Q: Growing up in Southwest Philly, I can remember going to an ice cream parlor and getting coconut ice cream. I have tried many ice cream parlors in the past 32 years, and no one sells it. If you can find a recipe for homemade coconut ice cream, I would appreciate it very much. Thanks.

- Therise B.

A: I wish I could get in a time machine with you and go back 32 years to get a huge scoop of coconut ice cream at that long-gone ice cream parlor. Then again, I wish I could get in a time machine, go back 32 years, and buy 1,000 shares of Wal-Mart stock. Then I would just be reading the Daily News food section on my yacht instead of writing this column in my kitchen.

There are a lot of different ways to make coconut ice cream. They range from the extremely hard way (which involves cracking a fresh coconut, extracting the liquid out of the center, grating the meat and squeezing the juice out) to the too-easy way of just adding coconut extract to a vanilla ice cream recipe. The following preparation uses canned coconut milk, which gives the ice cream an authentic flavor but keeps the recipe user-friendly at the same time.

Now as far as that time machine goes, I say we go back to 1977 and place a large bet on Seattle Slew winning the Triple Crown.

Q: I have heard that when a potato starts turning green it is poisonous. The manager at my local supermarket says that is not true. What is the real answer? Thanks for helping.

- Jamie C.

A: Jamie, I have one question for you before the answer. What did the farmer say when Chicken Little told him the sky was falling? "Holy, Cow! It's a talking chicken!" Bada Boom.

The sky isn't falling, Jamie, and green potatoes won't kill you either. That green part, which is called solanine, would have to be consumed in such large quantities to do any harm that you don't really have to worry about it. Now the real concern about solanine, which by the way happens when potatoes are exposed to sunlight or even store light, is the affected part of the potato develops a bitter taste. So whether or not you want to believe that solanine is poisonous, it's best just to cut that part of the potato away before cooking. As far as talking chickens are concerned, I like them soaked in buttermilk, tossed in flour, and pan-fried.

Potato Pickin': When it comes to what kind of potatoes to buy, choose 'em by how you use 'em. Russets (or Idaho potatoes) and the similarly shaped long white potatoes are high-starch, low-moisture models ideal for baking, and frying. Pick up medium-sized round red or white potatoes with thin skins when you want to boil or roast your spuds. They have a waxy flesh with less starch and more water than the bakers do. You can mash Russets and red or white round potatoes, but buttery tasting Yukon Golds take the mashed potato prize. Those upstart new potatoes are just right for potato salad, and you can boil or roast them, too.