Eder Peralta

Eder Peralta, NPR's Mexico correspondent specializing in cultural and environmental topics, dives into the delicate issue of a once-popular candied cactus, acitron. As this ingredient faces extinction, he explores its integral role in the traditional dish, chile en nogada. Vendors at Mexico City's La Merced market express customers' emotional ties to this unique flavor. Experts discuss the challenges of cultivating the slow-growing biznaga cactus, while chefs like Ricardo Muñoz Zurita adapt recipes to protect this fading culinary tradition.