This thread is a little old, but I just found this forum and was reading through all the good info. I just wanted to mention that coconut oil is used quite commonly in South Indian cooking, so if you are looking for recipes or a place to buy coconut oil I would suggest visiting an Indian store. I buy coconut oil and spices at the many Indian markets here in SoCal.
If you don't have a Indian market in your area, here is one online that sells "pure coconut oil" for a reasonable price ($4 for 12 oz):
http://www.ishopindian.com/shop/cus...productid=21505

I'm not sure if "pure" means unrefined or not, though...