In Fireproof, I discuss my love of coconut in any form. Coconut fills you up, but it also explodes with flavor every time you take a spoonful. It’s the ultimate luxury food.
The different stages of coconut growth are each amazing and delicious. And at every stage, all the flesh on the inside is edible. It fascinates me. I love raw coconut. I love coconut water. I love young coconut, old coconut, and mature coconut. It’s rich and fatty and creamy—and it lends itself to so many different things; sweet and savory and everything in between. For me, coconut is a fatty luxury that brings a dish to the ultimate level of decadence. When something’s very fatty, it usually absorbs a lot of flavor, but coconut also doesn’t mask a lot of flavor, which is a crazy thing. It takes on flavor very easily, and it goes well with things. I’m not a dairy guy, so I replace that with coconut, and it becomes a little bit healthier… But you still get the same texture and feel in your mouth as if you were adding heavy cream. Here is my recipe for pancakes using coconut.
—Curtis Duffy
