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.
