I can hardly believe it, but yes, I have my very first banana harvest! Some of you may remember that back in April I posted a photo of the banana flower with the little bananas growing around it, and then in May I made a salad with that very flower (recipe here) which was delicious! Well, many months have gone by, I was almost giving up on my bunch, and before leaving in December I thought that maybe I wasn't going to find any bananas upon my return. But they were still there, and fatter! And then a couple of days ago I noticed some yellow... I know that it may sound silly but I was so excited!
Please consider that I grew up in a mountain village in the North of Italy: we don't do bananas there! We were actually too high even to grow tomatoes, let alone anything remotely tropical. This must be why I am so over the moon and OMG and still cannot believe it!
With my trusty machete I cut the banana bunch off the plant, one thing that I have learned living in the bush is that if I don't hurry other creatures will, and I read that banana can finish ripening on the kitchen bench. Of course I had to taste one immediately! OMG again and again, I swear that this is the best ever tasting banana I ever had, it is perfect, and has a citrusy note and perfect texture. Maybe I am just proud, and happy, but I cannot remember any banana tasting better that this one! My little boy (the biggest banana consumer in the household) agrees with me, so that's nice :-). I have 46 of them, yuppy!!!
And nothing to do with bananas, but I have Cape gooseberries too :-)
Photos by Alessandra Zecchini ©
I am impressed!!! Bananas in Auckland - WOW I know nothing about growing them but didnt think it was possible and that they taste GREAT!
ReplyDeleteVery exciting, its a great idea to ripen indoors - it would be awful if the animals/insects/birds got stuck into them!
If you know any tips on ripening figs - please share. As soon as they are ripe the birds get stuck in!!!
In Italy we don't have as many birds as in NZ, and they more shy, but here you really need to be quick, or put a net over the tree (even if they are known to go under!).
DeleteI would be excited too! Certainly worth the wait :)
ReplyDeleteI think that the position was good, sheltered away from the wind, lots of water and half of my kitchen compost!
ReplyDeleteGrandiosa! Sarei emozionata anch'io! Non ci sono abituata, mi fa una stranan sensazione vedere il "casco" ^_^ Un bacio, buona giornata
ReplyDeletee fai bene ad essere orgogliosa, chi non lo sarebbe riuscendo a mangiare le banane coltivate in proprio??
ReplyDeletecomplimentissimi davvero Alessanra, ti invidio anceh un po' ^^
Che soddisfazione Ale!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteVery satisfying, picking your own fruit.
ReplyDeleteI've grown Cape Gooseberries here, on a windowsill!
Really? My plants become really big with long stems that crawl everywhere, I didn't know that you could keep them on a windowsill maybe the remain small if they are in a pot
DeleteI cant believe I think is amazing have your own bananas (lol)
ReplyDeleteHappy Valentine Alessadra!
I remember your banana flower post!!! So cool you've got such a good harvest. That is really fun! How wonderful it must be have exotic fruits growing in your own garden. Enjoy those bananas!
ReplyDeleteYes it is really fun Rose, but mostly I am so ... grateful!!
DeleteOMG davvero, che bella sensazione deve essere, ma lo sai che cosa mi fa ancora più impressione (almeno per il momento) ? Vedere quei piedi con le infradito, vorrei avere quella sensazione di caldo adesso...oggi ancora -10. Brr!! Mangia una banana anche per me e mandami un po' di caldo...
ReplyDeleteSe potessi ti manderei il caldo e anche un paio di banane, e a Barbara pure, mi sento quasi in colpa ad essere in estate. Stanotte pero' ho sognato il mio paese in Italia e che nevicava e nevicava e non avevo abbastanza vestiti, e poi sono andata sulle piste ed ha cominciato a piovere a dirotto e mi sono svegliata alle 5 con il rumore del temporale. Adesso e' quasi mezzogiorno e non ha ancora smesso di piovere, ho fatto bene a fare quelle foto ieri: oggi avrei bisogno delle pinne, altro che infradito!! :-)
DeleteBeautiful! We never grew bananas back in Malaysia (probably because they were so cheap), but we had mangoes (oh, the fragrance!), jackfruit, custard apple and the ubiquitous papayas. I miss all the tropical fruits.
ReplyDeleteI wish that I could have a mango tree (and they are so beautiful!) as it is our family's favourite, but maybe that would be really impossible in NZ. What do you think?
ReplyDeleteAlessandra, it is amazing! Congratulation on your first banana. I made my first panna cotta, come and see, please... What do you think?
ReplyDeleteOh congratulations - like having babies :-) I remember my childhood growing up in Auckland, we had a banana plant (which even fruited). I seem to recall that each year the plant threw off three more plants, and of course each year each one of them did the same. We had quite a plantation in no time.
ReplyDeleteWe also had cape gooseberries - which are one of my absolute favourite fruits - I've never had them since I moved to the South Island.
xo
Yes there are other banana plants around the water tank now, but space is a bit limited there, although the idea of a plantation sounds good, if I can get more bananas :-). Can you grow Cape gooseberries in Nelson?
DeleteWow!! So exciting!! I don't think I know of anyone who's grown bananas, apart from in a tropical place... good work! Also those cape gooseberries look great :)
ReplyDeleteWow! Homegrown bananas! That is amazing. They look very cute and delicious!
ReplyDelete