Evening star., 1924-05-30
About COcOanut.

As all children who studied geog-
raphy know, cocoanuts and their by
products come from cocoanut palm.
Away back before history began this
nut was probably in use as food. We
read that while it is a native of South
America, the palm was cultivated in
various islands of the South Sea
group. In our own times we find this
parts of the world. especially in the
tropics. the West Indies, India and
the Island of Ceylon. Although at
one time ii was thought that the
palm owes its wide distribution to
having the seeds borne by ocean cur
rents, most writer's today are of the
opinion that man himself has been
the instrument for spreading the
growth of this tree.
The long trunk rises straight up,
sometimes as high as 100 feet. The
beautiful palm leaves cluster at the
top of the almost bare trunk. One
palm yields about 100 nuts annually.
The cocoanut plantations. are the
nurseries for the nuts of the CONNER
cial world, and the care of these plan
tations is, an important occupation
for many individuals, - =
The ~cocoanut itself is unattractive
looking at first sight. 1t is fibrous. is
about four inches in diameter, and Ii
Is not until We cut through the
woody shell that we come to the deli
ciouS white meat and the very small
proportion of the milk in the cocoa
nut"
Even before ripening the. cocoanut
milk is delicious, and travellers In the
tropics sometimes flavor 1t with spice
and esteem it as a delicacy. During
the process of ripening a general
hardening of the shell takes place.
Whole ripe cocoanuts are sometimes
eaten raw, and the meat Of the nut is
particularly delicious, although 1t does
not keep sweet for very long time un-
der our ordinary living conditions of
superheated houses, etc.
Like any food characterized by large
proportion of cellulose or fiber, the
cocoanut must either be thoroughly
masticated or must be served in such
finely ground form as to render it
most digestible.
This last process is admirably car
ried out by manufacturers Of stand
ard brands.
Prepared cocoanut as we find It on
the market has more than 8 per cent
body building material and more than
So per scent Of fat. with 81 per cent
Of energy-giving food.
The edible portion OF cocoanut pulp
contains an appreciable quantity Of the
valuable lime, a generous percentage OF
magnesium, considerable sodium, more
than considerable phosphorus.
From this it will be seen that cocoa
nut has a very decided bone-b building
and body regulating service to perform
in the body.
We have already spoken Of by-prod-
ucts of the cocoanut. and these are very
interesting. Cocoanut oil Is used in
the manufacture OF very palatable
spread for bread and also in making
vegetable shortening. Cocoanut milk Is
very deliciously favored liquid and is
usually used in the form Of an emulsion
Al ntl q p o.
sembles cows milk, and in India we
find it being used as a substitute for
cows milk and also in various cooking
processes.
Here are some very delicious ways of
using cocoanat:
Cocoanut Cakes-Grated cocoanut,
1 h.: whites of eggs: sugar, y lb.
Cook the cocoanut and sugar In a
double boiler until the combination
sticks to the spoon. Add the whites
eggs and cook until the ingredients
are sticky when pressed with the
fingers. Spread on a moistened pan.
cover with wet paper and chill. Shape
in small cakes after dipping the
hands in cold water. Bake twenty
minutes in a slow oven.
Cocoanut Wafers-Shredded cocoa
nut, L cup; eggs, 4: cream. 2 cups;
sugar, 2 cups: -four, 6 cups; baking
powder, 6 teaspoons; salt, teaspoons.
The eggs are beaten until very
light. Tne sugar, cream anu COCOd-
nut are then added gradually. After
mixing the flour and sitting the bak-
ing powder and salt, these dry in
gradients are then added to the first
mixture. The whole is then thor,
cughly rolled and tossed on g. Toured
surface. The mixture should be roll
ed one-half inch in thickness. The
mass should then be sprinkled with
cocoanut, rolled again to one-Quarter
inch in thickness and shaped with
small cooking cutter which has frst
been dipped in flour. The waters
should be placed on a buttered pan
Delicious cocoanut candy is made
as follows: Shredded cocoanut, 2-3
cup; milk, / cup; sugar, cups; but
ter, teaspoons; vanilla, 1 teaspoon.
Melt the butter in an agate pan,
then add the sugar and milk, stirring
until the sugar is dissolved. Bring
the mixture to the boiling point and
cook for twelve minutes. Remove
from the fire, add cocoanut and fin-
ally beat until creamy. The mixture
should begin to sugar around the
edge of the pan. Pou6 into but
tered pan, cool and mark in squares.