mdouglas

I ordered a box of Gros Michel fruit online a few weeks ago and just received it. I'm a bit underwhelmed by the size of the fruit, I expected them to be larger or at least 'plumper' than the regular grocery store bananas, but these seem quite small. Smaller, in fact, than any cavendish bananas I've ever bought at the grocery store.

Were my expectations incorrect? Can someone who is familiar with Gros Michel tell if these are actually Gross Michel? Or did they send me the wrong bananas?



I'm attaching two pictures. Oddly enough, I don't have a cavendish for comparison , but I included a peach. And one picture of me holding them. The one on the far right is the biggest one I received and is almost (but not quite) as long as a standard cavendish.

Click the pics below for a larger view:





Thanks!

sputinc7

They look about right for home grown GM bananas. You will likely know for sure when you taste them.
You know how every once in a while you buy a few cavendish at the store and they are just especially good? Same basic flavor only a bit better tasting, and they always taste like that. It's my 2nd fave after Paggi. If you wanna try Paggi, you will likely need to grow them.
I am actually more interested in where you found them.

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Varieties I supposedly bought: Manzano, Cavendish, Blue Java, Sweetheart, and Gros Michel.
What it seems I actually have: Brazilian, Cavendish, Namwah, Dwarf Red, Gros Michel, Pisang Ceylon, Veinte Cohol and SH 3640, and American Goldfinger. FHIA 1, Paggi and FHIA 17... Always room for one more.

Gabe15

Size of fruit can change dramatically depending on growing conditions. A lot of specific effort goes into making export-quality Cavendish as large as possible, and then only the best of them are even presented. Gros Michel is not grown for export anymore, and especially if grown somewhere like Florida, is not going to be subjected to the same protocols to enchance fruit size. Even in similar growing condtions and well taken care of, Gros Michel can often be smaller than the larger Cavendish types. Additionally, Gros Michel (and Cavendish for that matter) are not one variety, they are groups of varieties, which varying traits such as fruit size within the group. Those fruits look fine to be Gros Michel.

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mdouglas

I can't wait to taste them! I've been waiting for many years to get one, finally ended up splurging and buying a box.

I ordered them online from Miami Fruit.

Yes, these are from Florida. I guess my expectations were just too high as far as what they would look like. Now I'm hoping my expectations on taste aren't overblown.

sputinc7

My best description would be a slightly creamier, slightly sweeter more pungent banana flavor than a Cavendish. Not worlds apart, same basic flavor, banana flavor, but notably better tasting than Cavendish.

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Varieties I supposedly bought: Manzano, Cavendish, Blue Java, Sweetheart, and Gros Michel.
What it seems I actually have: Brazilian, Cavendish, Namwah, Dwarf Red, Gros Michel, Pisang Ceylon, Veinte Cohol and SH 3640, and American Goldfinger. FHIA 1, Paggi and FHIA 17... Always room for one more.

bananaT

Another thing is that I don't think you're ever going to get the same flavor and quality as if they were allowed to get more plump & start to ripen on the tree.
Its the nature of having to ship them. But it a huge downside too. And it does sometimes ruin the Awesome reputations that some of the better bananas have.

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mdouglas

I had my first one today. It wasn't completely ripe, but I wanted to get started - I have 40 bananas to eat! It was like you described - slightly better tasting than Cavendish - but definitely not worth the luxurious price. I was expecting something much better, but perhaps as they completely ripen they'll improve.

Good point. Next time I'm in Miami I'm hoping to get some that are tree-ripened.

mdouglas

Here's the bottom line: Totally not worth the luxurious expense.

While they taste slightly better than store-bought Cavendish bananas, they're much smaller.

If I ever get a chance to buy them from a farm stand and can see the fruit first and buy in small numbers then I may consider buying them again - depending on the price. But I would never order them online again.

I'll be making a lot of banana bread this weekend!

sputinc7

They make the best banana bread... Especially with this recipe from a cookbook old enough to be made when Gros Michel was in stores...

Best Banana Bread Recipe...

½ cup butter (softened)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Cream together butter and sugar.
Beat eggs then add to sugar / butter mix.
Smash bananas and add lemon juice. Mix. Add to creamed mixture and mix well.
Mix salt, baking powder and flour then add to mix.
Bake at 375 degrees until done.

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If you lose your head and give up, you neither live nor win.

https://sputinc7.wixsite.com/covwc

Varieties I supposedly bought: Manzano, Cavendish, Blue Java, Sweetheart, and Gros Michel.
What it seems I actually have: Brazilian, Cavendish, Namwah, Dwarf Red, Gros Michel, Pisang Ceylon, Veinte Cohol and SH 3640, and American Goldfinger. FHIA 1, Paggi and FHIA 17... Always room for one more.

sputinc7

FYI.. Gros Michel do not freeze well. They turn to liquid when thawed.

__________________

If you lose your head and give up, you neither live nor win.

https://sputinc7.wixsite.com/covwc

Varieties I supposedly bought: Manzano, Cavendish, Blue Java, Sweetheart, and Gros Michel.
What it seems I actually have: Brazilian, Cavendish, Namwah, Dwarf Red, Gros Michel, Pisang Ceylon, Veinte Cohol and SH 3640, and American Goldfinger. FHIA 1, Paggi and FHIA 17... Always room for one more.