Dear Readers,
“Drink your drupe!”
You’ve likely heard of the coconut craze that’s been sweeping the nation since the fall of the brazil nut reign. Not just for candy bars anymore, coconuts have enjoyed increasing popularity and can be found lately in basically every aisle no matter which item you’re looking for: coconut milk, coconut ice cream, coconut oil, or coconut bras.
But you’ve probably been living in a state of confusion as to exactly how to classify the coconut when you bring it up in small talk during social gatherings. Is it a fruit? A nut? A seed? A metal? A fabric? A political candidate?
While I hate to state the obvious, the coconut, according to this website, is a fibrous one-seeded drupe. A drupe, not to be confused with a droop (something that sags) or a drape (a window covering) or a dope (my ex-boyfriend), is a fruit that has a hard covering that surrounds the seed. So as I understand it, a drupe wears a helmet, which you should too, if you’re biking in downtown Portland or riding in the car with me. Or biking in any neighborhood in which I might be driving.
While a coconut has three layers, unless you’re a character on LOST you won’t see all three layers, because unlike an untouched coconut on the island, a coconut at the grocery store typically has had its outer and middle layers removed and what remains is the endocarp, which is the helmet layer that encases the seed. As I understand it, then, the store-bought coconut is basically naked, and therefore it is inappropriate to permit young children to roam free in the produce aisle, where there are naked fruits lying around wearing nothing but helmets.
But if nude produce is your style, and you’ve been wanting to increase your daily intake of members of the drupe family (I know I sure have!), there’s a new coconut beverage in town that might be for you. Created by Gata Foods, a local company in Tigard, this tasty coconut milk beverage comes in vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate, and is sweetened only with agave nectar. I would recommend the chocolate-flavored beverage, which is every bit as rich and thick as your traditional dairy chocolate milk, but with healthier fats.
So look for Gata Foods coconut milk beverage at your nearby Whole Foods or Market of Choice if you’re ready to jump on the coconut bandwagon. Just be sure to wear your helmet.
–Troi out