Do you consume palms or palm products regularly?

[DoomsDave]

Wal's (uh, Walter John's) post about butter on a sandwich inspired this.

As palm talkers, do you regularly consume palms or palm products?

This includes a myriad of things, including coconuts, coconut milk, palm heart salad, pickled palm kimchee, etc.

My big palm thing to consume is coconut milk with curry. Nothing like it, probably triggers Kosher prohibitions, and giving in to temptations.

Sometimes, when I remove a Washie volunteer, I'll eat its heart.

How about the rest of you?

[Kim]

There are palm products that I like, but my consumption can't be classified as "regular". More like "sporadic". If a restaurant menu offers an item with hearts of palm, there is a very good chance I will order it, mostly out of curiosity. One recent experience had the hearts shredded into very fine curlicues on sushi, for instance. Chances are I will also order the curry on the menu made with coconut milk. A few times I've made a special rice with coconut milk and lemon grass and spices that turn it bright golden yellow. And macaroons, those super-rich coconut cookies? -- yes, I've been known to consume my share. I won't pay the crazy price for coconut water, although I like it.

[QUINNPALMS]

Love to cook with coconut oil. And it's super health too!

[DoomsDave]

And don't forget "palm oil" i.e., oil from the seeds of the hated "Oil Palm" . . .

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

Coconut oil, coconut milk and coconut juice are staples in our household. I like Justins peanut butter cups which contains sustainably harvested palm oil. I love salak fruit and I buy them when they're available.

[Alicehunter2000]

Fairly regular consumer of Pina Colada's with Coco-Ribe Cream of Coconut.

[Xerarch]

Dates are probably the most regular palm product that I consume, I really like them, and always non-pitted, they seem to taste better and more fresh with the pitts inside for some reason. Oh ya and I don't like the shredded up and smushed back together ones that they makes dessert-like things out of. Just fresh ones.

[_Keith]

Nope. Fairly rare.

[Really full garden]

I make a tropical version of potato salad with breadfruit (in place of potatoes) and palm hearts.I also use coconut milk when I make curry.

[aussiearoids]

Very often ..

[Al in Kona]

Yeah we consume or use palm products quite often. Love fresh dates, especially the 'Mejool' variety.

Heart of Palm eaten mostly at special events - always at the HIPS (Hawaii Island Palm Society) annual BBQ Dinner each February.

We do have a few roadside stands that sell fresh coconut water at times. They slice off the top of the coconut which opens it up so you can drink the water from the fruit or they sell the water at stores now too. Sometimes it comes canned, or in the refrigeration section in a carton (see it pictured below in the white 'Waiola' carton) - it is 100% coconut water, naturally untouched. Other coconut products we consume you can see in the pic below. The two we use the most of are the Coconut Oil (pure, unrefined, cold pressed, 100% organic) and the Silk Coconut Milk in 1/2 gallon carton. Also in cooking my wife does use canned coconut milk sometimes (not shown in pic).

Also I really like Acai juice (made from Euterpe fruit). Only once have I eaten the fruit of the Peach Palm (Bactris gasipaes).

[Darold Petty]

Fresh dates, but only Medjool or Barhi, never Deglet Noir ! Palm heart from sustainable sources, (not Brazil)

My older palm books mention that the Maori people ate the immature spadix of Rhopalostylis. Any recipes out there you Kiwis ?

I have am ample supply of spadices and would like to try this !

[mnorell]

coconut oil, coconut milk, coconut water, coconut meat (shredded, flaked, etc.), coconut flour. Oops, I forgot coconut sugar and coconut vinegar. This is truly the "tree of life" and I am a firm believer in the health benefits of every edible part of this plant. Now that I have a big crop of nuts here I need to start making all of the above myself...if I could find the time. Try the Aroy-D boxed 100% pure organic coconut milk from Thailand, there is nothing on the market that can touch it. Unfortunately it is very hard to find and I have to order it from Amazon. The "coconut milk" products on grocery store shelves are a pale imitation and most are full of horrible additives. I am curious to try the coconut arrack but it is woefully difficult to procure, apparently. Only one brand (White Lion VSOA, they cannot call it "Arrack" in the USA) and one distributor in the USA with limited reach from what I've been able to find...but I guess can be ordered online where it's legal to do so.

I also like Acai and occasionally dates but the latter are usually too sweet for my taste. I shy away from palm oil due to the ethical issues with the destruction of rainforests for monocropping of that tree...also since it lacks some of the amazing components in coconut oil. And same for heart of palm, though perhaps they are cutting clumping Euterpe (the hybrid with oleracea?) more than solitary E. edulis nowadays? But I really don't like the taste of it anyway.

I'm interested in trying the Salacca fruit...but I must draw the line at pickled palm kimchee. Eeck.

Also I believe the native Cahuilla people of the Coachella Valley in California made flour from the fruit/seed of Washingtonia filifera. I wonder if anyone's ever tried that. Washingtonia cakes, anyone?

[DoomsDave]

Ah, yes I take acai berry supplements regularly.

And, I made steamed pacaya once from the immature spadices of Chamadorea tepijelote. Heat up your steamer and steam till done to taste, sprinkle with whatever seasoning you like.

I don't pacayacize regularly, though.

Darold, I'll bet if you just steamed some of your Rhopie spadices that would be a good start. Take some pictures, and share?

[Xerarch]

Don't forget the saw palmetto supplements I know some you older guys need to be taking. Ha ha

[DoomsDave]

Don't forget the saw palmetto supplements I know some you older guys need to be taking. Ha ha

Yeah, sonny, your day will come.

Unless you like prostate trouble. (Even Mongo doesn't . . . . )

I forgot about that one, too. Dad had prostate trouble, me, not so far. My male doctors all recommend it. They say there's clinical evidence to support it.

[Tropicgardener]

Yep Coconut oil and Coconut milk

[aussiearoids]

And don't forget 'Breaking Bad' Betle Nut !!

Actinorhytis calapparia is widely cultivated in Southeast Asia and Malesia where villagers attribute it magical or medicinal powers, or as a substitute to betel

[_Keith]

Nope. Fairly rare.

I must correct myself. Look at what my wife has been putting in my coffee.

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

I took a more complete inventory, and here's what I've come up with.

- coconut milk

- coconut juice

- coconut sugar

- shredded coconut

- coconut butter

- red palm fruit oil

- heart of palm (canned, used in our curries)

- Salak fruit

- Serenoa repens extract, although not taking that anymore, it's disgusting flavor wise.

- dates, lots and lots of dates, all varieties I can find

- Acai berry shakes

- coquitos from Chile (sold by Amy's exotic fruit)

That's a lot of palm foods.

[Tropicgardener]

Don't let the Queensland Police catch you Miguel (Aussiearoids) consuming Betel Nut

[_Keith]

If you say Betel Nut, Betel Nut, Betel Nut three times in a row does a palm ghost appear?

[DoomsDave]

I say "beetle nut" you say "bahtel nut" let's call the whole thing off . . .

[_Keith]

We have a local company that has produced this for many years. As part of a healthier eating life style I tried cooking with it, but found I preferred the texture of Olive Oil. Love the taste of Coconut Oil, but with those small molecules, for lack of better words, if feels unnaturally slippery in my mouth. Like most southerners, I grew up on vegetable (corn) oil, so it is all what you are used to eating, I guess. Any way, went be to extra light Olive Oil and loving it.

http://louanacoconutoil.com/

Another good link explaining health benefit of Coconut Oil

https://www.valleypopcorn.com/media/pdfs/TruthAboutCoconutOil.pdf

[JEFF IN MODESTO]

Coconut water.

My wife makes me buy it by the case.

[_Keith]

This thread prompted me to stock up on Coconut based products. This morning I fried eggs in Coconut Oil. Incredible taste. I have been missing out, but no more.

[Capnrey]

Pass me some more shredded coconut . .and coconut milk. Thanks. Use those on a regular basis.

[Xerarch]

Coconut water.

My wife makes me buy it by the case.

Where do you get it by the case? I haven't seen it at Sam's Club and at Walmart it only comes in singles or a 4-pack, and believe it or not, it's actually slightly more expensive in the 4-pack than it is in the singles. At any rate, at around 2 bucks a pop, it's too expensive for me to consume regularly although I like it and would like to have it more.

[_Keith]

Not sure how long its been around, but the local grocery just starting stocking this.

[LilikoiLee]

There are palm products that I like, but my consumption can't be classified as "regular". More like "sporadic". If a restaurant menu offers an item with hearts of palm, there is a very good chance I will order it, mostly out of curiosity. One recent experience had the hearts shredded into very fine curlicues on sushi, for instance. Chances are I will also order the curry on the menu made with coconut milk. A few times I've made a special rice with coconut milk and lemon grass and spices that turn it bright golden yellow. And macaroons, those super-rich coconut cookies? -- yes, I've been known to consume my share. I won't pay the crazy price for coconut water, although I like it.

Kim,

Shredded palm heart on sushi sounds great! Did you have that at a restaurant here on the Big Island?

[LilikoiLee]

Can't live without coconut milk!!! Love hearts of palm! Can definitely live without chewing Betel Nut seeds.....