Nata de Coco Chakoh, $1.68/jar
In the Philippines, around a third of the population makes a living from coconut-related activities and products. Known affectionately as the "tree of life", the coconut palm yields an astonishing range of goods, from buttons and building materials to a store's-worth of edibles including coconut flesh, cream, milk, jam, curd, sugar, flour, and oil.
One of the simplest coconut products is the basis for one of the most complicated. To make coconut water all you do is poke a hole or two through the hull and pour out the refreshing drink sloshing around inside. To make nata de coco, you combine that water with a specific bacteria, acetobacter xylinium, and let it ferment. The bacterial colony produces a thick, squishy mat of coconut-flavored cellulose. Cleaned, sweetened, and cut into pieces, that gel is a high-fiber, low-fat delicacy enjoyed in drinks, pudding, fruit salad, or shaved ice desserts.
Although nata de coco is Spanish for "coconut cream", these cubes have a uniquely rubbery texture. Nata de coco is chewier than agar, less sticky than tapioca, and much tastier than an eraser.
Lengua de GatoSweet Coconut Bakery, $5.75/12
I went to the Urban Craft Uprising summer show to check out some jewelry...and left with cookies. I have my priorities.
Seattle's Sweet Coconut Bakery is a young company on a misson: "to create sweet treats that might induce you to sit down, maybe put your feet up, and enjoy a cup of coffee, cocoa, or tea. Let time tick slowly, as you would if you were on vacation on a tropical island, where coconuts abound, and life is sweet." Sweet Coconut's treats are largely Filipino, American, or some combination of the two. Crisp, rich little cookies that resemble cats' tongues in both shape and texture, lengua de gato are a Spanish recipe beloved in the Philippines and here given a Seattle spin with the addition of cacao nibs from Theo Chocolate. Sweet Coconut's menu includes other well-traveled favorites such as polvorones (shortbread), pastillas de leche (cooked milk candy), sampanguita (coconut-butter cookies), macaroons, marshmallows, brownies, and peanut butter cookies.
Available around Seattle at selected farmer's markets--and the occasional craft fair--these treats can also be Sweet Coconut treats can also be ordered from Sweet Coconut's Etsy shop.
