It's not very often that Our Man in LA does a Saturday post for the old blog, but then again 1) it's not very often that he gets a three-day weekend; and 2) it's not very often that he returns from a good, long vacation to impart the lessons learned from time spent all over this great land of ours.

Which brings me to something very, very important. And it's this:

LESSON #1: YOU CAN EAT CACTUS. AND IT'S NOT HALF BAD.



That's right. Cactus. In case you wondered how cowpokes and Native Americans fed themselves in the old west, there you have it.

It's not bad, either. Kind of like asparagus with a slightly sour aftertaste. Certainly not anything to be afraid of, or to get squinty about - like the Man with No Name.



I mean, seriously, that guy could use some cactus.

Our first night in Sedona, Steph and I headed out to the Cowboy Club, one of the restaurants on the tourist-friendly strip. Pretty good bar and grille food, all things considered, and a decent selection of Arizona microbrews.

Now, at the Cowboy Club, they have the usual pub grub, but also a decent selection of local fare. Namely, buffalo steaks and burgers, some items derived from ostrich, a plate of snake skewers (rattlesnake and the like), and, of course, cactus.

I got the cactus mostly because Our Woman in LA did not like the idea of something that slithers being on our table. Even if it is dead and deep-fried. Ahh, something for the next visit.

Do I wish the cactus hadn't been deep-fried? Sure, then I could have gotten a better sense of the taste without removing battery layer upon battery layer. On the other hand, I'm no chef. Perhaps grilled cactus doesn't taste right. And perhaps a sauteed cactus has to be prepared with a certain kind of red sand.

Doesn't matter, really. I liked it. I'd do it again. But I have to save room. For the rattler.

Have a great weekend, everyone.