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Ramps
The wild ramp, AKA wild leek, botanical name Allium tricoccum, is a flowering perennial plant that grows in clusters. It is a member of the Allium family along with onions and leeks
Calamondin Limes
The Calamondin lime is a cross between a sour, loose skinned mandarin and a kumquat, therefore technically making it an orangequat.
Salanova® Lettuces
Salanova® lettuce is a full-sized variety developed for the baby lettuce market. Botanically these varieties are scientifically known as Lactuca sativa.
Description/Taste
Horn bananas are medium to large in size, averaging 30-35 centimeters in length, and are elongated and angular in shape with slightly pointed ends. The thick, tough peel is smooth with pronounced ridges running the length of the fruit and matures from green to bright yellow with some brown spots. Underneath the peel, the flesh is dense, pale yellow to cream-colored, and is seedless or contains a few, dark brown undeveloped, edible seeds. Horn bananas have a firm and starchy consistency with a very mild, neutral flavor.
Seasons/Availability
Horn bananas are available year-round in tropical climates.
Current Facts
Horn bananas are a hybrid fruit that grows on evergreen trees and belongs to the Musaceae family. Classified as an herb, Horn bananas are also known as Horn plantains due to their starchy texture and ability to be used in cooked applications. In Southeast Asia, banana is a term loosely used to describe both bananas and plantains, so oftentimes the fruits will be labeled generally as a banana. Horn bananas are a broad category that encompasses many different varieties of plantains that originated in Southeast Asia and are now found across the tropical, warm, and humid regions of the world. Horn bananas are typically larger than other banana varieties, contain a high amount of starch, and are mild in flavor making them suitable for a wide range of cooked applications.
Nutritional Value
Horn bananas contain potassium, fiber, and vitamins A, B, and C.
Applications
Horn bananas are best suited for cooked applications such as boiling, baking, steaming, grilling, or frying and can be used when unripe or ripe. The starchy flesh softens with cooking, and sugar, cinnamon, apple juice, or coconut milk can be incorporated into the cooked dish for added flavor. Horn bananas can also be dried and ground into a flour which is used for ice creams, bread, baby food, and cakes, or it can be sliced and baked into chips, pickled, or chopped and mixed into relishes. When fried, Horn bananas are served as a side dish to cooked meats, rice, vegetables, and beans and pair well with squash, sour orange, apples, cumin, cilantro, garlic, allspice, and cloves. The bananas can also be sliced and cooked in stews, soups, and curries or they can be mashed like a sweet potato. Horn bananas will keep for a couple of days at room temperature, up to one week when stored in the refrigerator, and for 2-3 weeks when wrapped in plastic and stored in the freezer.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
In Southeast Asia, banana trees are deeply rooted in traditional cultures and are used as a source of food, medicine, and as building materials. They also hold many symbolic meanings such as representing prosperity and are often seen in crop fields to promote abundant harvests. In addition to prosperity, bananas are seen as a symbol of fertility, and in some regions of Southeast Asia, the plants are given as a gift in wedding dowries as a belief that the plant will provide food and health for the family.
Geography/History
Bananas are believed to be native to Southeast Asia and were introduced to Africa as early as 500 CE. The fruits were then spread to Polynesia, tropical America, and the Mediterranean, and in the 1900s, bananas became one of the most important globally grown commercial crops. Today Horn bananas are found in tropical climates around the world, especially in West and Central Africa, Southeast Asia, Central America, and South America, and are available at local markets and select specialty grocers.
