Resending this in plain text, and to the correct address this time (my apologies to MBower!). .....just to add my 2 cents of info. ***Eric: Nopal.....if I'm not mistaken..... is from the oval pads of what we call 'prickly pear' cactus in the States. Singe off the spines, peel, medium dice and cook/simmer in lightly salted water until tender and still quite green. Has a bit of a gelatinous (no, not quite slimy) texture. Home based vendors were selling this out of buckets, campsite to campsite on the beach in Guayabitos (below Tepic and above PVallarta). $1 or $2 bought the entire bucketful. A delicacy ....delicious scooped-up with those coarse, fried tortilla shells you only seem to be able to find in Mexico. Washed it down with a pacha/shot of some kind of cactus liquor in a plastic milk jug we'd purchased while driving thru the town of Tequila. A small chunk of cactus left in the jug to show origin. About $2.50/gallon and deliciously potent. I love Mexico. I've seen 'nopalitos' in strips, in glass jars at the local grocery. Have never tried them though... couldn't be as good. El Yucateco makes a habanero _paste_ too. ***Also...for an authentic restaurant in Louisville, you might try 'The Mayan Gypsy'. I hear it is great, but haven't been there yet. The owner/chef used to sell his wares out of a lunch wagon and was finally able to realize his dream of his own restaurant. Will have to go there alone as my friends/family aren't into heat....poor souls. Jeannine Smallwood Underwood, IN USA