I’ve always wanted to know what to do with a coconut.  They literally litter the ground down here.  So weren’t we luck when Trudy of Casa Orquideas, an American ex-pat who lives on an orchid and tropical plant farm in Costa Rica, showed us how to open one during a tour of her beautiful property.

Casa Orquideas near Golfito, Costa Rica

Trudy uses a rail spike to quickly split the husk of the coconut

Thanks to Trudy, I now know what to do with the brown ones.  You have to shake it to hear for liquid inside to be sure it is good to eat.

First, remove the husk.  This can be done in any number of ways.  I use the trusty machete, third world wonder tool.  You have to peel it off in slices.

This leaves you with the round brown nut we are all familiar with.

Then, using the back of the machete, give it a few good hard whacks on a line around the circumference, holding the coconut upright.

Soon, it will crack all way round and you can pluck the top right off.

Then, drink the delicious fresh coconut water inside.  Who knew dogs were absolutely CRAZY about coconuts?  Lucy will drink off a whole coconut and then seems to have renewed energy.  She’ll even try to gnaw the white meat out of it.

You can pry out the white meat after drinking the water.  Press a knife into it and pry pieces of it out.

If you are extra lucky and find a coconut that is sending up a new shoot, you will find a little round sponge-like object in it.  This tastes like coconut but is soft and airy with a little crunch.  I am surprised this thing has not found its way onto Manhattan menus yet.

I still don’t know what to do with the green ones, ok, maybe I do LOL

I think with those you only drink the milk inside.  Locals chop the top off, add a straw and perhaps some rum and you have nature’s Solo cup.