Discovering Soave’s Capers

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Capers in Soave?
Following the streets in the historical center of Soave, the walls of the castle, the alleys of Borgo Bassano or the strada Medievale you will notice plants growing from the stone walls, sometimes abundantly… these are capers!
The species capparis spinosa naturally occurring in southern Italy up to Abruzzo and Liguria, is not normally considered a spontaneously growing plant in the foothills of the Alps. In this area, the plant has found an ecological niche in the manmade stone walls, allowing the expansion of the species farther north.
The flavor of capers is contained in the buds of the plant’s flower (second photo in the gallery), which are picked before they open and are then conserved in salt water or vinegar. Thisvariety of capersis cultivated in the far southern island of Pantelleria.
The other species of capers present in Italy is capparis ovata, grown only from Basilicata south.

We won’t provide maps to find the capers… try looking for them yourself in the hidden corners of Soave!