USVI-On-Line

Last time I was on STJ, my wife and I were at Gibney when four college age kids (wow, I feel old saying that) floated in on a dinghy...instead of just hanging out, two of the guys climbed a tree to get a coconut and then proceeded to go to town trying to crack it open.

Seemed like it took them forever, reminded me of Tom Hanks in Castaway. What they wouldn't have given for a machete.

Anyway, we left before seeing what they finally did with the thing, but I also noticed they had a bottle of rum there with them.

Was curious if anyone knows what they were up to? Anybody else on the forum tried this? Is coconut juice and rum good? Are those the only two ingredients? This drink got a name? How do you can spot a good coconut and is it legal to just pluck one off the tree on STJ?

Inebriated minds wants to know.

Thanks in advance.

Sounds delish! What a silly question you can put da rum in anyting, mon.

This guy gets my vote for best use of a drill!

http://fromtheyak.com/2009/06/put-the-r ... e-coconut/

I like to use a 5/16th drill drill 2 holes add rum shake put a straw in one the other is for a vent, it's very good. But I guess I'm one of the few that travels with tools.

Oh sweet mercy...I'm all over that.

Thank you Flop and God Bless the Internet.

Ok, I can actually speak with some experience on this one because my hubby does indeed travel to STJ with a machete for just this purpose. (I get no end of ribbing from fellow forumites on this one believe me!) But nonetheless there it is. We're geeks like that.

On the last trip we specifically experimented with the coconuts we found and took down.

From our unauthorized, unscientific experiements we found that the greener coconuts had more coconut water and less meat inside. I would also tell you that these things are a BITCH to get into unless you have a machete. If you have said machete an experienced person can really give the top a good whack in just the right spot about 30-40% of the way down from the top and expose the top enough to mix with liquor and insert a straw. In fact, some places in the VI, locals will have these readily avaialable. The result can be refreshing and since the cocunut water is very mild in flavor (almost unremarkable IMHO) the rum (or might I suggest Malibu) will go a long way in making it more palatable.

Now, if it's coconut MEAT you want (this is me!) Then we found that the browner husked coconuts (with the large exterior husk that make sit look like a Rugby football -- same applies to the green version as well) which had fallen to the ground had more meat in them.

These had outer husks that were mostly in tact but starting to fray and with some work you could peel them back. But you're still in the same boat with the inner shell without a machete.

These browner ones had more meat, but very little water/milk in them but were excellent and flavorful.

As for the rules associated with gathering cocunuts for consumption, I have no idea. But I have frequently seen local west indians climb up the trees at various beaches over the years and help themselves without incident. Not to say that it's legal (you may want to google it) but I have seen it done.

So, for what it's worth, if you're wiling to travel with a machete then impromptu cocnut treats can be at your disposal and can be very enjoyable so long as you don't lose an appendage in the process. If you do, I hear the Myrah Keating smith clinic has excellent facilities

Gromit wrote:Ok, I can actually speak with some experience on this one because my hubby does indeed travel to STJ with a machete for just this purpose. (I get no end of ribbing from fellow forumites on this one believe me!) But nonetheless there it is. We're geeks like that.

On the last trip we specifically experimented with the coconuts we found and took down.

From our unauthorized, unscientific experiements we found that the greener coconuts had more coconut water and less meat inside. I would also tell you that these things are a BITCH to get into unless you have a machete. If you have said machete an experienced person can really give the top a good whack in just the right spot about 30-40% of the way down from the top and expose the top enough to mix with liquor and insert a straw. In fact, some places in the VI, locals will have these readily avaialable. The result can be refreshing and since the cocunut water is very mild in flavor (almost unremarkable IMHO) the rum (or might I suggest Malibu) will go a long way in making it more palatable.

Now, if it's coconut MEAT you want (this is me!) Then we found that the browner husked coconuts (with the large exterior husk that make sit look like a Rugby football -- same applies to the green version as well) which had fallen to the ground had more meat in them.

These had outer husks that were mostly in tact but starting to fray and with some work you could peel them back. But you're still in the same boat with the inner shell without a machete.

These browner ones had more meat, but very little water/milk in them but were excellent and flavorful.

As for the rules associated with gathering cocunuts for consumption, I have no idea. But I have frequently seen local west indians climb up the trees at various beaches over the years and help themselves without incident. Not to say that it's legal (you may want to google it) but I have seen it done.

So, for what it's worth, if you're wiling to travel with a machete then impromptu cocnut treats can be at your disposal and can be very enjoyable so long as you don't lose an appendage in the process. If you do, I hear the Myrah Keating smith clinic has excellent facilities

Remind me to order you the fresh young coocnut next time we go to the Viet restaurant. OMG it is delicious!

Good stuff, Grommit...are there alternatives to machetes and power drills? What if I brought a screwdriver? Looks like all you need to do is puncture the thing and then pour it into a glass.

I can honestly tell you that you will need something more than a screwdriver based on our experiments. Hubby tried everything (like said: GEEK!)

Now perhaps there is some "coconut whisperer" out there who's lore speaks of a sweet spot but I am unaware of it.

Hubby used a variety of pocket knives (he has the higher tech beefed up ones-- we're not talking swiss army -- more like Navy SEAL) and techniques including trying to get into iut with just his hands and a rock (caveman style) to no avail.

Just remember, anything worth having is worth working for

Now I have a reason to buy a machete

Oh good, now I won't have to bear the brunt of the ribbing alone on our packing list!

Seriously, machetes are COOL! Unless you use them for bad things then not so cool

But for coconuts, cool. Definitely cool.

Oh that coconut will be mine, oh yes, it will be mine...and apparently it will be all mine after this conversation that just happened...

(ring, ring)

Mrs. 54b: "Hey, is everything okay, i'm on my way into a meeting."

54b: "Guess what, I just found out how to chop open a coconut while we're on STJ and put rum in it."

Mrs. 54b: "That's what you called to tell me?"

54b: "Um, yeah."

Mrs. 54b: "Great, but you do know coconut juice is a natural laxative?"

54b: "A natural what?"

jmhouse wrote:Now I have a reason to buy a machete

Does a man really need an excuse to buy a machete?

Flip I was going to say the same thing... but you know Mr. Gromit I couldn't have stopped him if I tried.

And of course if i gave him a hard time about it you know there would have been SOME CIRCUMSTANCE on a trip that would require a machete to save my life or something and if I had given him a hard time about bringing it I would NEVER HEAR THE END OF IT!

"Well, if you had just let me bring the machete I could have killed the shark BEFORE he bit your arm off... serves you right. "

54b wrote:Oh that coconut will be mine, oh yes, it will be mine...and apparently it will be all mine after this conversation that just happened...

(ring, ring)

Mrs. 54b: "Hey, is everything okay, i'm on my way into a meeting."

54b: "Guess what, I just found out how to chop open a coconut while we're on STJ and put rum in it."

Mrs. 54b: "That's what you called to tell me?"

54b: "Um, yeah."

Mrs. 54b: "Great, but you do know coconut juice is a natural laxative?"

54b: "A natural what?"

Pour rum and your favorite mixer over ice. Sit on the coconut and drink rum. Ponder. GOT IT! Have a rum and cocunut juice in the morning. Grab a copy of Tradewinds and head for the outhouse.

Sound advice, Chet...and explains why they call it Tradewinds. Just don't stand down tradewind after coconut juice eye opener.

Also, comments complaining about the bathrooms at Skinny's on the forum are up almost as much as comments loving the Coconut Swizzel there...coincidence, I think not.

May have to change the sign in the bathroom at Skinny's from "On the island in the sun, we don't flush for #1" to "On the island by the sea, drink the coconut and prepare for #3"