The Original Ambrosia

If desired, place regular sweetened flaked coconut in a wire sieve and rinse under hot water to remove the sugar coating. Drain and pat dry with paper towels.

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Pierce the eyes (the soft indentations on one end of the coconut) with a clean screwdriver and a hammer. Drain out the liquid. Place the coconut on a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes.
• Using a hammer, rap the coconut around its equator to crack in half. Using a sturdy paring knife, pry the coconut in pieces from the shell. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the dark brown skin from the coconut. Shred the coconut. You should have 2 cups.
• Using a serrated knife, cut off the top and bottom from each orange. Following the curve of each orange, cut off the thick skin, including the white pith, where it meets the orange flesh. Working over a bowl, cut between the membranes to remove the segments, letting them drop into the bowl.
• Cut off the top of the pineapple, including the leafy crown. Cut the thick rind from the pineapple where it meets the flesh. Remove the dark eyes from the flesh. Quarter the pineapple lengthwise, and cut the hard core from each quarter. Cut each quarter lengthwise again, then into bitesize pieces.
• In a large glass bowl, toss together the pineapple, orange rounds, coconut, and Grand Marnier. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, about 2 hours. (If preparing the salad ahead, cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate.) Serve chilled.