Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/1538140
21 TAX-XEWK I f you've ever wandered through Malta's countryside, chances are you've come across the unmistakable silhouette of the prickly pear cactus. With its wide, flat paddles bristling with tiny spines and its colourful fruit dotting the landscape, bajtar tax-xewk is more than just a hardy backdrop. It's part of our identity; a symbol of tradition, a source of nourishment, and a surprisingly versatile natural gem. Come springtime, these cacti put on a short but stunning display. eir blossoms burst into vibrant hues of yellow, pink, and red, drawing in bees that dive headfirst into the pollen-filled petals. Blink, and you'll miss it. e flowering season is brief, but if you're lucky, you might spot five or six bees at once, shimmying out of the petals with golden dust on their backs. By August, those flowers have given way to the iconic fruit; plump, fiery, and deceptively cute. Don't be fooled, though: each one is covered in nearly invisible hair-like spines that can latch onto skin with the slightest touch. Beautiful? Absolutely. But these are no ordinary fruits, they're little hairy beasts. Harvesting them is not for the faint-hearted. Just ask Tony Borg from Mellieħa. Known for his homemade jams, Tony has been foraging bajtar tax-xewk, figs, carob, and more from his family land, located beneath caves and nourished by natural springs. His secret to reaching the trickier fruit? A wooden stick with two tin cans on the end, a simple but clever tool that twists the fruit off safely. at said, there are days you'll catch Tony picking them barehanded. Yes, really. Years of practice and a bit of old-school grit. For the rest of us? Gloves are non-negotiable. And here's a tip: pick the fruit early in the morning, when the fine spines are still lying flat, before the sun 'wakes them up'. Once picked, the fruit is soaked and gently swirled in water, brushing against each other to shed those pesky spines. en it's just a matter of slicing off the ends and cutting it open to reveal its jewel-toned flesh. Some varieties are so vividly magenta, they could rival the brightest prickly pear margaritas from across the Atlantic. But here in Malta, we enjoy them fresh or turn them into jams, sorbets, wines, salads, or smoothies. And it's not just about the fruit. e paddles themselves, known as nopales in Latin cuisine, are edible and medicinal. Packed with magnesium, potassium, calcium, and vitamin C, they're praised for helping to regulate blood sugar, lower cholesterol, and detox the liver. Cut one open and you'll find a gel much like aloe vera: soothing on sunburns, calming on the stomach, even useful as a natural deodorant. As Tony says, sliced paddles were once used to prevent sweating, a folk remedy passed down through generations. Sadly, this tradition is slowly fading. Fewer young people are learning how to harvest and prepare bajtar tax-xewk, and many local grocers say it's becoming a forgotten skill. But with passionate keepers of tradition like Tony, the knowledge lives on; part ritual, part rhythm of rural life, and completely Maltese. So next time you stroll past a cactus-lined field or spot those glowing fruits along a rubble wall, take a closer look. Our bajtar tax-xewk isn't just wild fruit, it's a living piece of heritage, right there for Treasure