Prickly Pears

[Txclosetgrower]

I was walking over to manufacturing today at work w/ a co-worker to drop off some paperwork and I saw a bunch of prickly pears growing on cactus and said something about how awesome they are. He didn't know you could eat these things, so I had to pick a few and show him.

When they're ripe, they're amazing. Imagine a neon pink-purple super sweet watermelon and you're get a pretty good idea what they are like. The color of these things is one of the best parts, especially when used in cooking.

Anyone else eat these things? They grow wild everywhere around here, but it seems like most people either ignore them or just don't know about them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prickly_pear

also

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Fig_Opuntia

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3036/2967032723_c90e2cb3e1.jpg
note: camera on my phone doesn't do the color justice. Its much much more vividly bright pink IRL

[GrumpyBear]

i looooooove them. i even tried to grow one, but it didn't really work out... there's only one supermarket here that carries them and only this time of year.

[Chiliac]

They're pretty expensive over here so I rarely buy them, but they taste great. I wish cactus plants would grow here like where you live. I'd surely pick a lot of them!