Prickly Pear Margarita

My friend Helen, whose jam and jelly recipes have graced this blog before, sent me the world’s most incredible care package. In it I found a myriad of items she had made for me in her kitchen (cactus jelly, figs in brandy, prickly pear cactus simple syrup) and a replacement platter for the one she gave me when I got married 18 years ago. We lost the platter in a house fire and Helen has been on a mission to replace it ever since. If you haven’t noticed, I adore Helen. She is one of a handful of folks who still pack up care packages and send them to their friends. I posted Helen’s recipe for Prickly Pear Simple Syrup a few days ago. Let’s be honest – it’s not for the faint of heart BUT the syrup is amazing. It’s this hard to describe color – almost neon pink, but richer and more robust than that, and it tastes otherworldly. If you don’t have the chops to make your own simple syrup (G-d knows I don’t), there a number of commercially produced syrups that you can find in gourmet stores or online at Amazon. Or you can befriend Helen. I highly recommend the last option.