I learn how to ax open my own fresh coconuts
This raw food diet gets me to learn new skills. I finally decided to be self sufficient and not depend on our maids to open my own coconuts. Why a macho man like me depending on girls to open my own coconuts.
So I bought a new coconut ax, our old one’s handle was busted. Then I bought a specialty knife made from bearing steel and the handle made from carabao horns, the best the Batangas blades craftsmen can offer. It was a lucky break for me. I was dreaming about these Batangas made blades and my cousin was telling me stories about them and describing what the good ones were. Then this walking street salesman pops in beside me after I take a pee in a gas station and sells this wonderful handcrafted blade. Looks like a blade from Rambo or Crocodile Dundee. The seller says an American gave him the design specifications and had it made but they missed each other. Don’t know if that story is true, it seemed like a good blade so I got it. It had a tiny steak knife with it too, a miniature replica. Then he included a vegetable knife all for the price of P 1,500. What a bargain, I happened to have cash. This was meant to be. So I bought it.
Now to sharpen the knives. We went to an established sharpening shop called Hortaleza and had the knives sharpened. Ah, sharp blades. Satisfying. No longer will our maids complain about dull equipment. Our lives are now easier. Now that I had the tools, I had the will to learn to use them and open my first coconut.
My maid taught me to chop the bottom of the coconut, not the top. Well, with the top you had something to hold on to with your left hand. And the bottom part was not as thick as the top part. It’s all experience. You have to chop not too deeply or you crack open your water immediately. The thing to do is to chop closer and closer to your goal. When you see the whites, you are almost there. Then just shave enough to gently open a hole big enough for the coconut juice to flow straight into your pitcher.
Once you’ve emptied your coconut juice, just chop open the coconut in half. Then with a spoon scoop out the meat. We usually order coconuts that have the most water, not much meat. The coconut vendor knows, they just tap the coconuts with their ax and a recognizable sound is heard about how thick the coconut meat is.
We now buy our coconuts wholesale at the market some 15 or 20 pieces at a time at 13 or 15 pesos each. The price fluctuates.
My kids got a kick out of watching daddy open their coconuts for them this morning.
My first son poses with the coconuts. Check out my Rambo blade.
My Rambo blade came with a miniature one and carrying case.