Gin and Coconut Water

Now in America...

No straw necessary

I've been planting, planting, planting. I want my kids to experience a yard like the one I was raised in. When I was a kid just out my front door were pomegranate, papaya, guava, grape fruit, lime trees, and even a mango orchard. Believe me when I tell you that's the short list. If I recalled all the fruit planted in our yard we'd be here a while. And I'm not even speaking of the ones native to the island, just the ones most of the world would recognize. Which brings me to the point of this post: Today I came across something that we islanders enjoy, but most seem oblivious to, coconut water. Many people know the benefits of coconut oil, and some like coconut flavored food items, but we islanders know that there is so much more to this nut. We actually drink the liquid inside a green coconut. In fact the old folks say that it's very healthy, and my grandma would often have us drink it as some sort of tonic.  Don't worry she didn't have to twist our arms to get us to drink it at all. The stuff is good. We were allowed to have as much of it as we liked. No limits. We'd pick a coconut. Use a cutlass to chop off the husk, and bottoms up straight from the coconut. It's an island thing...or so I thought. Today while roaming the isles of Costco, one of their food demo associates were giving out samples of, you guessed it, green coconut water. I stood there in shock as he touted all the "health benefits" of this new wonder tonic. If my grandmother only could have heard him. Anyhow, I just like my folks used to do, I gave my kids some. I also "sampled" it for myself. So SO GOOD! Tasted like home. OK, so I'll admit that there is nothing like drinking it from it's original container, the coconut. It's a bit sweeter that way, but coconut water from a man made container ain't bad either. I just had to buy some. I was laughing to myself the whole time thinking about how my family back home. They'd probably faint at the thought of paying 12 dollars for about a gallon of coconut water. You see in the Bahamas there are a few things that you would never have to buy, well unless you wanted to, coconut water is one of them. I just had to have it. Coconut water is almost our national drink. Heck, we even have songs written about it, and how "you cannot get it in America!" Plus, I figured it's much less than a ticket to the Bahamas. If they laugh at me for the purchase that's gonna be my excuse. Besides, the Bahamas and the US share the same independence month. July.  This month when I celebrate the independence of both countries on the 4th and 10th, I'll be toasting to both with a big glass of coconut water sans the gin. Sorry Bah Men. Looks like "you" can "get it in America."


OK, so I'm putting a disclaimer on this song. It's a bit raunchy, and I'm not promoting getting liquored up. I just wanted you to know how seriously we take coconut water.