Capers

Typical specimens of caper bushes can be found beneath the castle walls. Caper bushes (Capparis spinosa & Capparis sicula), are synonymous with the Greek islands. They grow on slopes, they adorn narrow alleys and sometimes they hang from the rocks and ruins.

A traditional appetizer, it is a key secret of the Mediterranean diet and the island cuisine. In Kythera, it gives intensity to the local salad “vrechtoladea” (similar to Dakos) and caper salad.

The inhabitants of Chora still collect the buds, the tender sprouts with caper leaves and the fruits (they are called berries or little cucumbers) of capers towards the end of spring. After they are processed to remove their bitterness, they are pickled in several tasty variations.