in mexico, cacti are a $150 million business, which is why chef arnulfo hernandez has incorporated them into this authentic mexican cuisine at reposado in palo alto. having grown up in mexico, he relied on his mother's cacti recipes to highlight the uniqueeggie with an even more unique taste. >> tangy...earthy... and pleasant flavor. but you've got to get used to it, to the texture more than anything. the texture is the most challenging thing in the cactus. but if you execute it like the way i do it, you will not have a problem. if you can, salt it prior to order, because if you add salt to it, it releases all of the stuff that it's inside of the flesh, the liquid, and you don't want that. so just prior to serve, season it with salt. the best way to play with this is just, you know, let them boil for a few minutes. once they get dark, they're pretty much ready. and then you have to very much cool them off before you roast them or grill them. >> with a soft but crunchy texture that also becomes a bit sticky when cooked, kind of like okra, edible cactus tastes similar to a slightly tart g