My first night in this country, August 15, 2009, we went to a taqueria where I had the best and the worst things that I was to eat during my time here in Mexico. The best - tacos al pastor (just ask my dad). The worst - slimy green cactus nastiness called nopales.
The "nopal" is the green "pad" part of the cactus plant, and its flavor and nutritional/medicinal value is truly enjoyed by Mexicans. I am enthralled watching the little old Mexican women remove the prickly spines from these pads in order to sell them to the masses. Mexicans love nopales. I, on the other hand, do not. But despite my loathing of this extremely common Mexican food, I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at the "Nopales Festival" in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato.
The first ever "Festival de Nopales" was held at El Charco del Ingenio, the botanical garden in San Miguel. Along with live entertainment, I found nopales prepared in every way possible: various guisados (stews), pie, salad, cake, shampoo, soap, chips, earrings, salsas, liquor, face cream, juice, tortillas, jelly (just to name a few) ALL made out of nopales. It was quite entertaining to see all the ways nopales could be used. And I DID find something I like - "Pay de nopal" (nopal pie) is very tasty stuff! It doesn't taste a bit like the slimy gross vegetable I had my first night in Mexico.
Enjoy the photos of various "nopal" products and happenings at the festival:
The nopales in their natural setting.
several guisados we all tried: sadly, i was only a fan of one.
my aunt cynthia checking out some nopal jams and such
my uncle bob, myself, and my aunt cynthia at the entrance to the festivities (don't ask about the giant paper dolls)
Bob and Cynthia learning all about the prickly suckers
nopales roasting on an open comal....searing heat grilling at your nose...
These nopales had to have been at least 3 feet in length, and were filled with cheese and goodies and sewn shut to be cooked atop a fire.
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