On Wed, 22 Oct 2003 14:31:11 GMT, april-g > wrote:

>Jay wrote:
>
>> "A.T. Hagan" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> > On Wed, 22 Oct 2003 01:55:22 GMT, "Jay" > wrote:
>> >
>> > >Hi all,
>> > >
>> > >I just purchased a coconut flower from my local market (mostly because it
>> > >felt and smelled attractive. A weakness, I know). I find myself having NO
>> > >idea how to use it and I've googled as many combinations of words I can
>> > >think of and nothing's coming up except how to harvest the sap from
>> coconut
>> > >stalks. I do not believe this is an option since my flower has obviously,
>> > >already been harvested.
>> > >
>> > >Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
>> > >
>> > >-Jay
>> >
>> > Do you mean an actual coconut flower stalk with the flowers on it?
>> >
>> > I had no idea one could eat that part of the tree.
>>
>> It's not so much the stalk, just the bud which has been cut off. The flower
>> is about the length of my hand extended. I'm certain it's edible since it's
>> tender and smells pretty okay. And it was being sold in a bin along with
>> dragonfruit, tamarinds and pomelos.
>
>I wonder if one could make a drink out of it a la Mexican licuados?
>
>April

Fascinating. I've eaten my weight in palm heart, mostly from the
cabbage palm, and I knew about making palm toddy from the sap
extracted from the flower stalk, but I've never heard of eating the
bud itself. If it's tender I don't see any reason why you could not
as the palm heart itself is certainly (deliciously) edible.

If the flavor and texture is anything like palm heart I like them best
raw, with perhaps a bit of salt sprinkled on it. Were I to cook it
I'd do a fast stir fry so it'll remain crunchy. The traditional
manner which we fixed palm heart (also known as swamp cabbage) was to
boil it with a bit of butter and perhaps some onions, but now I think
that's a maltreatment of so delicate a treat.

......Alan.


--
Curiosity killed the cat -
lack of it is killing mankind.