Caper capers

[Belmit]

I'm going a bit cooking mad at the moment and have bought a couple of cookbooks - Gordon Ramsey's 'Fast Food' and '...Makes it Easy'. Armed with a list of ingredients, some of which I'd never bought before and some I'd never heard of, I went to the supermarket after work.

Ten minutes in and I'd got pretty much everything on the list, including live basil and coriander, and pine nuts (took me a while!). Only two things remained; Tahini and capers. Finally found the Tahini in the intolerant section along with the terrible Gillian McKeith branded guff, but capers were nowhere to be found. It was then that I realised that I didn't really know what capers were, although I thought I did.

After almost texting someone to ask what they were (akin to asking for directions, but not even as manly as that), I had a brief flash of inspiration and walked straight to them, or rather the item next to them.

I was just wondering how many people here knew where to find them in the average supermarket. If you know, great (don't give the game away!), if not, have a guess. I'll be interested to hear what you think. Afterwards I'll tell you where I looked :D, and how I found them.

[lostkat]

Well I know what capers are, but I'm not entirely sure where you'd find them. I'd go and look in the ailse with all the pickled betroot and olives and stuff (don't capers come in brine?) or with the canned/bottled veg.

[Tak]

I know what they are so could hazard a guess at where they would be.

No idea why I know what they are as I've never eaten them or cooked with them

[lostkat]

P.S. You need a herb trough. Bought herbs are such a rip of and don't usually last long. I'd show you a pic of my basil/parsley/chive seedlings, but my phone is playing silly buggers.

Here's my herb trough instead :D
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, Thyme ( ;) ) and Fennel... which has since been removed because it took over. Think I might pick some and dry it actually :)

http://www.lostkat.co.uk/house/garden12.jpg

[Tak]

Here's my herb trough instead

I keep thinking of doing this (well its not like theres much else in my garden :embarassed: ) but (and here is the shameful secret) as well as my brilliant ability to kill any plant like thing (except weeds grrr) I have never actually cooked with fresh herbs and wouldn't know what to do :embarassed:

Go on - laugh away :embarassed: :embarassed: :embarassed:

[Belmit]

Go on - laugh away :embarassed: :embarassed: :embarassed:

I almost texted a mate in the supermarket to ask what capers were. If anyone's laughing it should be at that!

And Kate, spot on! I had a recollection that olives could be stuffed with capers and they were there in jars right next to the olives, above the freezer aisle. I looked at every single jar of dried herbs, scoured the vegetable aisle, and even went to the baking section where the nuts are before I finally got close.

Herb trough should be the next thing I get for the kitchen really, that and a spice rack.

[lostkat]

Woohoo!! Thought it made sense that they'd be with olives, but wasn't 100%. At least that makes sense. Sometimes they just put things in completely random places which make no sense whatsoever.

Tak - Use them the same as dried herbs, only they're usually less strong. Fresh ones are nicer with fish (Rosemary, Parsley etc.) Or you can just grow them, dry them and use them dried... OR grow them in your garden and enjoy the nice smell :) Thyme is very pretty with little pinky flowers!

I have herbs which I don't know when to use though. Mum gave me some golden marjoram because she had too much... wtf do I do with it?? :D Also got chives (good in salad and as a garnish or with my warm potato salad), coriander (MMMMM!!!! Indian food), mint (I put it in with new potatoes when they're boiling).

[BBx]

Don't like capers :( they taste yukky :(

BB x

[lostkat]

Never actually ate a caper on its own... I've only ever put them in things to add flavour, so once they were cooked they didn't really taste of much.

[Jonny69]

Advice with herb troughs: If they keep dying you're not cutting the plants back enough. I've found you have to keep cutting it short, especially basil and coriander otherwise it just dies for some reason.

[lostkat]

Yeah, I've found that Basil doesn't like being left to grow... and my coriander seems to be everlasting. I cut a massive bunch to throw into something and the next day it's back!! :D

[Kell_ee001]

I know where they are in the supermarket, but only because I used to work at Morrisons ;D

[Muban]

I always have a jar of them in my fridge :)