On this last trip south, I became a little obsessed with the sour prickly pear called xoconostle. They’re mostly used for sauces but I had them candied and even in a syrup.
They look almost exactly like a prickly pear, or tuna, until you cut them open.
I was collecting seeds, thinking it might be a gas to grow them here in Napa. Unlike a tuna, the seeds are conveniently all in one handy spot.
This silly little strainer has traveled with all over the world with me. You never know when you’ll come across something worth saving. After scooping out the pits, I rinsed them and strained them and finally let them dry overnight. Then they’re simply scooped into kraft paper coin envelopes (that also travel with me on every trip) and the rest is history.
I used to germinate and start them myself but I’ve discovered I’m too inconsistent and now my plan is to take them to my friend Rose of Morningsun Herb Farm and let her do what she does best.
Rancho Gordo: Experiments from my mostly New World kitchen and gardens 
November 28, 2007 at 10:28 am |
Yeah, cactus seeds are tricky to germinate. To be delicate about it, they are “designed” to pass through the digestive tract of an animal before germinating.
Given the realities of desert life, they are also “designed” to have a very long dormant period and still be viable when they finally do get enough moisture to sprout.
Some probably require cold treatment, as well.
Best let the professionals take care of it!
November 30, 2007 at 5:22 pm |
I joined a cactus group, just so I could learn about it. But they think I’m some sort of animal and wouldn’t dream of eating a cactus.
January 12, 2008 at 9:32 am |
You might want to read my report on Xoconostles and an incredible couple growing and marketing this product in the state of Hidalgo:
http://international-iacp.blogspot.com/search/label/mexico
halfway down this page. Enjoy.