Best Tasting Cavendish

andy17 · 07-09-2012, 02:03 PM

Hi everyone,
I just have a quick question: based on personal experience, what would you say is the best tasting member of the Cavendish subgroup i.e. Gran Nain, Dwarf Cavendish, Vallery, Williams etc.? From everything I've gleaned, Gran Nain is considered by most to be "over-commercialized" like Williams (best for commercial growing, but not necessarily best tasting). Thanks!

trebor · 07-09-2012, 02:18 PM

The best cavendish is the one you got in your hand !
I will say this … My Cavendish (dwarf) + (normal) taste so much different than any store bought banana I sometimes wonder if the store bought stuff is real! Then there is a guy who lives in a condo with about 40 square feet of front yard, he got Cavendish growing there for a few years now. I beg him for his fruit .. They are that good!!! Williams also taste pretty darn good. But I bet no one can say that any one of them is the best because of personal taste And where they grow seems to make a considerable difference in taste .. I've even heard people say leaving PUP's on the plant wile it's fruiting makes a difference in flavor..

andy17 · 07-09-2012, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trebor

The best cavendish is the one you got in your hand !
I will say this … My Cavendish (dwarf) + (normal) taste so much different than any store bought banana I sometimes wonder if the store bought stuff is real! Then there is a guy who lives in a condo with about 40 square feet of front yard, he got Cavendish growing there for a few years now. I beg him for his fruit .. They are that good!!! Williams also taste pretty darn good. But I bet no one can say that any one of them is the best because of personal taste And where they grow seems to make a considerable difference in taste .. I've even heard people say leaving PUP's on the plant wile it's fruiting makes a difference in flavor..

@trebor Thanks! I guess home grown anything can taste substantially better than supermarket stuff. I didn't know that so many factors could influence flavor that much. When reading your post, I immediately thought of coffee and how people can taste the difference between Sumatra and Colombian grown coffee because the climates and soils vary enough to notably impact the flavor. Very interesting!

Gabe15 · 07-09-2012, 06:25 PM

I have never tasted any real difference between different Cavendish. Much more important is how long the fruits stayed on the plant and at what stage of ripeness they are at. Also refrigeration can change taste somewhat. 'Grand Nain' homegrown, which is left on the plant longer and not refrigerated will be different tasting from store bought fruit. Genetics of course have an influence on flavor, but in this case, the differences are pretty much all due to cultural practices and handling.

Nicolas Naranja · 07-09-2012, 10:02 PM

I've also had several and will say that homegrown just taste better. Cavendish isn't great as far as bananas go, but a homegrown one taste like a banana should. It's the flavor I remembered tasting as a child. Which to this day makes me wonder if something changed about the way they were shipping and handling bananas in the 1990s or perhaps my taste buds got worn out and now I can only taste intense flavor.

robguz24 · 07-09-2012, 10:42 PM

I've only had store bought Grand Nains, store and home grown Williams, and what are called Chinese in Hawaii. Home grown ones picked when the first few turn yellow are better but I haven't been able to bring myself to eat a store Grand Nain in years. None have been "bad", just uninteresting and too mushy for my taste. I keep my Williams because it does so well, the bunches are huge, and it's great for a smoothie where the taste and texture is kind of lost anyway. Whichever variety grows well for you and you like them, well that sounds great!

PR-Giants · 07-10-2012, 02:19 AM

I do not think it is legal to ship the fruit into Puerto Rico, so I will have to trust your opinions. My memory of eating a banana in the 1980's has long been forgotten. I could be happy without ever having to eat another Cavendish again, if I have enough Red's.
Does the Red variety also taste different if bought in a supermarket?
A member here had wrote that Red's have no acidity, so how important is acidity for the flavor of a banana?

The pH level of yellow bananas is 5.0-5.29 & the pH of red bananas is 4.58-4.75.

trebor · 07-10-2012, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PR-Giants

I do not think it is legal to ship the fruit into Puerto Rico, so I will have to trust your opinions. My memory of eating a banana in the 1980's has long been forgotten. I could be happy without ever having to eat another Cavendish again, if I have enough Red's.
Does the Red variety also taste different if bought in a supermarket?
Venturabananas said that Red's have no acidity, so how important is acidity for the flavor of a banana?

The pH level of yellow bananas is 5.0-5.29 & the pH of red bananas is 4.58-4.75.

Cavendish
Gran Naim
Apple
Green bananas
Plantains
Those are the ones I see here locally in the stores ! Lately the Plantains have been smaller in size and do not have the flavor of the larger ones. As a result I'm eating less of them . I have no idea the names of the larger one in Wall Mart . Perhaps some one knows what Wall Mart has been selling in the last 5 to 6 months ?
I never seen a red in any markets that I can remember ! But Reds are “Good” hahaha

PR-Giants · 07-10-2012, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trebor

Lately the Plantains have been smaller in size and do not have the flavor of the larger ones.

In Puerto Rico the market size changes throughtout the year depending on variety and harvest period. They range between 6 oz and 16 oz, a Grade A Plantain is 10 oz & 10 in. In July I have been harvesting Maricongo with the entire sixth hand above 10 oz. I did not think the stores on the mainland would sell anything less than Grade A. If you every get a chance to weigh one, I would be very interested in knowing the weight of an average fruit. It is difficult to judge the weigth by eye, different varieties have very different densities, which also effects cooking.

trebor · 07-10-2012, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PR-Giants

In Puerto Rico the market size changes throughtout the year depending on variety and harvest period. They range between 6 oz and 16 oz, a Grade A Plantain is 10 oz & 10 in. In July I have been harvesting Maricongo with the entire sixth hand above 10 oz. I did not think the stores on the mainland would sell anything less than Grade A. If you every get a chance to weigh one, I would be very interested in knowing the weight of an average fruit. It is difficult to judge the weigth by eye, different varieties have very different densities, which also effects cooking.

weight
8.9
9.4
9.1
8.4
Thats from today and I selected the most ripe largest ..There were plenty smaller ones..

PR-Giants · 07-10-2012, 03:22 PM

That is very small for July, my average this month for false horn is 12.92 oz. If I reduced the amount of hands it would be over 14.
Do they lower the price for the little ones?
The way plantains are sold drives me crazy, here a 6 oz is the same price as a 16 oz. Bananas are sold by the pound but platanos are by unit. If they were sold by the pound the production would increase and prices fall, and people would stop searching for the largest ones.
What is the price in your area?

Grade A is kind of a misnomer, given that fact it is a grade for the smallest marketable fruit. As far as I know it is the only the grade, Grade A or unmarketable.

Richard · 07-10-2012, 04:27 PM

I have tasted fruits of both "standard" and improved Cavendish hybrids grown by several people here in San Diego CA. They are better than their grocery store counterparts but still not something I'd grow for myself.

sunfish · 07-10-2012, 04:49 PM

I like store bought Cavendish

trebor · 07-10-2012, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PR-Giants

That is very small for July, my average this month for false horn is 12.92 oz. If I reduced the amount of hands it would be over 14.
Do they lower the price for the little ones?
The way plantains are sold drives me crazy, here a 6 oz is the same price as a 16 oz. Bananas are sold by the pound but platanos are by unit. If they were sold by the pound the production would increase and prices fall, and people would stop searching for the largest ones.
What is the price in your area?

Grade A is kind of a misnomer, given that fact it is a grade for the smallest marketable fruit. As far as I know it is the only the grade, Grade A or unmarketable.

Wall Mart here sells the large and small for 33 cents each! Same price for large or small size.. There are a few other small local chain stores here that charge .50 cents a Plantain.
One chain store ALDI has them for .25 each always smaller ones ..
Also in the Hispanic stores here offer the shorter ones (forget the name) I get them when I'm having people over for dinner..

sunfish · 07-10-2012, 06:12 PM

venturabananas · 07-10-2012, 10:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PR-Giants

I do not think it is legal to ship the fruit into Puerto Rico, so I will have to trust your opinions. My memory of eating a banana in the 1980's has long been forgotten. I could be happy without ever having to eat another Cavendish again, if I have enough Red's.
Does the Red variety also taste different if bought in a supermarket?
Venturabananas said that Red's have no acidity, so how important is acidity for the flavor of a banana?

The pH level of yellow bananas is 5.0-5.29 & the pH of red bananas is 4.58-4.75.

I think it is all a personal taste thing. The acidity or "sub-acid" flavor is just a tartness, which I bet has no relationship to actual pH of the fruit. I like that tartness, but I bet others don't. The Mysore cultivars are the most tart of the bananas I've tried and Pisang Mas ("Baby Bananas") is the least -- but some people love both. I think Reds are very good, but I wouldn't choose one over the mort tart Mysore of Brazilian fruits, for example. But that's just my taste preferences. Cavendish don't really have any tartness either, to me anyway.

hydroid · 07-11-2012, 09:08 PM

One of the best bananas I've had was a Dwarf Cavendish on the side of the road in Bermuda. Big difference from the grocery store stuff to me. The taste difference was night and day.
Bo

Nicolas Naranja · 07-11-2012, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trebor

Wall Mart here sells the large and small for 33 cents each! Same price for large or small size.. There are a few other small local chain stores here that charge .50 cents a Plantain.
One chain store ALDI has them for .25 each always smaller ones ..
Also in the Hispanic stores here offer the shorter ones (forget the name) I get them when I'm having people over for dinner..

And to think that people were giving me grief about 5/$1 at the Green Market. Presidente sells some smaller ones really cheap. There is a pretty good price differential on ripe fruit though.

Darkman · 07-11-2012, 09:55 PM

VERY limited tasting experience but if I had to pick one it would be Reds!

PR-Giants · 07-11-2012, 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nicolas Naranja

And to think that people were giving me grief about 5/$1 at the Green Market. Presidente sells some smaller ones really cheap. There is a pretty good price differential on ripe fruit though.

Hey Nick,
Does the size of your plantanos vary much from month to month.
What's a normal weight for you in July?
If you think 50 cents is high, then a dollar would grab your attencion.
If you assume 1/3 of the weight is the skin a 10 oz. fruit for a buck is $2.40 per lb. for the fruit. For me that is insane, but I love it.

07-09-2012, 02:03 PM	#1 (permalink)
andy17 Location: Central Alabama Zone: 8b Name: Andy Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 279 BananaBucks : 95,200 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 251 Times Was Thanked 154 Times in 99 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 18 Times	Best Tasting Cavendish Hi everyone, I just have a quick question: based on personal experience, what would you say is the best tasting member of the Cavendish subgroup i.e. Gran Nain, Dwarf Cavendish, Vallery, Williams etc.? From everything I've gleaned, Gran Nain is considered by most to be "over-commercialized" like Williams (best for commercial growing, but not necessarily best tasting). Thanks! __________________ "Gardening is the purest of human pleasures." --Francis Bacon

07-09-2012, 02:18 PM	#2 (permalink)
trebor trebor's Photo Gallery Location: Florida Find me on the map! Zone: POMPANO BEACH, FL Zone 10 Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 759 BananaBucks : 102,375 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 845 Times Was Thanked 1,329 Times in 483 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 256 Times	Re: Best Tasting Cavendish The best cavendish is the one you got in your hand ! I will say this … My Cavendish (dwarf) + (normal) taste so much different than any store bought banana I sometimes wonder if the store bought stuff is real! Then there is a guy who lives in a condo with about 40 square feet of front yard, he got Cavendish growing there for a few years now. I beg him for his fruit .. They are that good!!! Williams also taste pretty darn good. But I bet no one can say that any one of them is the best because of personal taste And where they grow seems to make a considerable difference in taste .. I've even heard people say leaving PUP's on the plant wile it's fruiting makes a difference in flavor.. __________________ If ya can't eat it, it ain't growing in my back yard !

07-09-2012, 06:25 PM	#4 (permalink)
Gabe15 Moderator Gabe15's Photo Gallery Location: Oahu, Hawaii Find me on the map! Zone: 12 Name: Gabe Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 3,890 BananaBucks : 13,311,669 Feedback: 5 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1 Times Was Thanked 8,190 Times in 2,196 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 8 Times	Re: Best Tasting Cavendish I have never tasted any real difference between different Cavendish. Much more important is how long the fruits stayed on the plant and at what stage of ripeness they are at. Also refrigeration can change taste somewhat. 'Grand Nain' homegrown, which is left on the plant longer and not refrigerated will be different tasting from store bought fruit. Genetics of course have an influence on flavor, but in this case, the differences are pretty much all due to cultural practices and handling. __________________ Growing bananas in Colorado, Washington, Hawaii since 2004. Commercial banana farmer, 200+ varieties.

07-09-2012, 10:02 PM	#5 (permalink)
Nicolas Naranja Muck bananas Nicolas Naranja 's Photo Gallery Location: Pahokee, FL Find me on the map! Zone: 10 Name: Nick Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 2,217 BananaBucks : 423,414 Feedback: 7 / 100% Said "Thanks" 66 Times Was Thanked 5,656 Times in 1,562 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 7 Times	Re: Best Tasting Cavendish I've also had several and will say that homegrown just taste better. Cavendish isn't great as far as bananas go, but a homegrown one taste like a banana should. It's the flavor I remembered tasting as a child. Which to this day makes me wonder if something changed about the way they were shipping and handling bananas in the 1990s or perhaps my taste buds got worn out and now I can only taste intense flavor. __________________ Some people go bananas, I went plantains.

07-09-2012, 10:42 PM	#6 (permalink)
robguz24 Rob Location: Kalapana, Hawaii Find me on the map! Zone: 11 Name: Rob Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 1,506 BananaBucks : 242,583 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 1,320 Times Was Thanked 4,958 Times in 1,080 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 204 Times	Re: Best Tasting Cavendish I've only had store bought Grand Nains, store and home grown Williams, and what are called Chinese in Hawaii. Home grown ones picked when the first few turn yellow are better but I haven't been able to bring myself to eat a store Grand Nain in years. None have been "bad", just uninteresting and too mushy for my taste. I keep my Williams because it does so well, the bunches are huge, and it's great for a smoothie where the taste and texture is kind of lost anyway. Whichever variety grows well for you and you like them, well that sounds great! __________________ My micro-farm Stay on my Big Island banana farm cottage

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07-10-2012, 02:19 AM	#7 (permalink)
PR-Giants Commercial Grower Location: Florida & Greater Antilles Find me on the map! Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 4,405 BananaBucks : 5,577 Feedback: 16 / 100% Said "Thanks" 2,854 Times Was Thanked 11,997 Times in 3,479 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2,942 Times	Re: Best Tasting Cavendish I do not think it is legal to ship the fruit into Puerto Rico, so I will have to trust your opinions. My memory of eating a banana in the 1980's has long been forgotten. I could be happy without ever having to eat another Cavendish again, if I have enough Red's. Does the Red variety also taste different if bought in a supermarket? A member here had wrote that Red's have no acidity, so how important is acidity for the flavor of a banana? The pH level of yellow bananas is 5.0-5.29 & the pH of red bananas is 4.58-4.75. __________________ PR-Giants Photo Gallery 15,000+ Varieties Last edited by PR-Giants : 07-11-2012 at 06:17 AM. Reason: did a search for ph level

07-10-2012, 03:22 PM	#11 (permalink)
PR-Giants Commercial Grower Location: Florida & Greater Antilles Find me on the map! Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 4,405 BananaBucks : 5,577 Feedback: 16 / 100% Said "Thanks" 2,854 Times Was Thanked 11,997 Times in 3,479 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2,942 Times	Re: Best Tasting Cavendish That is very small for July, my average this month for false horn is 12.92 oz. If I reduced the amount of hands it would be over 14. Do they lower the price for the little ones? The way plantains are sold drives me crazy, here a 6 oz is the same price as a 16 oz. Bananas are sold by the pound but platanos are by unit. If they were sold by the pound the production would increase and prices fall, and people would stop searching for the largest ones. What is the price in your area? Grade A is kind of a misnomer, given that fact it is a grade for the smallest marketable fruit. As far as I know it is the only the grade, Grade A or unmarketable. __________________ PR-Giants Photo Gallery 15,000+ Varieties Last edited by PR-Giants : 07-10-2012 at 03:35 PM.

07-10-2012, 04:27 PM	#12 (permalink)
Richard un-Retired Richard's Photo Gallery Location: Vista, CA Find me on the map! Zone: USDA 10b Name: Richard Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 9,674 BananaBucks : 399,150 Feedback: 9 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,636 Times Was Thanked 12,536 Times in 4,718 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1,685 Times	Re: Best Tasting Cavendish I have tasted fruits of both "standard" and improved Cavendish hybrids grown by several people here in San Diego CA. They are better than their grocery store counterparts but still not something I'd grow for myself. __________________ Doodling along at tangentvectors.org

07-10-2012, 04:49 PM	#13 (permalink)
sunfish Banned sunfish's Photo Gallery Location: San Diego Find me on the map! Zone: 9-11 Name: Tony Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 18,429 BananaBucks : 779,214 Feedback: 8 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,210 Times Was Thanked 20,590 Times in 7,760 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2,716 Times	Re: Best Tasting Cavendish I like store bought Cavendish

07-10-2012, 06:12 PM	#15 (permalink)
sunfish Banned sunfish's Photo Gallery Location: San Diego Find me on the map! Zone: 9-11 Name: Tony Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 18,429 BananaBucks : 779,214 Feedback: 8 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,210 Times Was Thanked 20,590 Times in 7,760 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2,716 Times	Re: Best Tasting Cavendish

07-11-2012, 09:08 PM	#17 (permalink)
hydroid Minister of Propaganda hydroid's Photo Gallery Location: Gulf Shores, Alabama Find me on the map! Zone: Zone -8b-9a Name: Bo Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 687 BananaBucks : 99,430 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 775 Times Was Thanked 729 Times in 329 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 45 Times	Re: Best Tasting Cavendish One of the best bananas I've had was a Dwarf Cavendish on the side of the road in Bermuda. Big difference from the grocery store stuff to me. The taste difference was night and day. Bo

07-11-2012, 09:55 PM	#19 (permalink)
Darkman Dirt Master Darkman's Photo Gallery Location: Pensacola, FL South of I-10 Find me on the map! Zone: 8b/9a Name: Darkman Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 1,249 BananaBucks : 191,924 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 9,263 Times Was Thanked 1,582 Times in 702 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 243 Times	Re: Best Tasting Cavendish VERY limited tasting experience but if I had to pick one it would be Reds! __________________ Darkman in Pensacola AS ALWAYS IMHO AND YOUR MILEAGE MAY DIFFER!!!!!!!! Life - Some assembly required, As is no warranty, Batteries not included, Instructions shipped separately and are frequently wrong! Kentucky Bourbon - It may not solve the problem but it helps to make it tolerable! Statistics - Data that analyst twist to support the insane opinions of those that pay them.

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