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Help me find Prickly Pear Cactus Fruits

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Landon J

NewBee
Registered Member
Jul 7, 2008
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I am stuck and unable to find anywhere that would have the prickly pear cactus fruit for sale here in Utah :x

What I want to do is to make the prickly pear melomel that is in the mead appendix of Charlie Papizians book "The Joy of Homebrewing".

I have already been to a few mexican specialty shops in hopes that they would have some as they usually sell the cactus pads that the fruit grows on but none have them. I believe that they are in season.

Has anybody made a melomel with this as an adjunct? If so where did you get the fruit? Tips on where I could find some fresh prickly pear cactus fruits?
 
I can't tell you where to get them in Utah, but they are available here in the Detroit, MI area at the local Farmer's Market, so if you have a farmer's market in the area of Utah you live, I would suggest you try that. I was unaware of that they were available here in my neck-of-the-woods until one of the other forum members actually sold me a couple cases that he had on hand that were purchased there. I have just recently made a 6 gallon batch that I have posted in the Patrons Only Brew-Log section.

- GL63
 
You may check with your local produce terminal. The wholesalers there may be able to point you to a retailer.

Here in South Texas, the nopales (or pads) are available year round (sort of like green beans when sliced up and cooked, especially good with eggs), but the tunas (or fruit) are only in season in late summer to early fall. There is a source in AZ for "nectar", but it is rather expensive as I get them at the local grocery for 4 tunas for $1.

While a purplish-red tuna is definitely ripe, green ones can still be ripe as well. You have to cut them open and see if the flesh is an almost neon red.

For a recent melomel (also based on Papazian's recipe), I got 20 tunas (5-6 lbs.) for $5. After peeling and coarsely straining to remove the seeds (worse than pomegranates), I ended up with about 4 cups of puree.

The aroma and flavor to me are a little reminiscent of watermelon.
 
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