Shortly after the doves start opening holes in some of the earliest ripe fruit it is time to start gathering saguaro fruit. Afternoon temps are often 105 (F) or more - in the shade - and there is usually little shade to be found.
The fruit need to be picked before the birds get to them and way before they open up like these.
I look for a little pink or red at the tip and those are the ones I pick. Some saguaros have 4 or 5, some have 1 or 2 and many have none.
The dried flower comes off easily and has a sharp edge to it.
So sharp that it can be used to cut open the fruit.
The pulp inside is what I use. I cut the fruit (with a knife) and dig out the pulp with a thumb into a bowl.
When I have enough pulp, I can boil it down and remove some of the seed. This year I'm going to take out a few hundred seed first and see what I can get to grow later in the fall.
Ready? 4 cups saguaro fruit, 5 cups sugar, 1 packet of pectin. That's my secret saguaro jam recipe. I may get a few batches this year...
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