Young Coconuts

[foodcheck]

My local Asian Market carries them in the refrigerated section as well as on the shelf without the white husk. First off I would like to find out if the young coconuts on the shelf are truly young or if they are the old variety. I would also like to find out if they are treated in any way like the ones with husks.

The coconut I am referring to has a small amount of hairy dried white husk on the outside and is much larger in comparison to the wrapped up regerated variety.

I hope that you are going to tell me that they are not treated because they are dry. I really want to buy them as they are only $2.29 each and they look like they could be 4-5 pounds. I am still searching for organic coconuts at a decent price as I cannot afford to pay $8 a piece online plus shipping. If anyone knows where I could get organic coconuts in the Woodland Hills area it would be very much appreciated.

[DebB]

I assume the coconuts in the refrig. section, plastic wrapped are the young Thai coconuts? There are so many different views - are they dipped in chemicals? Are they not? If they are - does it actually penetrate the coconut shell and affect the water & meat?

Good questions, but one I personally have never gotten an answer by emailing or asking. One of the well known raw chefs (recipe book & author) - I want to say Matthew Kenney? took them to a lab and had them tested and they tested fine, so he said he felt good about using them in his restaurant. Maybe I'm naive, but that was good enough for me.

I don't know what the other coconut is you're referring to though. The only white coconuts I've heard of are from John Kohler's videos and those are from Mexico and usually available in the Mexican markets here. I tried one once, but didn't like it nearly as well as the young Thai cocos.

[foodcheck]

I should also add that these coconuts were significantly larger than the refrigerated ones that I am use to. (maybe 2-4 pounds a piece)