Fruitbasket Turnover: Bananitos

I was having dinner with a friend the other night when the conversation turned to tropical fruit. Having compared notes on mangoes, mangosteens, cherimoyas, and other stuff, we started talking about threats to the Cavendish banana and then about the alternate varieties that might take its place. He told me about apple bananas, of which I had never heard before (I know; I live under a rock), and I vowed to check them out the next time I was at the DeKalb Farmer’s Market.

Lucky me, I didn’t even have to *leave the house*. A few days later, my friend showed up at my door holding a clutch of those little stubby bananas you see at the store. Having been told that they likely wouldn’t be ripe enough until the next day, I had to sit around and do other stuff to keep myself from breaking one open.

So, having had one today, I can tell you that they *do indeed* taste like apples. There’s a note of Granny Smith tartness and the associated esters when you first start eating one that then mellows into the flavor of a slightly-green banana.

Being as I like to eat my Cavendishes slightly green, I’ll definitely be looking out for bananitos on future grocery trips.