Jalisco’s favorite homegrown fruit, the cactus-borne pitaya, began invading fruit stands across the state last month.
Growers from Techaluta estimate that more than 1.5 million pitayas will be sold per day during the six-week pitaya harvest season that ends around June 15.
In Guadalajara, the traditional location for pitaya sellers is the iconic Nueve Esquinas intersection – nine corners – in the city’s downtown core at Leandro Valle and Colon, a neighborhood also famed for its birria (goat stew) restaurants.
You can also buy the fruit from salesman who are making the rounds in the streets of Guadalajara and other towns. But don’t slouch if you’re thinking of trying one of these delicacies. Once the rainy season starts, there won’t be a pitaya worth tasting in the whole of Jalisco.
This juicy fruit is about the size of a lemon and makes a great refreshing treat during May – the year’s hottest month in these parts. The fruit is usually scooped out of its skin with a spoon and eaten immediately. The flesh comes in a variety of brilliant colors: deep red and purple being the most exotic. The small black pips are harmless and do not spoil the flavor. But remember, pitayas do not have a long shelf life – they will keep for just two to three days in the refrigerator.
Prices depend on the size of the pitaya, and run about five to ten pesos each.
Many of the vendors in the Nueve Esquinas make the 90-minute trip from Techaluta every morning. They work year-round caring for their fields, and can trace their family’s pitaya roots back several generations.