The Joy of Coconuts

In all my years in Mexico, I never gave it a thought to buy a Coco from a street vendor.  Perhaps in my desire to fit in as a local, I considered it way too “Touristy” for my tastes.  My perception of a Coco Frio (Cold Coconut) was a rum concoction with an umbrella and straw consumed on an idyllic beach, or a sunburnt tourist strolling the 5^th with a coco frio in one hand and shopping bag in the other.   How could I have been so wrong?  Now I regret not taking advantage of the many opportunities I could have had to enjoy a Coco Frio in its natural form over the last 14 years.  Live and learn.  Me encanta (love) coconut.  Whether it is deep fried on my shrimp or when I am down on the 5^th Avenue near Parque Fundadores, I always buy a copa (cup) of fresh coconut to munch on from the vendors selling fruit.  I also hit up Aldo’s, for a double scoop of Coco and Mango helado (ice cream) when I´m in the mood.  It’s such a great combination of flavors.  But buying a coco frio was never in the grand scheme of things.

Where I live on the West Side of town, in a Local Neighborhood, Coconut Palms abound.  Our Condo Complex has literally hundreds of them in the gardens.  In my former life as a Landscaper, even after moving to Mexico I still considered Coconut Palms only as ornamental, nothing special, simply the iconic trademark of living in the Tropics.  I never even gave it a thought that in my own back yard coconuts grew, ripened, then magically disappeared.  Where did they all go?  It never occurred to me our Gardeners harvest them when ripe and leave them for the Residents of our Complex to enjoy.  It never ceases to amaze me the things we overlook that happen all around us that we hardly notice and take for granted.

Recently, I was with my fellow HOA Committee Members who are also my good friends and neighbors in our palapa discussing condo business.  The ventiladoras (ceiling fans) were producing a nice breeze as the aspas (blades) cut through the heavy humid air.  Our Gardener was on a ladder (escalera) high above us removing ripe coconuts with his machete so that they would not become aerial bombs as they fall when ripe.  As we talked, the constant wack, wack, wack of the machete made us feel like we were on some type of trail blazing mission cutting a path on a jungle trek.

As we continued our discussions, Marcos one of our Jardineros (Gardeners) nos regaló (gifted us) an armload of fresh Cocos.  The persistent wack, wack, wack, that we heard was for our benefit.  Each Coco had been cut to expose a small area of the white meat inside.  We each poked a hole in the exposed area with a finger and drank like Natives.  A little awkward at first trying to find the correct angle to tilt the Coco without wearing the contents on your shirt.   Having a popote (straw) would have been more convenient but we managed.  As hot as the air temperature was, around 33 C (91 F) the “water” was cool and refreshing.  Marcos promptly returned with his trusty machete to split each empty coco to expose the fresh snowy white meat inside.  Rinsing off the fractured pieces, and with the help of a cuchara (spoon) we dug out the tasty flesh prying it loose from the shell.  The mmm´s and ahhh’s of each bite were incredible and any though of continuing our work was totally abandoned.

Coconuts can vary in their degree of ripeness.  On the average it takes 6-12 months from flower to harvest.  Because coconut palms flower at different times of the year, (depending on their age) there is always a good supply.  The trick is to know when they are perfect for consumption.  As a coconut matures it increases in size and turns color from green to yellow.  Somewhere in between is the perfect coco.  Harvest them too green and the flesh inside is hard and flavorless.  Once they turn yellow, the flesh inside becomes rubbery and pliable.  Overripened they are past the point of human consumption.   It’s just a matter of preference of how you like your coconut.  Riper coconuts are heavier than an unripe one, and if you give it a shake, you can hear the water sloshing inside.  

With my fellow Committee Members as my maestros (teachers) we sampled cocos in various stages of ripeness from crunchy to chicloso (rubbery).  The consensus was that they are both good, but the favorite was and always will be the más crujiente (crunchier)type.  For Mexicans, no botana (snack) is complete without the proper condiments.   Sal (salt), limón (lime) and chile which needs no translation adorn everything from fresh fruits to tacos.  So, without adieu, someone disappeared to bring back the garnish.  The flavor of the day was a combined spice mix.  Himalayan salt, mixed with lime zest and a very picante chile called chile piquín.  Since I am the token ‘Camarón del Mar’ of the group (a local term for foreigner) I received my lesson on the local way to enjoy coco fresco (fresh coconut).  Personally, I could do without the salt (so says my doctor) and just prefer freshlimón (lime).  Nothing ventured nothing gained as they say.  Chile Piquín is a bit deceptive, at first it does not seem too picante (spicy) but after a few seconds the afterburners kick in and the full heat of the chile comes out.  As my eyes watered and I got over my coughing fit with the first bite, I finally realized 127 million Mexicans can’t be wrong, chile y limón is great on everything!

Just a word of caution about consuming large quantities of coconut water.  Agua de Coco (coco water) which is very good for you acts as a diuretic causing frequent trips to the baño, and all the fiber in the coconut can give you a serious case of the “runs”.   If you doubt my word, ask Tom Hanks from the movie ‘Cast Away’.  There is a quick scene of him feeling the full onslaught of the effects of consuming large quantities of coconut water and coconut.  

Opening a fresh coconut with its full armor requires a certain skill set and a very sharp machete to boot. The outer shell is thick and fibrous and takes a good series of wacks to penetrate.  A misplaced wack will certainly sever a finger or two.   Kitchen knives may do the trick, but you run the risk of inflicting upon yourself a serious wound or breaking your prized Chef’s knife if you are not skilled in handling knives or machetes.  Home utensils just don’t have the weight and blade strength necessary to cut through the fibers and cáscara (hull).   In the meantime, enjoy fresh coconuts while you are here.  They are always in season and the closest place to find a good one may be just outside your front or back door. 

Let’s go back in time to the early 1900’s, the coast of Quintana Roo was barren except for a few settlements.  Cozumel was established as a port accessed from Isla Mujeres, however Playa del Carmen was in its infancy, Cancun did not exist and the entire coast of what would eventually be the State of Quintana Roo was dense jungle right up to the shoreline as far as Chetumal.  Dotted along the coast were Coconut Plantations where Cocos were harvested for commerce.  By the late 1950’s Michel Peissel wrote in his book “The Lost World of Quintana Roo” that many of the Plantations that he encountered on his walk to Belize were all abandoned.  Destroyed by the hurricanes and Tropical Storms that pelted the coast.

This leads us to the question, Is a Coconut a fruit?  Botanically, it IS classified as a fruit, horticulturally speaking it is the ripened seed of the palm and is known as a drupe.  In the scientific world, ripened seeds become fruits, think apple or peach where the flesh protects the precious seed or seeds inside.   Whichever way you decide to classify them, as a fruit, a nut, or a seed they are great eating, plentiful and versatile in the kitchen.