Coconuts, coconuts everywhere
When people think of tropical beaches, I believe most visualize a nice stretch of sand bordered by tall coconut-bearing palm trees. These trees, and the fruit that they bear, are so common place in the Caribbean islands that we almost take them for granted.
I grew up hating the taste of coconut, shunning all foods with even a trace of dried shredded material hidden inside. Now with a source of fresh coconut all around us, I’ve done a complete reversal on my opinion on the stuff. Not that we can really compare the dried variety available in supermarkets back in Canada to the fresh-off-the-tree coconuts here.
Although it’s not the first time we have had the opportunity to try it, we were treated to some fresh coconut water and meat when we took our hike with Martin back in Portsmouth. He simply picked up a few nuts along the trail and used his machete to break them open for us. We have since come to realize that there is an abundance of this tasty snack food all around us here.
During our trip to Chaudiere Pool the other day, we were intrigued by the bright yellow coconuts that we saw growing along the path. The smaller trees that they were growing on and their strange color made them stand out when compared to the ones we were more accustomed to seeing. Curious as to what they were, we struck up a conversation with an elderly gentleman who just happened to have a couple in his wheelbarrow. Lucas Andrew was more than happy to tell us that he had just picked those two and was taking them home to share with his wife, who was now a bit too old to make the climb up to where the trees were. Although he couldn’t give us her coconut, he was insistent that we sample his. With practiced ease he used his machete to lop pieces off the shell, exposing the tasty water inside. We passed around the nut, each of us sampling the fluid out of the communal cup. We did ultimately ask Lucas Andrew what the name of this new-to-us version of the coconut was called but to be honest, what he told us didn’t stick. Perhaps the information was jarred out of my head with the jump off the high cliffs later that day. I did subsequently pose the question on our Facebook page and was told that they are called Yellow/Golden Malay Coconuts and that they grow on Dwarf Coconut Trees. We learn something new here every day!
In a short while, Rebecca and I will be heading out on our own to hike to the famous Boiling Lake, the world’s second largest hot spring. For several reasons we’re going to be making the trip by ourselves, sans guide. If you don’t hear back from us in a week or two, you might want to send out the cavalry, or at least a bloodhound. 🙂
I spent some time in The Phillipines, and usually saw/ate the green coconuts. I was told by a local that the yellow “dwarf” ones are medicinal… good for kidney stones or something. What he didn’t describe is how they taste… so how’d they taste?
We only tasted the water and it was good, although I can say how it differed from the water in the other coconuts.
If you stayed long enough in the Philippines, you’ll also know that one thing or another is “medicinal”, that it will cure one ill or another. 🙂
We hear that quite a bit here too.
I changed my email address associated with commenting on here. Will that change who the comments are credited to in the sidebar, do you know?
And just a correction – nary a trace means none at all. I don’ t think that is what you meant. 🙂
Thanks for straightening that out. I’m sure Rebecca’s Dad is reading and keeping a list of my mistakes. 🙂
how did you guess
To start, don’t you think that you should have put a question mark at the end of that sentence? It was your daughter who noticed that. 😉
But to answer, I still remember the corrections you made in the book Northern Magic, and the legend to those corrections that you left inside the front cover of the book!
I just went to my other browser and I can’t see the post I just made (I know it’s not been cleared yet but I can always see it) so I think that means I have just started another ‘account’ with you and my posts won’t count towards my totals. Bummer.
Bummer!