Mustapha's Moroccan Caperberries

Caperberries resemble a large elongated grape with white stripes. They are preserved in water, vinegar, and salt. They are great accompaniments to cheese or ham. It has a much less intense flavor than a caper. Use these crunchy, mildly tangy Moroccan caperberries in salads, antipasto, or tapas. Caper bushes are indigenous to the Mediterranean region, but they do very well anywhere that has dry heat and intense sunlight. Caperberries - alcaparrones in Spanish - are the fruit of the caper bush, Capparis Spinosa. They are cultivated and collected in their natural range - in Spain, the south of France, Italy, Dalmatia, Greece, Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia, and especially Morocco. Mustapha's caperberries are brine-cured in vinegar and salt, providing a somewhat tangy and nutty taste, which is not as strong or flavorful as a caper - their texture is often reminiscent of a cornichon. Their flavor tends to be a bit more "pickle-like" with a tangy, slightly sour flavor. They grow wild around the Mediterranean, flourishing in the same climates as olives, and in fact, we have come to recognize the flavor of a caper as classic Mediterranean. Caperberries can be eaten like olives; in fact, they can make an interesting alternative in a martini.