Mexico is a dynamite place for fruit freaks.  With every season the generous land shares its changing bounty of natural treats.

Right now is the time to indulge in pitayas, the wild fruit of the Stenocereus cactus that briefly comes to market during April and May. It grows in abundance in the arid zones of Jalisco, especially in the area of Techaluta, renowned as the state’s cradle of pitaya production.

The plump prickly plum comes wrapped in a leathery skin colored dark green or deep ruby red, and covered with sharp spines that are easily scraped off when fully ripe. The surprise inside is a dense flesh in rainbow hues of yellow, orange, pink, red, purple or white, dotted with tiny seeds.

Sink your teeth in and the pitaya bursts with luscious juice of indescribable flavor, fresh on the tongue, just right to quench a parched palate at the peak of the hot season.

Now the pitaya is not to be confused with its similarly named genetic cousin the pitahaya, a.k.a. dragon fruit, which grows on a different type of cactus and is distinguished by its more elongated shape, spineless hot pink skin and snow white interior.

It is also a relative of the tuna, fruit of the nopal cactus, that is set apart by a thick, light green skin, white flesh, pebbly seeds and a slightly metallic taste.

Pitayas are scrumptious all by themselves or as an ingredient for a wide array of culinary concoctions. It’s a great fruit base for a batch of agua fresca or icy sherbert. It can be sliced up to lend an exotic touch to salads and sushi.

As an added bonus, the pitaya is loaded with nutritional and medicinal properties. Its chemical components help control blood sugar levels to stave off diabetes. It is rich in betalains and antioxidants that delay aging. High content of Vitamin C boosts the immune system to protect against colds, respiratory ailments and other illnesses.

These days you’ll see pitaya vendors wandering the streets of downtown Guadalajara and at stalls set up in the area known as Nueve Esquinas, carrying the product in broad baskets, usually tucked under a layer of fresh alfalfa or other leaves that keep the fruit cool in the blistering heat. I picked up a bagful the other day from a fellow stationed just outside Chapala’s central market, selling at three for 20 pesos. If you already know and love them or have a hankering for a new taste thrill, hustle to get your pitayas before the short picking season ends.   

Curious footnote: The full, proper and titled name of our acting mayor is Licenciado Alfredo Oscar España Ramos. Close friends call him El Pitaya, a nickname acquired in his youth that folks say made reference to the spiky hair style he sported back in the day, making his head resemble … you guessed it!