Tabaibush – the prickly fruit of Madeira
If you hike attentively through the landscape of Madeira, you will discover them almost everywhere: tabaiba bushes, the fruit of the cactus (also known as prickly pear). Bright red or orange, they hang from the prickly leaves and are a sweet temptation – if you manage to harvest them intact.
Recently, on my way up the mountain—accompanied by my dog Kitty—I observed the locals in Paul do Mar harvesting these special fruits. And I quickly realized that simply picking them is not an option here.
The fruits are protected by fine but nasty spines. Anyone who touches them with their bare hands risks unpleasant memories in their fingers. That’s why the people of Madeira have developed clever methods. Some cut plastic bottles in half and use the upper part to twist the fruit off. Others wrap newspaper around their hands and grab the fruit that way. Still others build proper structures, often out of bamboo or sugar cane, which allow them to reach fruit growing high up.
It was particularly impressive to see the men high up on the slope, balancing between bushes and rocks to reach the sweet treasures.
The tabaibusch is not only delicious, but also part of local tradition. It is eaten on its own, made into jam, or used in desserts. Its taste is reminiscent of a mixture of melon and pear—fresh, sweet, and full of sunshine. If you don’t want to pick them yourself, you can also find the fruit at local markets: for example, on Sundays at the Farmers Market in Prazeres or in the market hall in Funchal, where they are usually a little more expensive.
So if you visit Madeira, you should definitely give it a try. But be careful: leave the picking to the professionals.
This post is also available in: German
