robguz24

Well since I started planting many different varieties a couple years ago, I'm now getting to finally taste new ones on a regular basis. This week it is the "Lady Finger" that I planted 2 years ago, sold by Novelty Greens, the main banana supplier to nurseries in Hawaii. Based on other postings, it is probably the same banana sold at Logee's which they supposedly got from Hawaii 20 years ago or something. Banana ‘Dwarf Lady Finger’ - Logee's Greenhouses

It's almost certainly a cavendish, and certainly an AAA type if not. The short review is, if you like other cavendish, this is worth growing, and to my tastes anyway, is superior to Williams and Grand Nain. It's maybe 1 foot taller at flowering than the Double Mahois I have, but shorter than Williams.

Still can't decide if I should keep the plant I have or remove it for something more interesting. And to make clear my bias, I'm not a big fan of Cavendish types.

Anyway, here is the report.

TEXTURE- creamy, even when slightly green. A little mealy when as ripe as the ripe one in the picture. Much like a Williams or other Cavendish, which I don’t personally care for.

FIRMNESS-Soft, with same firmness throughout. Again, much like other Cavendish.

SWEETNESS-Very sweet, a bit more than store Cavendish.

TARTNESS-Just the slightest bit of tangy feeling on the finish. More so than other Cavendish, which normally don’t have any.

RIPENESS-Tasted at the ripeness levels almost as in the picture. I ate the yellow one, and another a bit more yellow than the green one.

FLAVOR-It’s pretty good. Better tasting than a store bought Cavendish and even home grown Williams and Grand Naine that I’ve had. It’s kind of in between a Williams and a Gros Michel. The texture is like a Williams, but maybe a bit more to my preference (not as pastey), while the flavor and smell are half way to the delicious, complex flavors in a Gros Michel.

OTHER-Sometimes Cavendish can have the peel strings stick to the ripe fruit, but they didn’t, which is good. The bunch size was big, and the first hand had 31 fingers, more than on any other variety I’ve grown.

OVERALL RATING-This is a tough one. The taste and smell are pleasant, and better than other Cavendish types, and get maybe a 7, but the texture is just too soft and mealy when the flavor is best. Even greenish, they are just too mushy. So maybe 6-6.5 overall, but if you like Cavendish types you’re probably going to love the Lady Finger. After eating the first few I was ready to rip them out, but they have grown on me some.

SUGGESTED USE-Out of hand, desserts, cereal, frozen.

__________________
My micro-farm

Stay on my Big Island banana farm cottage

PR-Giants

Thanks Rob, great report.

I've always wondered about the taste difference between a store bought farm fresh local Cavendish
and an imported one. Seeing that most bananas grown in Hawaii are Cavendish and all imported ones
are also, it would be interesting to see a side by side "Taste Report" between the two.

Are imported Cavendish labeled differently or do you have to wait until you eat them to know?

__________________

PR-Giants Photo Gallery


15,000+ Varieties

Worm_Farmer

Please to a tast report of SweetHeart. I have been told they taste like Candy and you will have trouble trying to eat them.

robguz24

At least on Hawaii Island, you can pretty easily find what I think are all Williams grown on the island as the farm has its own sticker and the stores will mark them as local. From my own home grown Williams, I really don't think they taste much different than the imported Dole and Chiquita ones. I'll try to remember to do that though, it would be interesting. The local ones sold in stores still are picked a while before they're ripe. But I don't know that it really matters much as long as the fruit have filled in. Even when I've thought my home grown Williams might have tasted better than store bought, I can't rule out that it wasn't just the bias in wanting to think they were better because I grew them and picked them more ripe. Anyway, when I do try to do that comparison report, I'll do it blinded.

I'd love to taste a Sweetheart, or really any type I haven't already tried. I've never seen the plants of fruit for sale here though.

__________________
My micro-farm

Stay on my Big Island banana farm cottage