Banana republic
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Bocas del Toro Panama is in the middle of the Banana
Republic. For many years the area was supported
strictly by its banana production. So, here are a few
facts about bananas that you may now know:
Banana plants are not trees. They are a giant herb of the same family as lilies, orchids and palms. The rhizome is planted and gives a first growth three or four weeks later. After nine or ten months the cluster of flowers from the circle of leaflike cusps can have a diameter of up to seven meters which is the beginning of the fruiting process. Three days later a bud hangs from the plant. On the fifth day following the initiation of the fruiting process, the bud turns red and starts opening. Seven days following the initiation of the fruiting process the leaves which covered the cluster of flowers begin falling down. And then finally two days later you can see the first banana hands. The best way for the bananas to ripen is for them to be cut at about this time and the stem is hung upside down.
Each banana stem has ten to 14 hands. Each hand holds about 18 to 20 bananas. Bananas prepared for export are cut green. There are twenty days from the time they are cut green to the time they will be ripe. In this time period they must be processed and shipped.
We are fortunate here in Bocas del Toro because our bananas are left to ripen at least partially on the plant which allows them to develop a much richer flavor.
Banana plants are not trees. They are a giant herb of the same family as lilies, orchids and palms. The rhizome is planted and gives a first growth three or four weeks later. After nine or ten months the cluster of flowers from the circle of leaflike cusps can have a diameter of up to seven meters which is the beginning of the fruiting process. Three days later a bud hangs from the plant. On the fifth day following the initiation of the fruiting process, the bud turns red and starts opening. Seven days following the initiation of the fruiting process the leaves which covered the cluster of flowers begin falling down. And then finally two days later you can see the first banana hands. The best way for the bananas to ripen is for them to be cut at about this time and the stem is hung upside down.
Each banana stem has ten to 14 hands. Each hand holds about 18 to 20 bananas. Bananas prepared for export are cut green. There are twenty days from the time they are cut green to the time they will be ripe. In this time period they must be processed and shipped.
We are fortunate here in Bocas del Toro because our bananas are left to ripen at least partially on the plant which allows them to develop a much richer flavor.
