Very cold fresh buko juice is one of life’s simplest and finest pleasures if you live back here on one of the 7,107 islands in the Philippine archipelago. Soon after the Christmas holidays, we packed up several burros worth of luggage (predominantly food) and headed out to the Batangas shoreline for close to a week of fun in the sun. We had several waves or sets of houseguests over that period and as usual, it was non-stop eating, albeit in a far more relaxed manner. If we have timed it right, and had sufficient space in the car, we almost always buy fresh buko on the way to the beach and as soon as we get there, throw the whole nuts into the pool to cool them down. Yes, floating coconuts in the pool always seems to draw visitor’s attention, but it is smart, you have to admit…
When foreign guests come for a first time visit, we really try to give them a dose 
of local food and drink… and after a 2-3 hour ride where they probably had a few near heart stopping moments in the car as the driver swerved to avoid a chicken crossing the road, a kid darting out of a roadside sari-sari store, or an abrupt stop due to a jeepney disgorging a passenger in the center of the two-lane highway, a nice cool drink is always welcome. Fresh coconut juice is reputed to calm unsettled stomachs and though I have seen no medical proof, it does the trick for me. So when guests text that they are just a few minutes away, we extract the coconuts from the pool, remove the tough skin, and bury them in lots and lots of shaved ice from the local bayan ice plant and set them out… when the guests get in and are settled, they will almost always have the juice of a coconut and if adventurous, the meat is scooped out as well!
This welcome drink never fails to impress. It is so basic, so satisfying and so delicious. 
At PHP10-13 pesos a coconut depending on how close to the trees you buy them, they actually cost less than a canned soda! And for PHP40, you can get a half block or so of ice that will fill one large cooler after it is crushed and that is enough ice for a dozen or more coconuts… If you have leftover coconut meat and juice, make some buko pandan coolers, buko pandan salad or even buko pie! Yes, sometimes the simplest things make the strongest impressions…
8 Responses
Yes, sometimes the simplest things make the strongest impressions…
very true this is what i call creativity..cant wait for my holidays will be drinking buko soon… cant wait!
Iced cold virgin coconut juice is a good thirst quencher and very refreshing. A big mark is implanted permanently on your houseguests’ palate for this serving. Great way to welcome them into your kingdom after an uneventful road trip. Our family doctor back them always told us drink a lot of coconut juice it’s good for the kidneys. Your idea of keeping them in the pool is fantastic! “Mala sipon†coconut is the best-very tasty and has a lot of characters. When you scoop it up with a long handled spoon the meat slips off the spoon makes it challenging to catch onto your palate very slippery.
oh how i miss buko and buko juice! too bad, all i could get in london is old ones – not good at all! can’t wait to go visit the phils again – soon!
I love fresh buko juice too! And I always ask for the ‘mala uhog’ or ‘mala sipon’ type. Can’t drink it lukewarm though… it has to be ice cold for me!
Buko juice is a must for me when I am in the Philippines. It is a great drink! No need to put sugar, just make sure it is cold. I can live without the meat, just give me the juice. I go to the wet market where it is always available. Very good drink to clean your urinary track.
coconut juice! yum yum! hehe.. i’ve never heard of buko and pandan into a salad though that’s interesting hehe and as filling for a pie i dont know that either. have any recipes?
I want to learn the complete procedure in making a buko juice.
Thanks
That’s why I can’t leave PH, I love the fruits too much.