Caper

High school (ages 12+)
Food & Cooking

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/caper

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific classification?Genus: Capparis, Species: spinosa
2. What is the geographic distribution?Native to or naturalized in most circum-Mediterranean countries
3. What is a caper and where does it come from?A caper is a tiny green bud from the caper bush, Capparis spinosa, which grows in sunny, rocky places around the Mediterranean. The buds are picked by hand before they open into flowers.
4. How are capers made to taste so zesty?The buds are cured in salt or packed in brine, which removes moisture and starts fermentation. This process concentrates their flavor and gives them a sharp, salty taste.

Taxonomy: The scientific classification of organisms into hierarchical groups based on shared characteristics.
Hybridization: The process of cross-pollinating different species or varieties to produce offspring with combined traits.
Phytochemicals: Chemical compounds produced by plants that have biological effects on humans.