Going Bananas

I thought my tica family would be enthusiastic and excited to discuss this week’s topic, considering we eat plantains at every dinner. To my surprise, the vague answers I received from my family confirmed their lack of interest in the topic. I asked different questions, such as the differences between the preparation of bananas and plantains.  My sister simply answered “bananas are a fruit. Plantains are a vegetable. They are going to taste different.” Her boyfriend was a little more specific and explained that bananas are usually eaten raw and whole, while plantains are cooked. There are varieties of plantain recipes, some spicy, some sweet, some sliced round, and others sliced in thin strips.  When I asked if plantains were always on the dinner table, every person agreed yes in unison. My grandmother explained that bananas and plantains are important to the Costa Rican culture for two reasons. First, bananas are exported to various countries, which boosts the economy.  The second reason bananas and plantains are important is because of their cultural significance. She explained that bananas and plantains are found in all aspects of tican cuisine and numerous dishes. When I asked her how Costa Rican history tied into banana cultivation, she seemed a little confused. Then she answered that since the beginning of history, Caribbeans (not Costa Ricans) cultivated bananas while Ticans grew coffee. I found this response interesting, because it is still prevalent today. In previous class discussions, we mentioned that growing coffee has a higher status because it has cultural significance and symbolic meaning to Costa Rica. Coffee growers have a cultural importance because they “unify” the country. I found it interesting that no one person in my tican family had a strong opinion on either bananas or plantains. They have become such a staple item within my particular family’s cuisine, yet my family lacks an opinion and knowledge on the food.

When I observed how bananas were sold in Costa Rican grocery stores, I first noticed the mass quantities of bananas, green plantains, and yellow plantains all separated in different crates. The bananas being sold were all extremely ripe and bruised. Many had large brown patches, and did not have the appealing appearance and perfection like the bananas found in the United States. Besides the green plantains, I did not see any green or un-ripe bananas. They were mushy, and ready to be consumed that day. I believe this observation told a lot about the importance of selling bananas to the Costa Rican culture. Costa Rica exports the premium un-bruised bananas to other countries, while ticans consume the “damaged” bananas. Many of the bananas being exported are un-ripened and green, because it can take days for the shipment to reach the correct location. I found it fascinating that Costa Rica keeps the damaged bananas and exports the higher quality ones.

The bananas that are represented in this photo, are sold by the "hand" and in large quantites. Just as I spoke about earlier, most of the bananas being sold are bruised and covered with brown spots. The imperfections of these banana are common among bananas sold in Costa Rica.