Coo-coo for cocos...

Coconuts are a mainstay of our diet. Wally planted coconuts about 16 years ago and we recently planted more. Many people think that coconut milk is the fluid inside the coconut but actually it is a milk made from the meat of the nut and it is blended with water into a rich, white milk with thick cream that separates and rises to the top. You never tasted anything so delicious as freshly made coconut milk. I use it in soups, curries, puddings, tamales, ice cream and our favorite: sticky rice. Wally likes to mix half coconut milk and half passion fruit juice for a "passion colada".

Making coconut milk is a lot of work. First there's the task of cutting down the coconuts. Wally uses a pruning saw but around here you can hire a kid to climb the trees to cut down the cocos with a machete. Cocos are a tough nut to crack! Everything is done with a machete here. First we drain the liquid into a cup and drink it. It is full of electrolytes and is the best remedy for upset stomachs and fevers. We have overcome the flu and food poisoning drinking coco water and we brought two dogs through parvo keeping them hydrated with coco water. Sometimes we find a sprout inside the coco and we gobble it up as a treat. Can you imagine eating the biggest sprout in the world? It's got to be a super-food! Usually Wally harvests 20 cocos at a time and we make a project of cracking them, removing the the nut meats and making milk. I freeze the milk to use as I need it and I keep some to use fresh. I also let some ferment into a rich buttermilk which is delicious in so many things. I like to ferment oatmeal and coconut milk together overnight, heat it and sweeten it with a little agave for breakfast .