Bananas!

How are bananas and plantains eaten in Costa Rica (fresh, cooked, etc.)?

--Are bananas an important fruit in Costa Rica?  Why or why not?

--How is Costa Rican history tied to banana cultivation?

My tica mom actually brought up a lot of things that we talked about in class! She explained about a hundred ways to cool plantains and uses for bananas, she even gave me recipes for a few! to summarize, bananas are used for fruit salads or desserts when they are not eaten by themselves. Plantains can be cooked when green or ripe, but most people buy the ripe ones (according to my mom). The most interesting conclusion that she came to was that plantains are vegetables and bananas are fruits. I am not sure about how the items are biologically classified, but I thought it was strange that this fact was so black and white for my mom. The preparation of the two items would support her point and I think that my mom follows the customs more than facts. The comparison is just another example of how cultural values determine the opinions of the foods. Because plantains are cooked like potatoes, and society says that they are vegetables, my mom believes that. This goes back to the fact that societal values are not always based on truth, but more on how the items are presented. We ended up talking about the fact that bananas have been one of the biggest exports for not only Costa Rica, but for the whole nation. She mentioned that there used to be a company called the United Fruit company in Limon, but now a lot of those plantations have been abandoned because the fruit didn't grow. In addition, she mentioned that there is now a large company Chiquita, that has the most number of plantations. In addition, she stated that people here do not buy from companies and do not know brands because they just buy from vendors and super markets do not identify the producers. She has been to the states and says that the bananas there are too hard, not as sweet and that she does not understand why there are so many companies. Due to the fact that she has seen both banana cultures, she explained that people in Costa Rica do not have as perfect of bananas but they have better taste. She emphasized that bananas that ripen on trees have a better taste and that when they ripen off of the tree they never reach the point of being ready to eat. The conversation correlated to our current discussions of the change in companies, the influence of outside values on inside values and the difference between U.S. culture and Costa Rica. 

PHOTO:  Take photos of bananas.  How are they sold?  How many types are being sold (ripe/unripe, small ones, large ones, etc.)?  How prominently (or not) are they displayed?  What does the selling of bananas/plaintains tell us about the centrality or importance of bananas to Costa Rican culture?

Bananas are sold by "manos" and are almost always sold when they are ripe. I have seen a few types of sizes of bananas and my family generally has a different size each week, depending on where my mom buys her bananas. I have found that they are displayed in fruit stands on the streets but at stores they are placed similarly to U.S. supermarkets. The bananas are placed in a way that reduces the amount of bruising and allows people to take whole hands. As seen in the picture, I find that bananas are sold in a way that makes them easiest for the customer. The fact that bananas are available year round and are eaten when ripe says that they are a staple in the lives and diets of Costa Ricans. I have a banana every day and I know that it is one of the fruits that my mom buys every week, her family used to grow their own bananas!