Pisang Raja Taste Report
 

(Don't ask me why its sideways)

TEXTURE-Out of hand it reminds me of a typical Cavendish yet a little drier and perhaps a slight graininess.

FIRMNESS-somewhat firm, not as firm as namwah

SWEETNESS-Somewhat sweet and increasingly mild as it becomes more ripe.

TARTNESS-Drastically dependent upon ripeness. Starts out tart but then quickly fades.

RIPENESS-Green or yellow at the tip during testing

FLAVOR- Have you ever been in a shower where the difference between tepid and scalding on the dial is about a micron? As I eat more I find that timing to the flavor is critical. I've been eating them with some green on the tip an can note start differences depending on how much green there is. Too much green and its astringent, too yellow and the flavors fade. But…………if you hit it just right, you get a wonderful blend of cherry, orange and kiwi. (Little to no classic banana flavor.) It’s still there as it gets riper, but it dulls, becoming a little more like Cavendish or an older Brazilian.

OTHER: It’s my wife’s favorite banana thus far. I have to admit the flavor is fantastic if you get the timing right. The flavor returns a bit if you cook them. I grilled them when they were fully yellow and noticed an improvement vs. raw. Additionally, I don't know if it was the cold weather during the ripening process, but they are not so easy to peel. The peel sticks to the fruit and is frustrating to get off.

GROWING IT: The plant itself is a little weak in comparison to the other varieties I grow currently. It’s my first time growing it and I got a 16 lb bunch. I would only suggest growing it if you have extra space not being used and want some more variety. It’s not that I don’t like it, but I do think that there are better varieties to be had.




OVERALL RATING: 6. It could be great however the low yield I experienced and the finicky timing to eat it are a little disappointing. The peel sticking is also annoying. Perhaps the fruit would be better if it wasn't ripening during our "winter". For now I will keep it, but if someone offers me something different to try.....I could see it getting mulched.

SUGGESTED USE: Eat it ripe………..if you can…..bwahahahahah!

Re: Pisang Raja Taste Report
 

Sounds very interesting and thanks for the detailed report! I look forward to trying my alleged Pisang Raja. Did the peel have a slight fuzziness to it? What was the original source of the plant? This is a variety that seems quite different from everything I've seen and read on bananas.org versus the description in the Kepler & Rust book. Thanks for including the plant pictures in the report. I'll have to start doing that for mine in the future!

Re: Pisang Raja Taste Report
 

I should have checked for the fuzz right when I harvested. There is no noticeable fuzz at the moment. (yellow) The plant was a tissue culture from Going Bananas.

I appreciate the compliments. I thought I would include a "Growing It" section in the report since every variety has its quirks and its information I wish I had when I started out. Chances are that they will have to grow it themselves unless they happen to be in your neighborhood. :)

Re: Pisang Raja Taste Report
 

I have never noticed a fuzz on the peel. Everything else is spot on to my experience with the fruit. Yield is low, and there are not many fingers per hand. It does taste great at certain times of ripeness. I think my average after 3 harvests is about 20 lbs.

Re: Pisang Raja Taste Report
 

Finally had my first taste of Pisang Raja this week. I wonder if what is described in Kepler & Rust and found in Hawaii is different than what you are growing. The fruit look quite different. The ones here are the same size and shape as Mysore. The plant itself is similar but not as much black and the underside of leaves aren't as red. The fruit I found much like a Mysore that had half the taste removed, with the same texture. While I enjoyed it, Mysore is so much better that I've decided not to plant more than one of these.

Re: Pisang Raja Taste Report
 

Can't explain the differences in eating experiences. (yours sounds better) I uprooted it and made way for a Hoa Moa. hopefully I like that one more. We shall see. If not, I'm growing more gold finger.

Re: Pisang Raja Taste Report
 

Thanks for the taste report! I really enjoy these reports! Wow, this is confusing. Evidently there is a Pisang Raja Sereh which is a synonym for the Philippine Latundan, a Pisang Raja Undang which is a synonym for Red Dacca/Cuban Red, and just plain Pisang Raja? Is that correct? How tall did yours get? growables.org says up to 20'!