Is prickly pear cactus same as prickly pears? The fruit-or are you eating the cactus pulp? We'd eat the pear (lots of seeds as I recall) in a salad with mango- topped with a balsamic and honey dressing -- I think there was mint leaves in it -- something green. Knowing my dad could have been sweet basil.
Cicada invasion
You are eating the fruit. Italians use a lot of mint in their cooking; a carry over from the Romans. Sometimes basil combined with mint is used. If you use bugs you can make pest(o). lol No, really, you can make pesto with the two herbs (I got carried away).
I began finding cicada shells on posts and plant leaves in the garden several weeks ago an then spied several of the box-shaped beasts. They must be the sirloins of the insect world. Well now they are busy humming away. Quite a din at night. Someone was recently telling my SO how they hated the sound of cicadas. Can't imagine that.
Me either. My husband considers the cicada song deafening. Says it really "bugs" him. ;o)
LOL
Missingrosie, I am not so familiar with the terminology. I just know that people eat the prickly pear "pads" and the fruit so I am trying to learn how to use them in meals. They grow better than a lot of other garden produce so may as well use them I guess.
Cicadas are in full chorus here, finally. I was starting to feel left out!! A full month and more, after Eufaula's announcement! Seems to be a bumper crop of them- they are deafening! So, I can take em ............. or go inside and leave em!
Mexicans eat nopales, the cactus pads, and the fruit are called tunas. I've never eaten the fruit but had it in a drink. Eat the nopales all the time. They come handily cleaned, sliced and pickled with jalapenos and canned. Firm texture but not too much taste. My hubby eats tacos of scrambled eggs prepared with the canned nopales.
~Brenda
In Texas , I used to make jelly all the time with the purple fruit . It's prettier than the red .
Pick them with a long handled meat fork into a paper bag . Then singe all the stickers off over a gas flame on the stove . Wash carefully and simmer in deep pot , strain , use the juice as any fruit for jelly. Can mix with other fruit juice or fruit such as pineapple , oranges , Lemon , many others . It needs something to help it jell , sure jell or lemon , something like that . It doesn't have a real taste of it's own, so mint or something elseworks well .
Best to let the frost hit it before picking . Don't know why , just the way I always did it .
This message was edited Jun 29, 2011 4:06 AM
Thank you for the ideas for the nopales and tuna. I don't think we will have enough tuna to make jelly this year, but as the years go by, that will change. They (prickly pear cactus) do seem to grow pretty fast. I have one in a clay pot that has gotten so big and heavy that I can't move the pot anywhere else (can't even drag it.)
For about three nights last week we had these really small cicadas hanging around the porch lights. They were just like the big ones, but only about an inch long total. They had the cutest little buzzing sound when picked up. My daughter took some pictures which I will try to post when she down loads them to this computer.
Yes, nopales too. I was thinking I remembered Missing's dad being Italian and probably wouldn't know from paddles. Brenda, if you're ever looking for fresh ones they are in abundance at the Buford Highway Farmer's Market. Nopales con huevos eh? That's pretty classic.
Yes, Laurel, y huevos con todos!!! You can put anything in huevos and they do!!! LOL!
That is an interesting Farmer's Market- only been once! I shop in the local Mexican grocery stores here in Gainesville. They usually have better prices than the supermarkets.
Okay, you gotta see these little cicadas. It was the first time I had ever seen any of this kind so we got a bunch of pictures (I'll just post the best ones.)
Tiny little guys.
They are well equipped for climbing like all cicadas, got those hooks on their feet.
