Meadview Az Back To Montana

[Goldseeker5000]

Nice to know that geof_junk, my luck, I would miss a small spine and it would get stuck in the roof of my mouth ?. I always wondered if Australia had cactus. Prickly Pear in Australia?!, man, that stuff is everywhere.

[jasong]

The green part is ok, but the red part that flowers grow out of in spring is way tasty. It actually tastes a bit like pear to me. But like with blood red orange Sanpelligrino soda and apple flavors too. Hard to pin down, but slightly familiar and good.

The small ones in the Rockies are way more flavorful than the big ones in Arizona, I think.

As you guessed, they leave tiny almost invisible microspines in your tongue (and fingers) though if you don't remove the skin entirely. 

[GotAU?]

One thing to try is burning off the spines in a fire- that’s how some Native Americans prepared the pads and fruit for eating them. But I can’t believe how desert tortoises can eat those without getting thrown off by the spines in their mouths and throats- Ive seen several wild ones munching on pads as well.  And captive tortoises do the same with the fruit, so it isn’t for the lack of water, they just really love the stuff even if it has spines!

We ‘modern’ humans are so fragile! ?

[WesD]

 I used to hit the fruit with a torch while still on the plant. Burns off  the spines and easy pickins then.