Plantain Bananas

Fresh from the tropics, a rare selection of the finest “hands” of bananas make up this assortment, which may include the following varieties:

• Baby Bananas, which are snack-sized and have a sweet flavor, with a hint of cinnamon aftertaste.
• The creamy, sweet, chunky shaped Burro Bananas have a slight taste of lemon.
• The Red Bananas are creamy white to pink fleshed and flavored with a hint of raspberry blended with notes of vanilla.
• Manzano Bananas, with their stubby looking fingers, have a sweet taste with flavors of gourmet apples and tones of strawberries.
• Plantains, known as “cooking bananas” have the best texture and flavor for sautéeing and are popular when served battered and deep fried.

Bananas are revered as one of the world’s divine foods. You have never experienced bananas like this small, red variety unless you’ve visited Ecuador or Central America. They are smaller in size than the common Cavendish banana and have a creamy white to pink flesh, with a slight raspberry flavor. They can be sliced and dried or eaten raw in salads, but are usually eaten fresh out of hand.

Red Bananas, when ripe, should have a purplish hue. Choose slightly firm Red Bananas and avoid bruises or cracks. Store Red Bananas uncovered at room temperature. Turn occasionally. To prepare for frying, simply cut off ends and peel. Season with fresh herbs from Melissa’s.

Peel and enjoy raw, eaten out of hand. Slice and add to fruit salads, fry, or leave whole for decorative use.

These yellow bananas are the most widely used and classic banana variety that you’ve grown up with. Cavendish have been the staple lunchbox variety since the late 1950s, and for good reason! This variety has year-round availability, is disease resistant, and features a classic banana flavor.

Bananas contain many essential vitamins and minerals that your body needs, including fiber and potassium.

Cavendish ripen from bright green to a striking golden yellow. If you let them sit around in the fruit basket, they’ll develop a sun-kissed spotted brown look, that will eventually develop into a deep, dark brown.

Everyone has a different preference when it comes to the ideal eating stage, but the truth is you can actually eat them in all phases. Green bananas are great for making bananas chips, and you can even add to smoothies. For overripe bananas, they shine in bread recipes, pancakes, cookies and oatmeal – even ice cream! Bananas, in general, are incredibly versatile. They can be eaten out of hand, baked or added to fruit salads, desserts and more.

Considered a food staple around the world, there are over 300 varieties of bananas worldwide. Baby Bananas, although somewhat smaller than the most popular yellow Cavendish banana, are actually sweeter. Native to tropical and sub-tropical areas like Central and South America, the Caribbean and Mexico, small crops are also grown in California and Florida.

Widely used in Latin American, African and Asian and Pacific Rim cuisine, Melissa’s Baby Bananas (available in 15 pound units) are amazingly versatile. Shaped like miniature slender bananas, this small, crunchy specialty banana is usually eaten out of hand or sliced raw for use in fruit salads. Peeled Baby Bananas can also be left whole and gently baked or flambeed with brown sugar, brandy or rum. Baby Bananas should not be confused with Manzanos, which are a somewhat different shape and not as sweet.

Peel and leave whole for decorative use. Slice and add to fruit salads.