Gabe15

I don't know about the Guineos of Colombia, but I can tell you about plantains.

Plantains are a very specific genetic group of bananas, there are many many varieties in this group. They tend to be cooked, but this is not inherently required, just generally preferred. I have eaten raw ripe plantains and they are fine.

The difference between a cooking banana and a dessert banana is purely cultural. Yes, its true that some varieties tend to be more commonly preferred by a large number of cultures used in a certain way, but there is really no clear difference and there are too many "exceptions" to form a rigid pattern. Basically, if a variety is commonly cooked in one region, the people there will call it a cooking banana, and if it is commonly eaten as a dessert fruit, then its called as such. The exact same variety may be regarded as a strict cooking banana, a strict dessert banana, or somewhere in between just depending on who you ask.

For a good, easy to get, easy to grow banana that lends itself well to cooking, 'Orinoco' is a good choice.

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Growing bananas in Colorado, Washington, Hawaii since 2004. Commercial banana farmer, 200+ varieties.