We went to San Pedro yesterday morning. It was a quickie just to visit Oscar's mom and connect with the family a bit. What used to be a 7 hour drive with about 50 miles of dirt road is now a 4 hour, smooth, all-paved ride! Wonderful!
I have been here 18 years! BUT, I have NEVER tried this Paraguayan favorite that I am going to write about!
While Oscar was talking with his brother-in-law about cows, crops and other stuff, I wandered off with Edson and our little niece to crack coconuts. Here there are two kinds of coconuts: the big ones with the coconut milk in them and the small ones about the size of jawbreakers. These coconuts flower, grow into little balls, fall off, the skin crunches off, they dry out, and then this is the hard NUT that you want to crack open to get the actual coconut.
My brother asked me how to open them and I said...caveman style...between two rocks!
Well, my little 7 year old niece (who only speaks Guarani) took me to a cute spot. There was a tree stump with a cupped out space in the middle full of these now, marble sized coconuts. On one side of the "hole" there was a tiny, dug out section. She quickly slipped the coconut in and picked up an axe head and wacked it hard. The shell cracked open and she had her coconut out. There were probably one-hundred, so we started cracking coconuts and saving them in a baggie (for me to take home!)
Every once in a while, we would crack one open and a HUGE COCONUT WORM would be in it. I was grossing out...but then kind of noticed that she would pick them up off the ground and it seemed to me that she would eat it. Finally, I asked her if she was eating the grubs and she said...YES!
I asked her why and she said..."They are good! It tastes like coconut milk!" I said..."That's gross!" I was horrified. She laughed and said..."no it's not. Try one, Tía Karen!" I said. "no way, never!" She laughed at me not wanting to try it and I laughed at her enjoying her grub so much.
I told Oscar about it and he said..."oh, they are sooo good cooked, toasted over the fire!" (What, like some sort of marshmellows or something?)
Okay, so I find out that my husband also eats these things! Wow, eighteen years later I find out that many Paraguayans sneak outback to enjoy these coconut bug delicacies...hmmmm!
Last word...to my brother...
So, if they offer you any, just remember, don't worry, they say that they taste like coconut milk!
10 comments:
I was sooo worried that you were going to say that you did indeed try one!! Blech!
ARE YOU KIDDING!
Oscar just told me that it is sooooo good when you string them on a wire and hold it over the fire for a while. It tastes like toasted coconuts!
HAHAHAHA!
You should toast one and eat it with chocolate and graham crackers- like a Paraguayan s'more!
Are those easier to get out of the coconut shell than the actual coconut? If they are, maybe that's the way to enjoy your coconut!! Let me know if you ever eat one.
I remember the kids and Moms playing "jacks" with those coconuts!
Wait a minute. Is that where the coconut milk comes from that we buy in cans??
We've got sago grubs to eat here. APPARENTLY, they're good. I've not seen the coconut bugs yet. I have wacked a few coconuts open with a machete.
GramS: there are 2 types of liquid from coconuts that are pretty popular here. 1-take a green coconut, cut off the skin and the top, stick a straw in and drink. 2-take the actual "nut" part of the coconut and press out the liquid. That's what you would normally think of coming in a can. However, fresh is much better.
I will pass on the grubs, although I love coconut milk. I've never had it fresh...mmmmmmmm!
Don't you remember the Laotians eating beetles in Peniel???
Love,
A.Kath
now I know why I never liked coconut in any way, shape or form. Sometimes now I can tolerate it a little bit. That is, until I read your blog!
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