Confluence Literary Festival

As August passed into September, I could be found kneeling between rows at Creekside Lane Organics, where Larry White and his crew of helpers are scrambling to keep up with the harvest and a steady demand for his fantastic produce. It seems that this time of year, there are scarcely enough hours in the day to pick all that needs to be picked; to process the boxes of fruits and vegetables that stream into my kitchen day after day; and to keep from letting Natures wild bounty go to waste. As gardens and farms overflow with cultivated produce, the wild lands around town are turning out treasures as well.

It is with this thrift in mind that I turned my attention to gathering the prickly pear fruits that come into season in late August and early September. Anyone who has walked out Mill Creek or Negro Bill Canyon within the last few weeks has most certainly noticed the glowing magenta fruits beckoning from atop their thorny perches. The prickly pear is a trailside attraction all year round, with May blossoms in all shades of yellow, peach, pink, and lavender. Throughout the summer, fruits swell and change color until they are fully mature and deep burgundy. Eventually, these fruits fall off and roll away, and the pads often are tinged purple or psychedelic pink as temperatures drop in the winter.

Also known as nopales, prickly pear is the name for any of 200+ species within the genus Opuntia, which is widely and abundantly distributed across the American Southwest and Mexico. The prickly pear is so at home in this landscape that in many places it is considered a noxious weed. Although the pads and the fruits of the plant are both edible, glassy spines prohibit consumption by all but the most determined critters. I happen to fall into this category, and besides that I was curious about a fruit that is so locally abundant and likely delicious.

My method for collecting was put together through common sense and plenty of caution. I wear tall boots, leather gloves, and carry tongs to avoid the unpleasant spines as much as possible. The cactus pads bear long, obvious spines that are easily avoided, but the fruits are covered with tiny, nearly invisible hairs that must be removed prior to processing. Over an open flame, I burn the spines off each fruit before slicing it in half and smashing it with a bean masher. The juice extraction process is hot, tedious, time consuming, and inevitably results in some spines finding their way into ones skin. But the end result is a magnificent ruby nectar that tastes somewhat like watermelon. The flavor is universally described as refreshing, and according to my trusty Whole Foods Companion, the juice is extremely high in antioxidants.

I was delighted by the results of the first batch, and brought some of the juice into Arches Book Company to serve as a seasonal special. It went over so well that I had to make a second, third, and fourth batch of the juice. We are serving it for a limited time only, blended with lime juice and agave nectar then served over ice. I am so happy to share this seasonal delicacy with Moab locals and visitors! Come in and give it a try, and while you are here be sure to check out our Confluence display. As always, featured titles are 10% off when you mention this blog. Looking forward to seeing you!