From a word of Italian origin (1525) "cocho," meaning bogey-man, because of the nut's "face." Until the 18th century it was called "coco" in English, eventually being transformed into "coconut" which remains the usual term today.

Description
The coconut is not a tree at all, as one would think, but, like all palms, a large modified herb whose trunk, called a "stipe", is topped by a long head of "hair": a bouquet of palms whose leaves can reach 6 m in length. It flowers throughout the year and produces a drupe, a green fruit containing a nut which grows in bunches of 5 or 6 on the branch axils.

First time visitors in West Indies are often surprised to discover that coconuts on trees are in fact green and not brown. This is the outer husk which has to be stripped off to reveal the actual nut.

The coconut palm is unquestionably the tourist symbol for every "sun" destination, since it grows only near beaches. Those who see coconut palms for the first time are surprised to see that the nuts are hairy and green, and not brown as they appear in our supermarkets. A thick fibrous covering, 5 to 15 cm thick, surrounds the drupe called the pericarp. Under the covering is found a thin, brown, and very hard shell, which surrounds the albumen - a white milky liquid which is called coconut water and which will change into flesh as the fruit matures. Strictly speaking, this is the nut or copra. It is a daily show in the West Indies to watch vendors along the roadside remove the green nut from its fibrous covering and decapitate it with a machete to drink its slightly sweet and thirst-quenching water.

Nutritional values per 100 g
Calories: 345; Fibre: 4.3 g; Carbohydrates 9 g; Protein, 3 g, Fat: 35 g.

Buying coconut
Choose full coconuts (you should hear the coconut water inside if you shake the nut), without cracks; the eyes should be intact with no mold.
It is difficult to know whether the flesh is rancid or not, and unfortunately you will find out only when the fruit is split open.

Storing
Intact: 1 to 2 months at room temperature.
Open: keep in the refrigerator crisper.

Cooking tips

• Coconut water and milk can be used in soups, sauces or to poach a fish.
• Use grated pulp with chicken, rice, salads and fruits.
• Use toasted grated coconut in desserts or to decorate a cake.
• Coconut milk: 2 cups grated coconut in cheesecloth over a bowl; pour a cup of boiling water over top and cool to lukewarm; squeeze out all the liquid.
• Coconut cream: the same method as for milk, but replace the water with boiling milk.

The Worldwide Gourmet 
Caribbean - serve grilled fish on sautéd pineapple with coconut and peppers.

Recently picked green coconuts contain deliciously refreshing "water". Coconut water is a very healthy drink and it is sold at roadsides by coconut vendors.

Hong Kong - Fry large shrimp in a batter made of 1 part flour, 1 part coconut, baking powder and ice water.

Thailand - cream of pumpkin soup made with coconut cream, shallots and lemon grass; shrimps are sometimes added.