Most people in the world of capers will tell you the very best capers come from a small island called Pantelleria that is off the coast of Sicily, Italy. It's really part of Sicily, but geographically it's between Sicily and Africa. It's actually a little closer to Tunisia than it is to the main part of Sicily.

What plant do capers come from?

Capers are the pickled unopened flower buds of the plant Capparis spinosa. Capers are used in many Mediterranean dishes and traditionally served with lox. ... Caper plants growing on the walls of Monticchiello, a small medieval village in Tuscany.

How are capers made?

Capers are pickled flower buds. Tiny capers are picked from a shrub-like bush (Capparis spinosa), long before the buds ever flower. The capers are then dried in the sun and later brined or packed in salt. (To use capers in recipes it's a good idea to rinse them first, to remove all the excess salt or brine.)