Reader Kristin was confounded: “I’ve had all kinds of fun with Google Translate and tuna doesn’t appear to mean anything in Spanish– certainly not prickly pear.”
Well, Kristin, Wikipedia explains:
Most culinary uses of the term “prickly pear” refer to this species. Prickly pears are also known as “tuna”, “nopal” or nopales, from the Nahuatl word nōpalli for the pads, or nostle, from the Nahuatl word nōchtli for the fruit; or paddle cactus. This and similar species are native to Mexico. [link.]
So, yeah, it’s just what’s it’s called. Not as funny as that whole smoked lion thing.
Thanks Allen. Good to know that Wikipedia is way smarter than Google translate.
Yes nopales refer to the broad pads you can cook with. Tunas are the fruit from the cactus, and all you have to do it slice through the skin down one side, it’ll open easily. Discard the peel and eat the rest, including the seeds, just don’t try to chew them. It’s really good shit, and refreshing. They sell these in northern Mexico all along the major highways. Everyone should try em out.
Las Tunas pops-up in a few SoCal place names, at least where I grew up. So I guess I was in the know.
No, it’s just Chicken of the Sea experimenting with new packaging.