Helpful Hints from joeeze: Shelling fresh coconut

From the July & August issue of Cook's Illustrated: "Opening the hard shell of a fresh, whole coconut is only half the battle: You then need a sharp knife and steady hand to pry the meat away away from the shell. Rose-Marie de Rensis of West Hartford, Connecticut, found that freezing the whole coconut makes the shell pop away from the flesh as soon as you crack it open."

1. Freeze the coconut overnight.

2. Whack the frozen fruit around its equator with the dull side of a cleaver and then peel the shell off the meat. Bonus: The coconut water inside will be frozen, making it easy to remove without any spillage or waste.