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Yellow Cactus pears are small to medium in size, averaging 5-10 centimeters in length, and are oblong in shape similar to a kiwi or small avocado. The fruits form from yellow, pink, red, or purple flowers that grow on nopales or cactus pads, and the thick skin of the fruit is golden yellow and may have some patches of pink and light orange blush. Yellow Cactus pears are also covered in rough bumps and spines known as glochids. These sharp spines are tiny, hair-like, and difficult to see and are found in the areoles or brown spots on the skin. Inside the fruit, the yellow-orange flesh is moist and watery with many hard, edible brown-black seeds. The seeds are too tough to chew fully and can be swallowed whole or discarded completely. When ripe, Yellow Cactus pears are juicy and aromatic offering a mildly sweet flavor reminiscent of citrus, banana, melon, and fig.
Seasons/Availability
Yellow Cactus pears are available in the late summer through early winter.
Current Facts
Yellow Cactus pears, botanically classified as a part of the genus Opuntia, are the annual edible fruits that grow on the edges of the flat pads of the cactus and are members of the Cactaceae family. Also known as Cactus apple, Prickly pear, Barbary, Tuna fruit, and Indian Fig, there are many different varieties of cactus pears that can range in color from yellow, red, orange, to green. Despite its name, Yellow Cactus pears are not members of the pear family and were given this name in reference to their similarity in shape. Yellow Cactus pears are most commonly found across Italy and are botanically considered a berry. The yellow varieties are less sweet than their red counterparts, but they are favored as an end of summer treat in Italy for their juicy flesh. Yellow Cactus pears can be incorporated into a wide variety of culinary applications and are preferred to be consumed fresh.
Nutritional Value
Yellow Cactus pears contain vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, and potassium.
Applications
Yellow Cactus pears are best suited for raw preparations as their mild flavor often gets masked in the cooking process. The spines must be removed before use and can be burned or scrubbed off using gloves and tongs. The skin also needs to be removed and can be slowly peeled away from the flesh. Once prepared, Yellow Cactus pears can be consumed raw or chilled. They can be scooped out with a spoon or cubed and used in fruit salads, smoothies, on top of oatmeal and yogurt, in acai bowls, cereal, and in salsa. The raw flesh can also be pureed to use on ice cream, with yogurt, or in sorbets. Cooked Yellow Cactus pears can be transformed into jams, syrups, or as pie filling. Yellow Cactus pears compliment chicken, shrimp, other tropical fruits such as lemon, lime, and banana, watermelon, and honeydew melon. They will keep 1-2 weeks when stored in the refrigerator.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
In Italy, Yellow Cactus pears are one of the most popular varieties and are used as fences between properties in Sicily. According to Sicilian legend, a farmer cut all of his neighbor’s cactus pears off to prevent him from enjoying the fruit only to have the fruit grow back larger and juicier. This practice of cutting off the first fruits is known as scozzolatura, and the cactus pears also gained the nickname of bastardoni, which is an affectionate and playful term that means bastard indicating the fruits separation from the parent plant. Many street vendors will shout this nickname when they are selling Yellow Cactus pears in the marketplace.
Geography/History
Native to Mexico and the Americas, both the pears and pads of the prickly pear cactus have been used since ancient times and eventually made their way to Europe via explorers and expeditions. Spreading throughout the Mediterranean, the fruit became extremely popular in Sicily where it thrived in the dry terrain and warm climate. Yellow Cactus pears are still one of the most popular varieties of cactus in Italy today. The fruit also thrived in the climate of Australia, and some consider the plant to be a prolific weed. Commercial farming of the cactus pear in the United States began in the early 1900’s by a Sicilian immigrant in California by the name of Marco Rancadore. Today Yellow Cactus pears can be found at local farmers markets and specialty grocers in the Southwestern United States, Mexico, Northern Africa, Middle East, the Mediterranean, Australia, Southern Asia, and select regions of the South Pacific.
Markt Binnenrotte
Binnenrotte 101, 3011 HB Rotterdam, Netherlands
Yellow Cactus Pears: These fruits are small to medium in size, with an oblong shape resembling a kiwi or small avocado, and are covered with tiny spines called glochids. Their golden yellow skin may feature pink or light orange blush, while the moist and juicy yellow-orange flesh contains hard, edible seeds. Their flavor is mildly sweet, evoking hints of citrus, banana, melon, and fig, making them a unique tropical treat.
Mercato Trionfale
Via Andrea Doria, 00192 Roma RM, Italy
Yellow Cactus pears are versatile fruits best enjoyed raw to appreciate their mild flavor. To prepare them, spines must be removed—burned or scrubbed off—followed by peeling the skin. The fruit can be eaten fresh, added to salads, smoothies, cereal, or used as toppings for various dishes. Their flesh can also be pureed for ice creams or sorbets. If cooked, they work well in jams, syrups, and pies, and pair beautifully with chicken, shrimp, tropical fruits, and melons.
From Carranza Citrus….Yellow Cactus Pears: Yellow Cactus pears, botanically part of the Opuntia genus and classified as berries, are loved in Italy as an end-of-summer treat. Their juicy flesh is less sweet than red varieties and is appreciated fresh. Despite the name, they aren't related to pears. These fruits provide vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, and potassium, adding nutritious benefits to their culinary versatility.
Nam Dae Mun Farmers Market
2350 Spring Rd SE Smyrna, GA 30080 United States
+1 (678) 309-0007
Yellow Cactus pears are native to Mexico and the Americas, where they were used since ancient times before being introduced to Europe by explorers. They became especially popular in Sicily due to the dry terrain and warm climate. Commercial farming in the U.S. began in the early 1900s, led by Marco Rancadore, a Sicilian immigrant in California. Today, they are cultivated in regions such as the Mediterranean, Mexico, Australia, and the Southwestern U.S.
From Carranza Citrus…Yellow Cactus Pears: In Italy, Yellow Cactus Pears are often used as property boundaries in Sicily. A Sicilian legend tells of a farmer who cut off his neighbor's cactus pears only to have them grow back bigger and juicier, a practice known as scozzolatura. These regrown fruits are nicknamed bastardoni, meaning "bastards," symbolizing their separation from the parent plant. Street vendors in Sicily often shout this playful term when selling them.
Central minorista
Yellow Cactus Pears: These small to medium-sized fruits typically measure 5-10 centimeters in length, resembling the shape of a kiwi or small avocado. Their golden yellow skins may show patches of pink or orange blush and are covered with fine spines, called glochids. The juicy, yellow-orange flesh contains hard, edible seeds and offers a mildly sweet flavor with citrus, banana, melon, and fig notes. The spines can be challenging to see and require care when handling.
Raya Grocery
+442074075556
Stoney St, London SE1 1TL, United Kingdom
Yellow Cactus pears are best enjoyed raw to fully appreciate their mild flavor, which can get lost in cooking. The spines must be carefully removed, and the skin peeled away before consuming. The fruit can be eaten on its own, added to fruit salads, smoothies, or yogurt, and even pureed into sorbets or syrups. They pair well with tropical fruits like bananas and melons and can last 1-2 weeks when refrigerated.
Turnips
43 Borough Market, London SE1 9AH, United Kingdom
View on Instagram
+44 20 7357 8356
Yellow Cactus pears are the edible fruits of a cactus plant from the Cactaceae family and are commonly referred to as Prickly pear or Indian Fig. These berries are popular in Italy, especially as an end-of-summer treat, and are less sweet than red varieties. They offer a refreshing, juicy taste and are rich in vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, and potassium, making them a nutritious addition to fresh or culinary dishes.
HatfieldCreek Aquaponics
Ramona, CA
Pro tip, careful of the little hairline needles :)….Prickly pear cactus: Originally native to Mexico and parts of the Americas, the prickly pear cactus spread globally through explorers. In Sicily, cactus pears thrived in the dry terrain and warm climate, becoming a beloved crop. The plant also adapted well to Australia, though some locals see it as a pesky weed. In the early 1900s, Sicilian immigrant Marco Rancadore began commercial farming of cactus pears in California, promoting their availability in many regions worldwide, including the Mediterranean and Southwestern U.S.
Rbs Ranch
Yellow Cactus pears: In Sicily, Yellow Cactus pears are often affectionately called "bastardoni," meaning bastards, because of their separation from the parent plant. According to legend, cutting off the initial fruits, a practice called scozzolatura, leads to larger, juicier regrowth. They're so popular that Sicilians even use the plants as fences, and lively vendors shout their nickname in marketplaces to attract buyers.
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