I know this is an odd question, but I was wondering if it is feasible to store coconuts?

-- Alison Tieman (fearzone@home.com), March 14, 1999

Answers

Dehydrate perhaps? I don't know, but I'll tell you one thing - never cook more pinto beans than you can eat in 2 days. They were tasty but I didn't finish them up, and around the third day I walked in my front door and, WWWWHHEEEEEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWW!!! DON'T GO IN THERE!!! Smelled like something had died!

-- @ (@@@.@), March 14, 1999.

In the shell? :)

-- Alison Tieman (fearzone@home.com), March 14, 1999.

All coconuts bought have had the milk removed already. You can see some holes drilled in them, and then sealed up. They put back some watered down coconut milk. This has to reduce the shelf life, and possibly contaminate them.

-- david (david@home.com), March 14, 1999.

Coconuts mold inside. When you go to the store to buy one, take an ice pick (small kitchen tool kind). Puncture holes, drain, smell. The mold is overpowering. This will save you returning scores of coconuts before you find one decent one.

-- coconut lover (can'tfind@anygood.ones), March 14, 1999.

I've bought coconuts from the grocery for years, and never have I seen the tampering you describe, David... and if you get them in the husk, there's absolutely no chance of it. What's inside a coconut isn't coconut milk, but mostly water with some vegetable matter from the nut itself, that's why it's so watery. True coconut milk is made by pressing the meat (white part) of the nut through a strainer - this true milk is very fatty and rich, and does indeed look like milk.

I recall reading somewhere that an unopened coconut would last at least a year, and they've been known to germinate after floating around in the open ocean for a lot longer than that.

-- sparks (wireless@home.com), March 14, 1999.

Check the expiry date on them, you need to shave them at the bottom to see it, beware if you see a 666.

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), March 14, 1999.

Andy; Is the date under the full husk or is it found under the outer shell after it has been husked? I just have no experience about the processes in coconut factories. Maybe you can help. Looking forward to your further insights. Best wishes, Watchful

-- Watchful (seethesea@msn.com), March 14, 1999.

Andy,

You have the coconut upside down- that's 999, really.

-- (nobody@home.org), March 14, 1999.

There are three darkish holes in the end. Poke the ice pick with hammer through one. Drain, taste or sniff. Mold discernable. When you crack open, you can see and taste mold. Ugh. Also, not easy to separate meat from shell. Be careful

-- coconut lover (can'tfind@anygood.ones), March 14, 1999.

Had to laugh at the "mold" comment. There was a time when I would punch a whole and drink the milk _before_ opening the coconut. Until once I drank, then opened it and found a massive purple growth inside. Scared? Called M.D., who checked with Poison Center. Advice was to go to hospital if nausea, vision problem, etc. No experience on record. Never had a problem - none whatsoever. By the way, there was no bad smell at all.

-- A. Hambley (a.hambley@usa.net), March 14, 1999.

No, it's at the opposite end to the husk, duh, everyone knows that...

All this talk about ice picks and 666, it's a little eerie on this thread...

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), March 14, 1999.

Uh, and nobody, not if you're in Australia, and possibly dyslexic...

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), March 14, 1999.

Walked by a basket full of packaged shredded coconut that were being discounted for 59 cents a package. Expiration date is 6/01/00. Couldn't pass up that bargain. To make coconut milk, take 1 pkg coconut and 2 cups warm water. In a bowl, pour warm water over coconut and let sit for a few hours. In another bowl, line with cheese cloth and pour coconut mixture into cheese cloth and strain. Don't throw away coconut, use in cookies muffins, whatever. I use coconut milk in Thai recipes.

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), March 14, 1999.