I have bought bunches of bananas from Max Valu, Tesco Lotus and even the single ones from 7 Eleven.

 

Is it just me, or have bananas in the last few weeks been rock hard and not ripe at all, despite being yellow and ripe looking in colour? ????

Buy seasonal local bananas!

Unlike back home, Thailand has a zillion types of bananas with a wide variation in flavors.  What you refer to as "not ripe" may be just that, and all you need to do is wait a day.  Or, it may be one of those varieties that isn't as soft and sweet as the others.

 

My biggest banana fiasco was the day one of my coworkers brought in some bananas for all to share, and didn't mention that her variety has seeds.  Big, slimy, crunchy ones.  I thought I had bitten into a worm.

 

Once I was assured they were just seeds, they were excellent bananas. 

 

My favorite are the fat finger bananas I used to find in Kanchanaburi, with the yellow meat.

 

3 minutes ago, impulse said:

Unlike back home, Thailand has a zillion types of bananas with a wide variation in flavors.  What you refer to as "not ripe" may be just that, and all you need to do is wait a day.  Or, it may be one of those varieties that isn't as soft and sweet as the others.

 

My biggest banana fiasco was the day one of my coworkers brought in some bananas for all to share, and didn't mention that her variety has seeds.  Big, slimy, crunchy ones.  I thought I had bitten into a worm.

 

Once I was assured they were just seeds, they were excellent bananas. 

 

My favorite are the fat finger bananas I used to find in Kanchanaburi, with the yellow meat.

 

 

 

 I find bananas only last a maximum of three days after I bring them home from the market.

 

4 minutes ago, watcharacters said:

 

 I find bananas only last a maximum of three days after I bring them home from the market.

 

 

I try to buy bananas that will be perfect tomorrow...  And I leave sealed them in the plastic bag if I want them to age slower...

Market? BUY bananas?


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4 hours ago, watcharacters said:

I find bananas only last a maximum of three days after I bring them home from the market. 

That's sounds plausible.

In the family we have different types of bananas.

Some come green and three or four days later they turn brown.

Currently having a big bundle of ripe finger bananas on the desk.

Will have to hurry

 

Riveting stuff this.

15 minutes ago, blinkers said:

Riveting stuff this.

It is so serious it almost calls for intervention by the PM. He has a fascination for such serious matters affecting the well being of the country. Elections can be won or lost on unripe bananas. 

My wife sells bananas in her shop. There has been a problem recently that some green bananas just do not ripen well and can take 5 days or more - she buys green ones with the expectation they will ripen in about 2-3 days. This upsets everything as she has to go to the market again to buy yellow ones.

 

A problem when you sell bananas retail to a small customer base (i.e. in a village) is waste - about a quarter go to the pigs due to fluctuating demand.

Your first problem is that you live in Thailand and yet you are buying your bananas from "Max Valu, Tesco Lotus and even the single ones from 7 Eleven" which is your first mistake.

Find a Thai market.  They are everywhere throughout the country.  Buy your bananas locally and not at some big-box, probably foreign-owned, super market.  I can find a multitude of different types of banana in various stages of ripeness from rock hard to wonderfully ripe.  Your problem is where you chose to shop, not the bananas. 

Edited September 25, 20187 yr by connda

That's the darn thing about fruit - it needs to ripen.

Except Durian.  IMO it tastes much better when 80% ripe before it starts stinking with soft gooey flesh.  I hated the stuff until a friend recommended eating it before it ripens.  It doesn't smell and the flesh has the same texture and similar flavour to chestnuts.

 

Unfortunately, you need to know someone with a farm as the ones sold at markets etc are 'ripe'.

22 hours ago, watcharacters said:

 

 

 I find bananas only last a maximum of three days after I bring them home from the market.

 

Sometimes, the larger ones have been frozen.

Well, even in the middle of nowhere in my vast homeland up north  ripe bananas are in no short supply, a bit over half a dollar per kilo. Good mangoes are almost impossible to get, though. And coconuts suck.

We have a dozen or more banana plants.  What this means is we are either suddenly overwhelmed with bananas and have to give them away to friends and family, or we have none at all and have to buy them.