Refreshing Fresh Coconut Water

We recently returned from a very last minute trip to Jamaica.  The airfare was reasonable and my mom was there to help with the kids and the temperature in Chicago was 7 degrees…so it just seemed like the perfect time to go.

One day Chris, Mack, my dad and I took a long walk to an outdoor produce market frequented only by locals. Mangy dogs roamed the streets, sleepy toddlers dozed on their mothers chests, local fishermen scaled freshly caught fish, merchants tended to a rainbow of fresh fruits and vegetables.  It was quite a sight for little Mack who is used to Chicago’s more tame farmer’s markets.

My favorite part of the market were the frosty beverages on sale for the equivalent of $1. Not beer…not pop…but freshly hacked coconuts cooled on ice.  After a long walk in the hot sun, the crisp water inside the fruit was the perfect refreshment.

Later that day we made friends with a local man who offered to bring us fresh coconuts from his family’s property.  He showed up the next morning at 7 am with a bag full of fruit and a machete. We provided empty water bottles and he got to work hacking open the coconuts (much to the delight of Evie and Mack).  A few minutes later we had enough fresh coconut water to keep us hydrated for the rest of the day.

And the best part? Zero waste! The leftover coconut shells were tossed into the jungle, where they will naturally decompose.  It was a drink I could feel good about in more ways than one!

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