It is always an exciting day as we set out for the first Pithaya hunt...which entails wearing good boots and pants and walking around the desert in
the early evening hunting for luscious red cactus fruit. There are several good picking areas near us here in Asuncion and although very enjoyable, it
always has it's painful moments as spines find their way into delicate skin....ouch...but the pain is well worth it as we got a bucket of juicy
pithayas to eat and share. So yesterday I made the Gadgets pithaya waffles...a new culinary experience for them for sure...and today I will toast you
Nomads with the season's first fresh Pitaya Margarita....I'll wait till c-cktail hour though...or maybe not....I will try to freeze some for you all
to try later. It is worth coming here during this season just to experience pitaya picking...a true baja pastime.amir - 9-28-2007 at 09:38 AM
The original Baja Nomads folowed the pitahaya in their migrations. It was an important source of food. They had to get to the fruit before the birds,
who also love the fruit.
When a patch of fruit was found, they would gorge themselves with it for days, and then it was time to put down their weapons and make babies.
Watch out for this special property of the pitahaya! Bob H - 9-28-2007 at 09:46 AM
Awwwwwwwww... Pithaya - aka Dragon Fruit... can't wait to try that in a margie! I want to go Pithaya Hunting!
[Edited on 9-28-2007 by Bob H]Bajalero - 9-28-2007 at 10:00 AM
Here's our recipe for Pitaya Daquiris
Fill blender 1/2 full of cubitos
Add Palmas rum to cover
Fill rest of blender with fresh peeled cold or semi frozen pitayas - blend
Enjoyshari - 9-28-2007 at 10:02 AM
Wow..great info site...and just think how healthy those margs will be Bob! We will go for sure...it's these kinds of outings that I think NOmads
should participate in...there's more than fishing and surfing here folks!!! There should be pitayas around for the next month so any of you in baja
now should make a point of getting out there and getting thorned! I put pitayas in everything, pancakes, milkshakes, fruit salad of course...gin and
tonic too. Wish I had some gin!bearbait1 - 9-28-2007 at 11:22 AM
Are pitayas prickly pear fruit?Steve in Oro Valley - 9-28-2007 at 02:44 PM
pitahaya agria? or pitahaya dulce? or both?
Steve in Oro Valleybearbait1 - 9-28-2007 at 03:07 PM
Who? What? Huh?Pappy Jon - 9-28-2007 at 03:17 PM
Just keep in mind Nomands that crossing the International Border with those lucious fruits is against International Treaty (CITES). All cactus and
parts are protected in Mexico and can't be imported into the USA without permits.David K - 9-28-2007 at 03:21 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by bearbait1
Are pitayas prickly pear fruit?
No... much sweeter, lighter, juicier... terrific fruit!
Here's 'BajaCactus' showing me how to peel the fruit (after the thorns are brushed off):
Here I am enjoying my first one!:
Here is how there were sold in San Quintin, along the highway (thorned and de-thorned):
bearbait1 - 9-28-2007 at 03:37 PM
Ahh, once I was blind but now I see.Oso - 9-28-2007 at 04:27 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by bearbait1
Are pitayas prickly pear fruit?
You're thinking of "Tunas".bearbait1 - 9-28-2007 at 04:31 PM
I thought Tunas were a fish that came in a can?Marie-Rose - 9-28-2007 at 04:35 PM
Shari...we'll bring the gin!!! See you soon!!!Bajagypsy - 9-28-2007 at 05:38 PM
Aw man, I can't believe we missed this! That for sure would have helped the tequila situationRicardo - 9-28-2007 at 08:02 PM
YUM YUM, I'll try a picture and see if it works (first time)
Important stuff
Dave - 9-30-2007 at 10:03 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by shari
I put pitayas in everything, pancakes, milkshakes, fruit salad of course...gin and tonic too. Wish I had some gin!
Ever made wine?Bob H - 9-30-2007 at 02:25 PM
Shari, we will bring Tequila with us - but we might delve in to it on the way down.... looking forward to trying this type of margi!
Bob HSiReNiTa - 9-30-2007 at 04:21 PM
hey mom i hope you save some for my birthday....i went looking for the u know what today but didn't find any my size...boohoo...i want pitayaaaasHalboo - 10-1-2007 at 06:56 PM
No mention of the "Second Harvest"? shari - 10-2-2007 at 08:00 AM
Ok, last night Juan and his bro went out again for the second harvest and got a wonderful bucket load of bigger juicier ones...they get better later
in the season so of course we had to try the first margarita of the season with sonnyboy surfer who just arrived with a cooler full of tri tip and
lobster!!! I'm freezing some pitaya for the birthday bash too. We will do a third harvest when Bob H arrives soon.Cypress - 10-2-2007 at 08:16 AM
shari Think maybe Halboo was referring to how the earliest inhabitants harvested the pithaya seeds.Halboo - 10-3-2007 at 11:47 AM
Si. David K - 10-3-2007 at 05:29 PM
A rumor started by the padres, say some historians... to class the native Indians down with lower animals... I will see what I can find on 'the second
harvest' in my books...shari - 10-4-2007 at 08:45 AM
