Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1906-06-07
CACTUS CHEESE ANEW DELIcACY
OUT OF MEXICO.
SOME SPINELESS PLANTS
The Product Of Prickly Growth That
Also Has other Uses--Rsising Of
This Plant Likely to Become a
Profitable industry--Cattle Feed
Obtalnable from 1t.

more gastronomic worlds to conquer
may find interest in a new CONNECTION
which has been evolved in Mexico and
can be produced with equal ease on
the barren wastes Of the great South
west. 1t Is not customary for high.
lvers TO look to desert lands for their
choice morsels, but in this case 1t
must be admitted that Dame Nature
has held in store for them a surprise
which has been uncovered only
through the industrious researches OF
the inquisitiye agricultural scientists
OF today. The new confection Is
called by the MexIcans "queso de
tuna" which means literally cactus
cheese.
70 give this announcement even the
merest appearance Of being founded
upon fact, 1t must be explained that
the cactus as 1t is generally known is
nothing less than a wild plant covered
with priolly spines, These spnes are
intended by nature as deterrentB to
wild animals which would otherwise
get into the habit Of making the cac-
tus their principal food supply We're
the spines lacking, the plant would
quickly be eXterminated through this
demand for food. A great portion OF
the southwestern corner Of the United
States IL absolutely unsuited to the
growing Of general crops, 80 that
plants Of any sort however worthless
they may appear to the casual tryellcr
have some value to the people who
live there. II Is not surprising then
that such plants assume great value in
tho eyes Of scientific experlmenters
whenever there Is the slightest trace
OF qualities capable of development
and adoption to human needs. To
this end Investigations have been In
progress for year or two past to de-.
termlne what useful results could he
attained through the scientific develop
ment of the cactus plant and all that
has been discovered would FIJI a book.
The discovery Of greatest interest is
tho production of this cactus cheese,
which looks for all the world like n
flne grade OF chocolate, and which is
made up In packages about to size OF
pound of butter. 1t Ii wrapped In
tlnfoll to preserve it from deterlora-
ton The Mexlcans say It Is a nutrl.
tlous food, which Is eaten with MS
much delight by the connoIsseur as
That individual shows In deyourlng
some kinds of cheese which call for an
acquired taste to permit of their thor,
ough enjoyment. Personal corrobora.
tlon of this can be given by tho Even.
mig Posts correspondent, who has
TASTED q duly authenticated, SCIENTIFIC
ally tested and officially approved
sample of pure cactus cheese One
may be sure his future enjoyment OF
good things to eat will not be inter.
tered with II he never sees another
piece of cactus cheese In all his life.
But then, as the scientific expert In.
quires whether his visitor really liked
Roquefort the FIRST time he tasted It.
and follows this up with Il few other
similar questions, the man who la3
mad bis first exnsrience with cactus
Wuee' mods his head and says, almost
invouutarIly, Perhaps So" Those
who are best acquainted with the prod.
uct, however, declare that whon the
taste Is once acquired, tho cheese is an
appetizing addition to the wel.gar
nished table, Then there Is the addt
tlonal fact of the udaptablllty of the
cactus plant stock, for through other
methods of preparation, there can he
manufactured n syrup and a sort o
Jelly which may be eaten with bread
or crackers, like the flnost Scotch mar
malade, or American apple Jelly.
The addition to the list of eatable,
of food susceptible of so many prem
arations as this is expected to prove o
wide general interest. Now that tn,
first secret of its value has been dis
covered, there is sure to be an eyolu
ton Of the uses to which Il may b
put, and then undoubtedly there vii
spring up new infant industry to b
put upon the protected tariff list, |
is not to be supposed that a plan
which has been developed thlUug
scientific experiment to produce ne,
source of food supply for human cor
sumption would not be investigate
from the last inch of its lowest root {
the pinnacle of It's growth ahov
ground. An inquiry made at the d,
partment of Agriculture shows thg
this has in fact been done, and thg
as interesting results have bee
achieved regarding the value of tn
plant proper as of the food stock
produces.
The experiments were carried o
with the idea of finding out whethC
the common priclly pear cactus fro
which the cheese is made could not /
developed in such way as to pr
vide fodder for dairy animals. III
first obstacle to overcome was to di