Agave

Agave is a succulent plant with thick, fleshy leaves, which grows in the southern and western United States, in Mexico, and in central and tropical South America. Agaves have been an important food source for thousands of years in Mexico and the Southwest. The entire agave plant is harvested, and the leaves are cut away to the base. The large head is then roasted on hot stones or coals at the bottom of a pit, which is covered with dirt and brush. Roasting can take a number of days. Once the heads are done, they are sweet and delicate and can be eaten immediately or pounded into cakes to be dried for storage.