Palm toddy tapped from coconut trees and left to ferment through the day into a sharp drink. It is drawn from the cut flower stalk in the morning and is a different thing entirely by the afternoon.
It ferments in the container on the tree before anyone handles it; there is no preparation, only a climb and a cut.
What goes into it
- coconut palm sap
- nothing else
How it is made
The tapper climbs the palm, cuts the flower stalk and binds a container beneath it, returning twice a day. Yeasts on the tree and in the container ferment the sap as it drips, so it is sweet at dawn, pleasantly alcoholic by midday and vinegary by evening.
How long it takes: hours; sour by the end of the day
How it is eaten
From a glass or a bottle the day it is tapped, at a village stall.
History
Coconut palm sap tapped from the cut flower stalk and left to ferment through the day into a sharp toddy.
Frequently asked questions
What is Kalou?
Kalou is a wine & spirit from Seychelles: palm toddy tapped from coconut trees, lightly fermented. Coconut palm sap tapped from the cut flower stalk and left to ferment through the day into a sharp toddy.
How is Kalou made?
The tapper climbs the palm, cuts the flower stalk and binds a container beneath it, returning twice a day. Yeasts on the tree and in the container ferment the sap as it drips, so it is sweet at dawn, pleasantly alcoholic by midday and vinegary by evening. It takes hours; sour by the end of the day.
Can I make Kalou at home?
No, and the atlas gives no method for it. It ferments in the container on the tree before anyone handles it; there is no preparation, only a climb and a cut.
What goes into Kalou?
Coconut palm sap, nothing else.
How is Kalou eaten?
From a glass or a bottle the day it is tapped, at a village stall.
