The coconut first made its appearance in English print back in 1555. It is derived from the Spanish and Portuguese word "coco", meaning "monkey face." The markings on the coconut (the three round indented markings found at the base of the coconut) were said to resemble a monkey's face. Until the beginning of the twentieth century, whole coconuts were a currency on the Nicobar Islands (in the Indian Ocean) that were used to purchase goods.

Coconuts, unlike their name implies, are seeds. They a...