Sunday rituals

EVERY Bajan knows that Sundays are made up of one or more of the following activities:
Attending church
Going to the beach
Visiting family
Cooking  Sunday lunch and eating with family
Visiting the coconut vendor
*Playing cricket
*Washing the car
The last two are the mens activities, for that is all they seem able to do on Sundays it seems.

These activities are what make us a "real true" Bajan, especially on Sundays.

Brownie may have been a bit upset today because we did not go to the beach, but I decided to whip up a quick Sunday lunch, and then a short skip and a hop to visit my friendly coconut vendor. Even though one can purchase coconuts any day of the week, Sundays are by far "the" day to do so.

"What's that you said?" "Not going to the beach today?"  "Going for coconuts....." "I don't know anything about any coconuts..." "What the heck is a coconut?"    "I'm not going..."  "I'll stay and guard until you get back with your coconuts..."

Sometimes there are short queues, but with lots of happy banter to while away the time, it soon disperses, and you realize you are next in line.
Now, most folks usually place their order with, "I want some coconuts," or "I want some coconut water," or "I want some jelly coconuts," or whatever kind they want.
Me on the other hand have my own way, "Three jelly coconuts please, and I want them sweet like me."  Immediately everyone laughs, and the vendor knows exactly what I want...... I want three water coconuts with nice soft jelly inside.
By the time I arrived, the back of the truck was already filled with the used coconut husks.

 That meant that he was down to the last few dozen coconuts for sale.

Hope he doesn't sell out by the time it's my turn.  Even the lady on the motorbike on the right stopped to place her order before heading off to the supermarket to return.......smart lady.
Beast in the background patiently awaiting my return.

Close up view of the coconuts.

The vendors manipulate their machetes with acute precision, sometimes even I am fearful at the way they swiftly cut the tops off the coconuts.

Don't try this at home folks.

 See the second smart lady....she traveled with her own container and spoon to scoop her jelly out after she had finished drinking her coconut water....very very smart lady.

Coconuts with the tops off.

 

  Just a small sharp knife is needed to bore a small hole to let the water out.

Then turn it upside down over the pitcher

Coconut water stains, so it's best to do this outdoors.
Time to get the sweet jelly inside....where is my machete??? 

Say HELLO to my little friend......

Scoop the jelly out with a spoon

A bowl full of sweet coconut jelly.

Oh yes, I almost forgot..... I did say that I had followed another ritual of preparing Sunday lunch, did I not?
Freshly baked shepherds pie.....I know what you're thinking......didn't she claim to be a vegetarian? My pie is made with granburger and lots of vegetables for the filling so there...take that smug smile off your face.

Freshly baked vegetarian shepherds pie

My Sunday lunch

Let's not forget the coconut water beverage, which every Bajan knows goes extremely well with a red Frutee (locally produced soda)

As you can see coconut water is a clear liquid from the younger coconuts (not to be confused with coconut milk obtained from the meat of older coconuts).
 Now some interesting trivia about coconuts (Cocos nucifera).
The taste of the water depends on the age of the coconut - younger coconuts are sweeter.
The water in young coconuts is made up of potassium and minerals which are good for the kidneys, (stones), acts as a diuretic and also kills worms.
In World War II,  British and Japanese soldiers used coconut water in the emergency room, instead of IV fluids.
It has been found that the electrolyte makeup of coconut water is somewhat similar to human plasma, and therefore it has been used as an intravenous hydration fluid in some countries where saline solution was not available.
It has been labelled "The Fluid of Life."