Part I.
Coconut Milk: The Elixir of Bay Islands Cookery
News from the Honduras Bay Islands and North Coast
06 May 2002
By Pierre Renaldo, The Coastwatcher©

Part I
Coconut Milk: The Elixir of
Bay Islands Cookery

For several months before our first visit to Honduras and the Bay Islands, I had been tantalized endlessly about the national favorite of Honduras, coconut bread, actually to a point where I was salivating over the thoughts of biting into a giant slice. Ah! The aroma, the flavor of this nut/fruit, a wonderful staple of the islands, the delicious cool liquid, gushing from within.

The tantalizer in this instance was our adopted daughter Rosa, commonly known in the family as Chocha. She expounded on the wonders of coconut bread, how great it was toasted, the fragrance as it browned in the frying pan, buttered shamelessly on both sides, dripping with calories and cholesterol, even its great healing powers. She was so convincing that it almost sounded like coconut bread was magical.

Finally the big day arrived and we came into the country through San Pedro Sula where a welcoming committee of at least sixteen people pumped out handshakes like politicians, and hugged and squeezed like we were kissin' kin. I hoped that the ensuing festivities would produce some coconut bread but alas and anon it was not to be.

The next morning I scampered to the car rental agency where my "great deal" car for $35 per day turned into a typical Honduran fiasco, where I was offered a beat up pickup truck for $105. per day. Soon as I left the parking lot one of the guys came running out of the office and offered me a car for $65. per day.

I may have taken it if he was holding out a thick slice of coconut bread as an inducement, but my instincts screamed out that I was being Gringoed, so I walked another 50 meters to the next car rental agency where I landed a special "you have such a nice face" bargain, at $45. per day.

I rushed back to the hotel to pick up my entourage and we headed for Tela, the beach resort on the North Coast, where I was assured there would be plenty of coconut bread. I had read of a great seafood restaurant there and not only would I soon be savoring "la fruita del mar" but such a well touted restaurant would surely serve a large basket of fresh baked coconut bread along with the morsels from the sea.

Fate was kind to me that day, and also tricky. As I turned into the road that I was sure headed us to the beach restaurant I sought, we spotted a sight that was unlike anything I had ever seen. Even thought they were quite some distance away, I could tell there were two large ladies each carrying a large tub of what looked like loaves of bread. As we pulled up beside them, Chocha rolled down the window and inquired as to the contents of the tubs perched upon the heads of the two large ladies.

The closest one responded in reggae English, "We jus take dis coco brea fron de ovens girl. You wants ta tase o' dis?" Her lilting accent not only delighted me but added to my anticipation. We purchased two loaves, still warm and tore into them like wolves fighting for the fresh kill. I stuffed my mouth trying to chew and talk at the same time. The others were doing the same. My spouse emitted some sounds like "Smof dubing like cobonus."

As I attempted to swallow I wondered if it was my imagination or over anticipation that was causing me to miss the whole point of coconut bread. It had no flavor at all, nor did I whiff any coconut fragrance, and chew as I might I could not gulp down what seemed like a wad of tasteless cotton in my mouth! The kind side of this fate filled incident was that we were just about in front of a Texaco filling station where cool soda awaited our very dry mouths. So much for coconut bread!

I have tried this national delicacy on many other occasions with similar results, some of it palatable but the word coconut should be left off the label. What's in a name? They use a little coconut milk in the recipe and it's called? Never mind. I'll take a baguette any day.

Questions or comments: elouis@globalnet.hn

Ciao
Pierre

Pierre Renaldo recently had his book, "Ironshore," published. It's a tale of murder and deceit that it set on Roatan. It can be ordered directly Here. He also is selling his Roatan home and business, The Mail Room and more information can be seen Here.