These are the fruits of the prickley pear cactus. They are sweet and taste similar to pears. They must be charred quickly with a torch or over a flame to burn off the stickers. Once they are burnt off, you then simmer the fruits in a large pot with a bit of water until they are soft. Next you mash the fruits and smoosh them through a strainer to remove the seeds and pulp from the juice. You must also strain the juice through a cheesecloth to remove any tiny particles or stickers that might have been missed. Dennis gathered a big 7 gallon bucket full and they cooked down into about 2 gallons of juice. We hope to make syrup or jelly out of the juice. YUM!