Coquitos

A small seed harvested from the several varieties of palm trees, such as the Chilean Wine palm or the Quito palm. Similar in size to a nutmeg nut, this small round seed has the appearance as well as taste of a coconut and thus, the reference made to it as a "baby coconut." The outer covering is thin and crisp while the inner meat is dense and chewy, providing a flavor exactly like coconut meat. Coquitos are served as snacks to be eaten whole as is or they are chopped to be used as an ingredient for pasta, salads, baked goods, or fruit dishes.