While many see versatile maiz as the foremost plant in Mexican cookery, cactus occupies a more symbolic role for many Mexicans. You can literally see this by examining the Mexican flag, which depicts ...

Cactuses aren’t just part of the scenery in South Texas. For centuries, the fruit and paddles from the prickly pear cactus have fueled the people who live here, and they’re still easy to find on the ...

Have you ever noticed a stack of fresh cactus paddles at your local market, but were unsure how to use them — or at least how to keep from getting stuck? The paddles of the prickly pear cactus are ...

Cactus leaves (nopalitos in Spanish) are best when they are about 8 inches long; smaller leaves don’t provide enough flesh, and larger leaves are sometimes tough. Some purveyors cut the pieces smaller ...

This week we cook up four nopal (cactus) recipes that go beyond the traditional Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes we love in South Texas. Paul Stephen is a food writer for the Express-News. He can be reached ...

These cute cactus cupcakes are a lot easier to handle than their prickly look-alikes. Chocolate cake is baked in terra-cotta pots and then topped with cookie crumb dirt and a fudgy, chocolate-filled ...

This recipe is easy to follow to make your own Christmas cactus potting mix. These succulents need a well-draining, ...

Cactus pears, also known as prickly pears, have come a long way since I ate them as a child. I remember that getting to the actual fruit was a nightmare as the outer skin was covered in millions of ...

Phoenix in the summer: Hot and humid with evening storms and a chance of a haboob (major dust storms for those who haven’t heard). One thing is certain of Phoenix summers; it takes a little motivation ...

Chef Larry Delgado's winning plate of shrimp tacos with a South Texas Cactus Slaw. (Dinah Rogers/NOLA.com | TImes-Picayune) I'm rounding up more recipes from the past weekend's trio of events: The ...