Coquito nuts are the fruits from a feather-leaved palm, ''

Jubaea chilensis ''Jubaea'' is a genus of palms with one species, ''Jubaea chilensis'', commonly known in English as the Chilean wine palm or Chile cocopalm, and palma chilena in Spanish. It is native to southwestern South America and is endemic to a small area ...

'', native to

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...

, having a thick trunk from which is obtained a sugary sap used for making wine and a

syrup In cooking, syrup (less commonly sirup; from ; , beverage, wine and ) is a condiment that is a thick, viscous liquid consisting primarily of a Solution (chemistry), solution of sugar in water, containing a large amount of dissolved sugars but ...

, and widely cultivated as an

ornamental Ornamental may refer to: *Ornamental grass, a type of grass grown as a decoration *Ornamental iron, mild steel that has been formed into decorative shapes, similar to wrought iron work *Ornamental plant, a plant that is grown for its ornamental qua ...

in warm dry regions. (Spanish, diminutive of ''coco'', "coco palm", from Portuguese ''côco''; see

coconut The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family (biology), family (Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, ...

.) Coquito nuts look like miniature coconuts and have a very similar flavor to coconuts. They have a brown exterior and a white interior with a hollow center. They measure about in diameter. They are completely edible (raw or cooked), and are crunchy, with an

almond The almond (''Prunus amygdalus'', Synonym (taxonomy)#Botany, syn. ''Prunus dulcis'') is a species of tree from the genus ''Prunus''. Along with the peach, it is classified in the subgenus ''Amygdalus'', distinguished from the other subgenera ...

-like sweetness.

History

Coquito nuts, also referred to as coker nuts, pygmy coconuts or monkey's coconut, are the fruit of a Chilean palm tree. The tree, ''Jubaea chilensis'', takes up to fifty years to achieve maturity, and is native to the coastal valleys of Chile. This palm is grown in

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern ...

-type climates worldwide, including in the state of

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

Usage

Coquito nuts can be eaten whole, raw or cooked. Whole or chopped coquito nuts can be added to a variety of foods, including desserts, savoury foods, and drinks. They are grown year round, and will stay edible for up to three weeks if kept in a refrigerator.

Nutritional information

Below is a table of nutrients contained with 1 serving (g) of coquito nuts, based on a 2000

calorie The calorie is a unit of energy that originated from the caloric theory of heat. The large calorie, food calorie, dietary calorie, kilocalorie, or kilogram calorie is defined as the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of one liter o ...

diet.

References

{{reflist, 2 Cocoseae Chilean cuisine