robguz24

TEXTURE-Creamy

FIRMNESS-Medium firmness, surprisingly firmer than the peel would indicate when yellow, and more soft than expected when the peel is mostly green.

SWEETNESS-Sweet, but not too sweet

TARTNESS-Had the slightest hint of sub-acid tartness when the peel was still green, but gone once the peel is more yellow.

RIPENESS-Tasted with a mix of greenish and yellow on the peel, some brown spots, still green at the tips. Perfectly ripe. These were surprising ripe even when the skin was almost entirely green.

FLAVOR-Very fragrant when peeling. The smell is very much like banana scented things. I had a banana scented soap at the same time which I thought smelled like fake banana smell until I started eating the Gros Michel. It smells and tastes like banana pudding. I do get a slight hint of an almost chemical aftertaste, like I do with Cavendish types. However, it is not as strong and goes away quickly. I can see why these were the first mass produced banana for Western consumption. They’re delicious!

OTHER-The skin is surprisingly tough, even when ripe. Easy to peel, with inner threads of peel not sticking to the fruit.

OVERALL RATING-9. These are really kind of in a tie with my overall favorite, the dwarf Brazilian. While I currently have DBs and Sucrier on the counter, I’ve been reaching for these first. They also seemed to hold up better when traveling, being thrown in a bag, etc. I’m planting more of these!

SUGGESTED USE-Eating out of hand or in desserts. I was eating them with melted chocolate and sweetened coconut. They’re sweet enough not to be lost among those tastes.

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caliboy1994

Shame it's too cold sensitive to grow in my area.

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trebor

Interesting how you said they are good Try cooling one down in the fridge and then make a banana split using vanilla Ice Cream chocolate sauce.. Those were the banana of choice in ice cream parlors when I was young.... They were missed when the fungus got them. I have two plants here in my yard and they seem to be doing well might could get some blooms this year..

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Nicolas Naranja

I have seen pictures and my wife's grandfather confirms that bananas were shipped by the stalk when gros michel was used. Cavendish had to be boxed because it couldnt take the abuse.

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BrianOC714

Great report. I have three small Gros Michel plants growing in my yard. I'm hoping to get some fruit from them someday.

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My bananas:

AeAe
Apple Manzano
Blue Java
Dwarf Cavendish
Dwarf Namwah
Dwarf Red
FHIA-1 Goldfinger
Grand Nain
Gros Michel
Pisang Klotek
Rajapuri
SH-3640
Veinte Cohol

servatusprime

I've been eating these all week. I would say Rob's report is pretty accurate. My only differences is that I thought this variety would be a bit sweeter. I found it most enjoyable once all the green is gone and there are plenty of brown spots. Very much like banana pudding in flavor. Hardly any acidity unless there is some green. Kinda made me do a double take since everything else in my yard thus far has acidity or tastes like an apple.

I had the chance to eat these side by side with my Creamwah. Boy.. What a difference!

I tried grilling them with brown spots just to see what would happen. Very intense banana candy flavor but it was kinda wet which was a surprise. I think this variety would be excellent for baking.

I really like Gros Michel, the more I eat it, the more I want to eat.

The plant does seem to be a bit finicky. It needs lots of organic matter to really get it going. Overall I don't think its is as hardy as some of the other varieties that I grow.

Definitely a good one to have if you can grow it.

robguz24

When I was recently in Ecuador, the main banana was seda, which is supposed to be a GM type. While it was good, better and clearly different than a cavendish, it wasn't anywhere near as good as the GM I've grown. No strong aroma and didn't have that almost artificial banana taste and smell. The plants certainly looked similar. I wish I could find more on it. Thanks for your comments on GM!

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sddarkman619

Hey Rob, did you get that from me? or did you buy them somewhere?
Just wondering if it's one of the GMs I sell.

I know we "lost" one in the mail that one time but I don't remember which. Manzano?

I'm just wondering if anyone I sold a GM to has had the fruit yet?

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robguz24

The GM I got here on the Big Island. I got Veinte Cohol, Mona Lisa (delicious!), and Goldfinger from you. The Veinte Cohol fell over in a wind storm right as it flowered, so fruit didn't form. The Goldfinger was pretty good, but different than the Goldfinger I have from a local source. I think FHIA-3 was the one that didn't make it here.

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