

    What ARE they, anyway??
     
  4. Levite

    Levite Levitical Yet Funky

    Location:
    The Windy City
    I have to admit, I really do not care for capers. Don't much like either taste or texture.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  5. Remixer

    Remixer Middle Eastern Doofus

    Location:
    Frankfurt, Germany
    I only like capers in a smoked salmon/cream cheese bagel.
     
  6. Speed_Gibson

    Speed_Gibson Hacking the Gibson

    Location:
    Wolf 359
    I have seen them on Food Network shows.
    If this line from the Wikipedia page is true - "Capers are known for being one of the ingredients of tartar sauce.", then I have tried something that contains them at least. Tartar sauce is nasty at best, but I have no clue what type of flavour capers have on their own.
     
  7. Charlatan

    Charlatan sous les pavés, la plage

    Location:
    Temasek
    They are usually used as a garnish. They are salty and pickled.

    I use them mostly in pasta but have also used them on cuts of meat.
     
  8. fjmollot

    fjmollot Getting Tilted

    They are great with smoked salmon.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  9. Lindy

    Lindy Moderator Staff Member

    Location:
    Nebraska
    I've had capers on fish, and I had capers in a salad of citrus and artichokes mostly. The salad was quite astringent with segments of lemon, orange, and grapefruit. Maybe some asparagus and... It's been a while...
    It prompted me to buy a small jar of capers, which sits in my cupboard still, about two years later.
     
  10. fflowley

    fflowley Don't just do something, stand there!

    Trivia: Where do capers come from? (-1 for Googling).
     
  11. Speed_Gibson

    Speed_Gibson Hacking the Gibson

    Location:
    Wolf 359
    I had to look on wikipedia as I had no clue or at best was completely wrong on my best guess.
     
  12. Lindy

    Lindy Moderator Staff Member

    Location:
    Nebraska
    Aren't they some kind of pickled flower bud?
     
    • Like Like x 3
  13. snowy

    snowy so kawaii Staff Member

    I love capers. I especially love them in tapenade. I love them with lemon in a variety of combinations. They work well with chicken and in cream sauces. Yum, yum, yum.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  14. Leto

    Leto Slightly Tilted

    Location:
    Toronto

    yeah I think what Lindy said - they are a flower bud from a caper (?) plant.

    I eat them from the jar if I have a hankering. But usually like @snowy or others have said. One meal we eat a lot of is called chicken picata where we fry chicken then reduce the oil left over with lemon juice and capers to use as a sauce. So good. Also along with smoked salmon.

    http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/chicken-piccata-recipe2/index.html
     
  15. genuinemommy

    genuinemommy Moderator Staff Member

    I am not a huge fan of capers, mainly because when people include them in a dish, they tend to over-do it. I find their flavor quite strong, a little goes a long way.
     
  16. snowy

    snowy so kawaii Staff Member

    I love chicken piccata. Soooo good.