liquid in which to cook all kinds of foods,
from meats and fish to vegetables and rice.
Since the coconut meat can’t be roasted intact,
its flavor is developed by carefully toasting
small flakes or shreds. Unlike other nuts,
which provide crunchiness or smooth richness
depending on how finely they’re broken,
coconut has a persistent, chewy texture unless
toasted and kept very dry.
The distinctive sweet, rich aroma of
coconut is created by derivatives of saturated
fatty acids called lactones (octa-, deca-,
dodeca-, tetradecalactones) — peaches are
also flavored by lactones — while roasting
generates more generic nutty notes (from
pyrazines, pyrroles, furans).
Coconut Development Coconut fruits are
borne and mature year-round. At around four
months, the nut fills with liquid; at five, it
reaches its full size and begins to develop a
jelly-like meat; at seven its shell begins to