Written by: Oresti Davia
Photos by Christos Potsios
Translated by: Denise Morfiris

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For many centuries the prickly pear (known to Botanists as Opuntia or the Indian Fig) and over 300 relatives of its family were considered precious plants for the inhabitants of pro-Colombian Mexico. The natives cooked the greens parts of the prickly pear, as we do vegetables, and ate the fruit of this swiftly developing cactus every chance they could.

The prickly pear was brought to Spain by Christopher Columbus and from there it spread quickly throughout the Mediterranean. In Greece the prickly pear is known by many different names (araposikia, barbarosikia, pharosikia, papoutsosikia) and this is a sign of the complete confusion about the exact origin of this plant.

It is believed though, that the first prickly pears were planted by Venetian noblemen on the island of Crete and on the Aegean islands. It was a means of protecting their crops with the thorns of the plant. The prickly pear reaches a height of 5 meters. Its wide, flat joints look like big, fleshy leafs which are scientifically called leaf branches and are covered with numerous sticky and thin but hard spines. Its large, dangerous thorns severely punish any human or animal who approaches it without caution. Many cattlemen turn the leaf branches of the prickly pear into excellent stock feed by simply singeing them until the thorns have been destroyed.

There are also varieties of prickly pears that are without thorns, but unfortunately not in Greece. These were used mainly in grazing grounds for the purpose of feeding voracious, fast multiplying insects known as "Kokkos o Varikos" (grain eating insects). When dried, these insects produced a costly natural coloring that was used as a dying agent for silk and was also used for dying Easter eggs. Large quantities of this natural coloring were also used for the coloring in liquors and in sweets. Spain maintained exclusive rights to raising these insects and producing the natural coloring that resulted by instituting strict laws. Competition from other countries began, though, and with the advent of aniline colors (artificial colors), the use of natural coloring began its decline.

The prickly pear is a very hardy plant that is also very resistant to fire. It grows and spreads quickly and with a vengeance, destroying whatever domestic vegetation is in its' path. In areas of Australia, India and South Africa, the prickly pear is a large threat to the ecological balance. The governments of these countries spend millions of dollars a year to control this "thorny" problem.

In the last ten years the spread of the prickly pear has been checked by using a type of Mexican moth that devours the leaf branches. The sweet, colorful, healthy and refreshing prickly pear ripens in warm, sunny areas close to the sea, from the end of June to the beginning of September. Ancient Mexicans and their present day descendants still enjoy eating prickly pears and eat them fresh, usually in salads. They also make a delicious marmalade with them and by fermenting the juice, make potent wines.

As in the old days, they still cut the prickly pear into slices and dry them in the sun for use in the winter. Should you find and want to cut the ripe, red and amber fruit of the prickly pear that you may perhaps find while on vacation, make sure you wear gloves and use a knife to cut them.

Of course, prickly pears may also be found in fruit shops but their prices are high since they are imported from Spain, Israel, Sicily and Morocco. Before being packed for shipping, their thorns are removed, but the sharp tuft-like hairs are still there and they may prick you. They are difficult to remove and may cause you to get a little angry with them. Some people suggest that scrubbing the prickly pear with a hard brush and then rinsing it with warm water is a good way to avoid getting the sharp hairs in your fingers.

The best way to enjoy the prickly pear though, is to hold the fruit down with a fork. Using a sharp knife, cut off both ends of the fruit and make incisions lengthwise down the fruit thus making it easy to peel the fruit with your fingers.

The aromatic, colorful fruit of the prickly pear is full of small seeds which can be eaten without any problem. The prickly pear is low in calories, is fairly high in proteins and is high in vitamin C. It is usually served with other fruit (banana, cantaloupe, kiwi) or eaten plain with a little lemon juice squeezed on it (and served very cold).

In some very high classed Parisian restaurants the fruit of the prickly pear is mixed in the blender with sugar and lemon, then strained to filter out the pits and frozen. It is served as a dessert with a little rum or vodka to customers with refined palates who seek out rare tastes.