Sweet Young Coconut

by Dorothy Reinhold on October 5, 2011


Print This Post Print This Post Sweet Young Coconut

My sweet young coconut decided to try a sweet young coconut yesterday.

Sweet Young CoconutHe flew in the door after school, flung his backpack, and headed straight for the refrigerator, as usual.

“What’s this?” he shouted.

Sweet Young CoconutHe held up a light-colored, hefty object, a tropical Sweet Young Coconut sent over by the folks at Melissa’s Produce. Brought from Thailand, they are mere babies, only 6-9 months old, without the usual coconut husk of a mature nut. This makes them easier to tap into than the dreaded ordeal of cracking a hard coconut shell. Inside awaited about 1 1/2 cups of clear, clean-tasting coconut water.

Soon we had the coconut hole-punching tool in hand.

It took a little bit of muscle, and some twisting back and forth with the tool, but in a minute or two we had a hole in the fibrous covering, large enough to insert a straw. The tool was very handy to get the job done. 

Verdict?

Cool, refreshing, thirst-quenching, just barely sweet, unique!

They’re great as an unusual drink, and when you’re done, open the coconut and scoop out the tender white flesh to eat as a snack. It’s as different from the common dried, sweetened, shredded coconut in a bag as night is from day.  These coconuts are perishable, so must be refrigerated.

Idea: Chef Cathy Thomas says after you drink the coconut water, slice off the top and fill the coconut with hot rice pilaf, and then scoop up the soft coconut flesh inside with every bite of rice! Sounds delicious to me!

Here’s a quick video on them, produced by Melissa’s, for those who like to watch someone drill the hole for the straw.

Thanks, Melissa’s, for a fun treat, a healthy drink that doesn’t come in a plastic container, and a little bit of a workout for the arm!

{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }

Nancy Rose Eisman October 6, 2011 at 6:12 pm

Thanks Dorothy for this great “how-to” on the young coconuts. I’ve been craving coconut water ever since I read your post. And your sweet coconut is adorable!

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Connie Kaiser October 5, 2011 at 12:57 pm

The smile on his face is priceless and I LOVE the idea of filling the coconut with food and eating out of it like a bowl!

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Dorothy October 5, 2011 at 4:19 pm

Connie,
I love that idea, too! Cathy Thomas is a chef who writes for the Orange County Register, and you can see her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/cathythomascook

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Natalie @ Cooking for My Kids October 5, 2011 at 8:42 am

Thank you for sharing such sweet pictures. That smiling face made my day. And, now I want to get some coconuts and have some coconut juice.

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Dorothy October 5, 2011 at 4:19 pm

You are welcome Natalie! It’s funny how a bright and sunny smiling kid perks up the spirits!

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