How to eat a prickly pear. Skewer with a fork - cut the ends off - make a slit and peel back the "flaps" with the knife edge

Is that a prickly pear? Is it nice? I have seen them, but have not been
brave enough to taste one.

I've seen them in the supermarket but not tried them yet. What's the best way to cook them?

Hahah...as usual I'm going backwards... prickly pear...of course.. on your say-so I think I may try one when I see them.

No Gillian, you don't cook them - you eat the fruit as it is...!! Very tasty too I might add ...

Interesting! I thought it looked like they were in some kind of sauce!

You're right Marguerite - it is a popular fruit, especially down in the South of Italy where the land is very parched and rocky. They are abnout the size of a large fig 5 - 7cms and have lots of pips - I find the taste reminds me a bit of vanilla.

Incidentally, I am going to Sicily tomorrow for a few days to visit an old ailing aunt and I'm hoping to be able to take some photos of the vegetation and countryside there -

They look delicious I like the taste of Vanilla , I shall be looking out for some to try .. ...

You could try and see if they sell them in the bigger supermarkets - the ones they sell in the shops have usually been deprived of those little prickling nasties.... I just hope they have ripened in the sunshine and not in transit across the borders!!

That is the worry here ,fruit comes half ripe and you have to put it in a cupboard to ripen off , I do that a lot with Avocado 's ...

.....and tomatoes and figs and grapes and artichokes and and and and - the sunshine list is endless Amy!

Mum who was Italian (but we lived in UK) used to despair at the fact she could never find all her lovely fruits and vegs - she'd be amazed at how much there is to be found in the shops now

I'm sure she would Terry , we went to a small market town recently it happened to be market day , I was amazed at all the different fruit and veg. there I didn't know what half of it was , I suppose they have to cater for so many different nationalities today plus it must sell or they wouldn't keep buying it ...

When I was little, the only place she could get limited Italian foods was from a very pricey Polish continental shop and dad used to try and grow the rest - sunshine permitting of course !!