the concept concept is an elusive one and requires further qualifications. it’s a concept propped by a series of assumptions, delivered in a necesserally raw form, practical only partly, and even then in small yeild.
the cactus concept yeilds toothpicks. whatever the means and costs of the industrial production of toothpicks, it is of note that nature makes them as nature does — naturally. mexican omelletes contain prickly pear cactus nopalitos as an ingredient and you can purchase it in abundance at our local street grocers with the spikes removed. where labor is cheap, the labor of removing the spikes may be worth the product, but perhaps there is a machine for this task. if there is or isn’t, there should be one, with the following specifications:
– roll along the flat nopalitos surface stripping spikes
– sort spikes and select longer (adequate ones)
– discard short spikes and debris
– produce both despiked nepolitos and spikes
sell spikes as toothpicks.
this, in turn, yeilds the cactus martini concept:
– cactus liquor (or adequate substitute)
– gin or ouzo
– garnish with cactus flesh staked with aforementioned toothpick
in making it, which i will as i get the right ingredients in place, it will survive its concept concept tag, since it will maintain all of the qualifications.
when i hire a cocktail photographer to represent it resting on a sophisticated urban bar counter, document the mixture, and sell it as a book on concept coctails, it will cease to be.