Coconut Buffet, getting to know tastes, ages of different coconuts

[sahai1]

coconuts are really so complex, especially if you have a few different varieties, I've been going at 20 a day for the past few days, reaching for one from each bunch and comparing.
I
I've been searching for the 'young' coconut that Thai people love.. it is such a rare stage of coconut, it is right past the water stage, but far enough that sugar has developed in meat and water, but has not turned the meat hard at all.

Personally, I like my coconuts sparkling, aged, with all sugar in water and dry hard meat.  I can see why people think the younger ones are sweeter, I think because the sparkling dulls the sugar somewhat. 

Some Thai people say sparkling coconuts are old, or sour...

Luckily my hope was lifted, that my groundsman who came to help yesterday told me also preferred sparkling.

Got "Gaeng/Curry" Coconut, NamHoom/Fragrant Thai, and Indian Medicinal... aka Maprow Luong, Tong.. ?  It is rare, likely very common in India

Even at 20 a day.. still don't know if I can finish all of these.

[Chupa King]

Darn. Those look yummy. My prefered age is around 6-9 months of age. Typically when the meat is still easy to chew.

Here are some good drinkers.




Also, don't forget the pink Cocos.

[sahai1]

I saw a chart one once showing different kinds of coconuts, see if I can dig it up again.  Coconuts in Hawaii much different than ones here, but believe had the big round ones in Hawaii too, those elongated ones look interesting, and pink!  don't know what to say about that.  Besides the color is it worth planting?

[PurpleAlligator]

My understanding is that the sparkling ones are the result of fermentation with beneficial probiotics similar to kombucha. I enjoy when I open one that is sparkling.

[Chupa King]

It is actually just a stage the coconut is going through. They don't actually ferment.

[Chupa King]

We have many types here on the Big Island.

I just opened one with a half gallon of water in it... Talk about breakfast.

The second coconut in the first picture was my breakfast.





Here are some other examples.

[sahai1]

found the chart, not very helpful since doesn’t list the sizes or ages of coconuts pictured....

Thai currey coconut is huge, but is round just liske Thai aromatic coconut.

Wonder if my small elongated yellow is Malaysian or Indian, was told it was Indian, some collectors buy sprouts in advance, so guess it is rare.  If just from Malaysia why would anyone care.







Pig doing great cleaning up, quartering the shells lets her get at it.

[KarenRei]

Darn. Those look yummy. My prefered age is around 6-9 months of age. Typically when the meat is still easy to chew.

Here are some good drinkers.




Also, don't forget the pink Cocos.

Interesting, what's the variety name on that pink?

[Chupa King]

It is surprisingly a seedling I've found while collecting wild coconuts. They are pink every time. Only downside is they have a small nut.

[KarenRei]

That's some interesting genetic stock.  If my fiji dwarf was old enough I'd be asking you for pollen   

[Chupa King]

I was considering using for breeding later on. I have genetic low bearing trees I am waiting for to produce. But I also have access to a large selection of trees. Some are the best Ive seen on the Island. With a full half-gallon or more of water per nut and trees that consistently make 25-40 coconuts per month. The only other thing I could ask for is an amazing flavor... I know of a couple trees that taste like Vanilla Creme soda.


There is also another funny tree I will try and get pictures of very soon. I'd like to understand why its so odd.

[KarenRei]

Wow, sounds like you've hit the jackpot when it comes to coconut diversity 

[sahai1]

The only other thing I could ask for is an amazing flavor... I know of a couple trees that taste like Vanilla Creme soda.

One of the 'breeders' is that what you call?  He showed me how he identified 'aromatic' coconuts, these will be the ones with best flavor.  Because of cross-pollination, even just having two near each other does not guarantee aromatic seed stock.  So when the coconut sprouts, those first light brown roots that exit the shell, cut some off and crush it.  The aromatic will have a gingery sweet smell.  It helps if you have compare some confirmed varities, you will remember what the smell is.

Maybe if you are looking for amazing flavor, try to cross-pollinated, and then compare seed stocks by doing the crush root test, you can look for the variety that you want.

Aromatic Thai coconut, or Mapraow NamHom, is THE coconut to plant in Thailand currently, used to be only about the biggest coconuts, and people still compete every year for that class, but Aromatic has the best taste for drinking coconuts.  Only problem is they are small, and never seen one bigger than a small soccer ball.

[Chupa King]

So I finally was able to snap a few pictures of this freaky tree. Does any one know what's going on with it or what type it may be?

It appears to be making one good coconut which I will watch for and try to collect to sprout.

[KarenRei]

Boron deficiency perhaps?  Are the leaves coming in funky too?

[Chupa King]

Nah. The tree looks really healthy other than the nuts, lol.

[sahai1]

can that be caused by cross pollination?  you talking about that freak round one in the bunch of elongated ones right?

[Chupa King]

No. Its a freak in general. There are roughly 100 on one rack. They are tiny as well. My buddy says they are possibly rope coconuts and could be very valuable for breeding. The round one seems to be the only "viable" coconut... I will hopefully be able to gather it.

[sahai1]

then all the elongated ones have no nut inside right, something wrong about pollination I’d assume.   My golden coconut tree has occasional long elongated ones that are all husk no nut, about 3-5%

but looking at it today looks like none are like that on the tree now

[Chupa King]

Sometimes coconuts will make anthrocarpic fruits. I do not think that is the case with my tree. There is a tree next to it that makes fruit. I am going to take a few more notes on it and see what else my buddy has to say. Ive read about types that have been bred for fibre... But have never seen one.

Do you regularly feed your tree? Seems it should be making larger racks.

[sahai1]

it’s a small variety orange, cut one down already, two others growing going to be skinny as well, down the street another one like this, also skinny with small nuts.   Tye other two growing going to be harvested for hearts, and this one will axe sometime in the future.

The water is never really sweet, most of the time just nasty.   However these get full of oily meat, so it is useful for that.

[Coach62]

Darn. Those look yummy. My prefered age is around 6-9 months of age. Typically when the meat is still easy to chew.

Here are some good drinkers.




Also, don't forget the pink Cocos.

How are you opening those?  A band saw?

How are you opening those?  A saw?

[Chupa King]

Very sharp machete. My weapon of choice is a Silky Nata. Best used on white coconuts though. Mature ones will damage the blade. I use a harder metal for those.