Friday, February 11, 2011

Preparing the Palate: Bananas

Beer and wine drinkers need to be in tuned with their taste buds. 


The Red Bananas are next to the pineapples
The Baby Banana are in the upper left
The Yellow Bananas have the one large Plantain on top of them
 For beer drinkers you have Abbey Double and Triple Ales, IPAs, Pale Ales, Stouts, Dopplebocks and a variety of other styles that offer a variety of flavors.  Flavors can range from: coffee, chocolate, pineapple, citrus flavors, apples, bananas, woody notes, nuts, an assortment of spices, and more. 


For red wine drinkers you can have flavors of dark berries (many to choose from), fruits, red berries, coffee, variety of chocolate notes, pepper and other spices, and a lot more.


For white wine drinkers the flavors are of course lighter in nature compared to red wines.  With flavors of pear, apples, peach, lemon, lime, honey, rose petal, other floral, melon, pineapple, a variety of spices and much more.

To help identify and distinguish the different flavors and the level or degrees of flavor it is important to sample these flavors at different times.  Take some time to sniff out the spice cabinet.  Smell the different types of pepper (see white, green, pink, and black pepper postings).  Smell the nutmeg, cinnamon, and then some of the herbs in the cabinet. 

Plan a tasting day and focus on different types of fruit.  And, that is what ‘Preparing the Palate’ postings are going to focus on. 

Today’s focus Bananas


There are around 500 different types of bananas to choose from but, most people have only had the common yellow banana.  For this tasting I have selected the Baby Banana, Red Banana, Plantain, and the common Cavendish. 

Baby Banana:  They are also called lady finger and finger bananas.  Because of the size and sweetness they would be perfect for the kids to eat.  I also use them for the dark chocolate fountain but, people are intimidated by them or they think they are just decoration.  They can be a pain to peal though. 
They say this is one of the sweetest of the banana family.  This banana does have a sweet banana taste and aroma.   I think it has a nice little nut taste when they are plenty ripe to eat.

Red Banana: I have read where the red banana is supposed to have a raspberry –banana flavor.  I am still looking forward tasting one with that flavor profile.  To me this banana has a wonderful sweet and creamy taste that is much better than the common yellow banana.  Of course this red banana has a banana taste and it too is better than the yellow banana.  Not only does this banana have a creamy taste but, the texture is creamy as well.  The aftertaste on the red banana seems to linger longer than the common banana. 

Plantains: This banana is not actually good for just eating.  They are very firm and personally not all the tasty when eaten plain.  This banana is for cooking.  Boiled, fried, steamed or cooked.  The aroma is very mild and not sweet at all.  The taste (eaten plain) yuk!  They are right, it needs to be cooked.

Cavendish (common yellow) Banana: This is the one everybody buys at the grocery store.  This banana has a mild-medium banana taste.  It is not all that sweet tasting and the texture is rather dry.  Comparing this banana to the other two I ask myself ‘why would I even buy this banana?’ 

 Head on out to the store and pick up some bananas and do your own tasting.  This is fun to do with the family or at your next wine party or beer sampling party. 

Personally, the red banana is it!  I’ll use for my cereal, banana splits or for just plain eating.  The taste is that much better than the common yellow.  I also, think I start using the red and baby banana as descriptors in my reviews. 

To the Point:
Red Bananas: Creamy-sweet banana taste and creamy texture.  A solid medium banana taste.
Baby Bananas: Sweet banana nut taste.
Cavendish: A mild or mild-medium dry, slightly sweet, banana taste.
Plantains: Save them for cooking.

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