(Journal Entry from Monday October 27th, 2008)
So, I just spent the past 30 minutes cutting 1 pea size hole into each of 3 different coconuts. I was determined to get the coconut milk! The last coconut is still draining in this moment… its been about 5 minutes… gives you an idea of how big, or should I say how small the hole ended up being.
When my landlord, Mr. Bailey gave me the coconuts followed by a remark of “careful not to cut yourself” I just smirked. I didn’t know if the remark was a sexist one or not; oops, sorry Mr. Bailey. Ooh, my coconut just finished draining!
Anyhow; the whole coconut fiasco started at about 8 o’clock this morning when I went to greet my landlord with a ‘bonjou.’ He was just gathering some coconuts onto the driveway. Don’t ask me how he got them out of the 15 foot tall tree. He did say once that he used to climb the trees, but certainly he can’t do it anymore! Anyhow, he asked if I wanted some of the coconuts and I graciously accepted the offer. He started slicing the skin off of about half of the coconut with a machete. He did this with 3 of the coconuts and it looked simple enough. However, he did cut too deep into one of the coconuts and all of the milk poured out onto the driveway! He offered me the 3 sliced coconuts and told me to just cut a whole into them when I was ready to get the milk, and “oh” he says, “be careful not to cut yourself.” I put the coconuts in my refrigerator and am just revisiting them now.
3 coconuts filled up one small glass pitcher. I decided to put the empty shells back in my refrigerator to ask Mr. Bailey what I should do with them. I know that on the inside they have a nice coconut lining that I can’t figure out how to get to. I think I might need to borrow his machete… and some advice for how to poke a hole into a coconut!
1 comment:
Hey Ashley!
--Sounds like good times with the coconuts. Still having issues with them? Just be careful and use the cutlass to give it a few good whacks at the top end where it connected at the tree. You will probably have the outer husk still on the coconut; so you'll have to cut down a bit to reach the coconut water.
(The orange colored ones we call waternuts here 'cause they have more water in them and are better for drinking. ^_^)
We usually make the cuts into the coconut husk as if we were making a point on the top and then just chop that kinda pointed top. It should reveal a nice quarter or so sized hole in the inner coconut to pour out the water. Yeah--just be careful with the cutlass as they can be a bit top heavy if you are not used to it yet.
FYI...if you want actual coconut milk, you have to take the inner coconut meat (and the brown inner shell is ok too) and grate it up into a bowl. Once everything is nicely grated, pour water into the coconut shreds and mash them up a bit. The water should turn nice and milky before a minute is up. Strain out the shreds and presto! coconut milk. ^_^ Not sure if you grow dasheen there, but it is a great addition when cooking the dasheen leaves into callalou.
Let me know how it goes. ^_^
~Shawn
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