Capers are used in several recipes from her latest cookbook, "Small Parties" (Gibbs Smith, $19.95). The Salmon Nicoise Salad is a twist on the usual tuna-based salad. And Chicken Under a Brick has a buttery garlic caper sauce.

"It's like a picatta, but you wrap two bricks in foil and get it really hot and put it on top of the chicken while it's cooking," Henderson said. "The weight makes an incredible crust, and it keeps the moisture inside the chicken. They do it in Italy a lot."

Smoked salmon is another Henderson favorite. "Make a spread using cream cheese, dill and lemon zest and a few chopped capers," she said. "Spread it on a bagel, top it with a slice of salmon and one ring of red onion and serve it open-face. It's New York on a plate."

Capers are very fish-friendly, said Henderson, noting that the classic Italian tonnato sauce uses tuna and capers. "And anchovies and capers together on a pizza are to die for."

She always throws in a tablespoon or two of capers in shallot-based salad dressings, too.

They're a boon for dieters, as they add a wallop of flavor with no fat. On the Nutrition Facts labels, a 1-teaspoon serving is listed as zero to two calories. Some people like to mash a few into their tuna-and-mayo mixture for sandwiches, or toss into salads for color and flavor.

Capers aren't cheap. A 4-ounce jar costs around $2.50 to $3. But, a little goes a long way; you only need a spoonful or two at a time. And if they're submerged in brine, they will keep up to six months in the refrigerator.

The smallest berries are called non-pareille and are favored by chefs due to their delicate texture and stronger flavor. The smaller the capers, the more expensive they are, due to high labor involved in collecting.

Capers are also used in Cuban dishes, because of the Spanish heritage, according to Adalberto Diaz, chef at Granato's and a native Cuban. "The Spanish used capers a lot, in tomato-based sauces and in sauces for fish," he said. "And capers are used in good-quality bean dishes. A high-end Cuban recipe for black beans will always include about a tablespoon of capers."

Diaz used capers in a swordfish recipe in a Cuban cooking class he taught last week at the Roth Concept Center. He added that the muffaletta sandwich served at the Granato delis uses a spread made of pureed capers, green olives, pickled vegetables and artichokes.

Caper berries are another point of confusion. Often set on appetizer and antipasto trays, many people mistake them for olives until they take a bite and find them full of tiny seeds.

"They almost look like okra when you open them up," Diaz said.

He recommends cutting them in half, emptying the seeds with a melon baller and stuffing the cavity with manchego cheese for an appetizer.