A Not so Sticky Situation

I have a love/hate relationship with scrounging for dinner. I love that I can have whatever I want even if no one else thinks it is dinner. (Read avocados, cantaloupe, Swiss cheese with a handful of cashews, leftover vegetables, etc.) I also love that there is no cooking time at the end of a long work day, no mess to clean up since everyone has to take care of himself, and no waiting for the guys to show up at the table after I've put something on it. On the other hand, I hate that we don't actually eat dinner together and that I'm not always sure my son is eating at all. (Though he does play the guilt card in an effort to get me to fix something for him.) Despite these drawbacks, tonight is a fend-for-yourself event. In case you haven't noticed, I'm shirking my duties. Last night my son started guitar class so we had boxed mac and cheese with hot dogs. With our schedule filling quickly these days, I have resorted to "fast" food at home. (I guess it could be worse; we could be eating at Mickey D's!) Now, scrounge night has followed on the heels of not-really-cooking night. What is the world coming to?

On the bright side, we picked up a couple of cactus pears at the grocery this evening. While I have had cactus candy and cactus jelly, I have never purchased cactus pears to eat raw. What a treat! I always assumed that the candy and jelly were super sweet because they were made with an overload of sugar, but I learned tonight that might not be so. One of the two pears we purchased felt soft and ripe, so I peeled and sliced it as soon as everything else was put away. The outer and inner flesh of this particular variety were both pale green (Though many varieties bear red or purplish fruit when ripe, this "white-skinned" type is popular in Mexico.) The fruit had an aroma and taste akin to an extremely sweet, non-acidic kiwi crossed with a hint of cucumber. The seeds were plentiful and reminded me of eating heavily seeded grapes. Some of them we spat out, but many of them we just swallowed with the fruit. Upon doing some research I've learned that the seeds may be dried and ground into flour. I've also learned there is a goodly amount of fiber, calcium, and vitamin C in these puppies. Finally, I found that prickly pears are also eaten in Mediterranean and European countries like Italy where the fruit is often served in a bowl of cold water. (Who knew?)

Of course, the ones I purchased were spine free and probably came from a nopale farm which harvests the thick prickly pear pads as well. Having backed into prickly pear before (at the Desert Botanical Gardens), I wouldn't recommend harvesting them on your own without a good deal of protective gear. If you do get some spines in your hands (or the backs of your legs, as I did) the best way to get rid of them is with white glue. Spread a fairly thick layer across the area and allow it dry. When you peel off the glue, all the little spines will come out together. (The woman who told me this said it works for splinters as well, but I haven't tried it.)

The lesson here is next time you're at the store and spy something a little strange, give it a try. You might be pleasantly surprised as I was.