I’ve Got a Lovely Dish of Coconut

You can’t get better coconut ice cream than what’s made in Thailand. It tastes of real coconut milk, not artificial flavoring, and it’s lighter than Western versions because it contains no dairy cream or milk. Luckily, one of the best brands is exported here--Sweeten Coconut Milk (that’s the name on the label) from A.C. Products in Bangkok. The ingredients are coconut milk, coconut meat, sugar and a tiny dash of salt. It’s so good you probably won’t mind that it’s available only in a jumbo container. And if you’re looking for a quick dessert, what could be easier? Dress it up with sliced mango and you’ve got a lovely ending that would even work for a dinner party.

Sweeten Coconut Milk (coconut ice cream), $10.95 for a five-pound tub at Silom Supermarket in Thailand Plaza, 5321 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, (213) 993-9009, and Pratunam market, 8236 Coldwater Canyon Ave., North Hollywood, (818) 782-3877.