eating the nearly extinct banana from Balatro

Balatro is a rogue-like deckbuilder where you play increasingly broken poker hands, aided by mysterious Jokers. One such joker, the Gros Michel, depicts a battered banana. It sent me down a rabbit hole to learn more, and finally I get to taste the real thing.
Thank you LocalThunk for your amazing game - you can find it on Steam, Switch, PS and Xbox.
store.steampow...
Thank you to Miami Fruit for the delicious bananas! miamifruit.org/
Sources and video references:
www.sciencefri...
www.wcvb.com/a...
www.americaste...
• Trichoderma harzianum ...
• 1950s Women Having "Fu...

[@timm8o475]

Shoutouts to localthunk for singlehandedly doubling the demand for this weird banana

[@GasparLewis]

To understand how much the Gros Michel and Cavendish cards have become iconic in Balatro, there are 150 jokers in the game. In the first wave of merchandise the game just released, the only joker cards with physical items for sale are the first/tutorial joker with the game's mascot character... and the banana jokers.

[@DiceMan20]

Going "It's candy like" is a perfect guess, the Banana Flavor used in candy is based off the taste of a Big Mike

[@BlueLily342]

In case anyone is wondering a single gros michel from miami fruits is 17$ I am so tempted

[@iTheCreep]

Interesting point about the artificial flavour that makes sense since things that are banana flavoured don’t taste exactly like a natural banana. Could just be a really concentrated version of the Cavendish

[@udijargon]

Most "banana" flavoring is imitating the Gros Michel- the flavoring was invented while the Gros Michel was the dominant banana species, and it has carried on due to just being the expected "banana" flavor.

[@chucktowski_]

Wanted to provide an addendum: the banana esters that can be present in beer as an off flavor are actually a byproduct of certain yeast used in brewing, apparently when heat isnt consistent during the brew. I've tasted this a lot in Belgians.

[@tylerphuoc2653]

Have you been listening to those dope-ass Balatro OST covers that Don Palombi has been making lately?

[@Pedun42]

Yo, Balatro and Americas Test Kitchen. Truly a man of culture, I see.

[@diehardhomie]

Lost all respect in the first min when you didn't take misprint or the other joker to sell smh

[@chucktowski_]

Haha. I wondered if someone would comment on that, or how I had a polychrome showman on the left side so it wasn't 1.5x'ing the mult of the other jokers...

[@haph2087]

The other joker was a chaos the clown, and they rerolled in that shop. Literally just throwing away money, lol.

[@ninji3308]

bro, why would you skip a misprint😭

[@haph2087]

@@ninji3308 Misprint is mid. Chaos is better tbh.

[@chucktowski_]

I don't think you guys want the truth: That I was simply using cheat engine and infinite money to fish for a Gros Michel so I could record footage for the video. Diabolical.

[@retronymph]

So glad Balatro is teaching us food history

[@videomasteronee]

This was so informative!! I learned a lot about bananas today!! LOL keep up the great work!

[@chucktowski_]

Thank you LocalThunk - buy Balatro! store.steampowered.com/app/2379780/Balatro/ Miami Fruit sold me the Gros Michels - miamifruit.org/ Sources and video references: www.sciencefriday.com/articles/why-dont-banana-candies-taste-like-real-bananas/ kzbin.info/www/bejne/q36opYGjeL-CqtU kzbin.info/www/bejne/pJy2kqeYjNJ3l7s www.wcvb.com/article/the-influential-history-of-martinique/26092182

[@averagetectonicplateenjoyer]

1:54 you selling that baseball joker caused me physical pain

[@pedroff_1]

Your experience with the Gros Michel reminds me a lot of trying to eat a plantain raw. Obviously, from looks, it is not like the plantains I eat, but I think both fall into that sweeter, more banana-y taste. I can't recommend plantains enough, people. Especially if you boil or fry them in any capacity

[@pj_ammas9905]

Are plantains good raw? Ive heard theyre way too starchy and fibrous. Love them fried up though

[@pedroff_1]

@@pj_ammas9905 They *can* be starchy, but depending on how ripe they are (especially when starting tp turn overripe and look black), they become pretty edible raw

[@terminall64]

Glad this video blew up! Good stuff man

[@MrBOBOCHOCHO]

NGL I clicked on this video because of the Garrak pfp, not disappointed!

[@dm.3145]

I didn't notice it lol love that tailor

[@yugimumoto1]

Ive known about the gros Michel and it's story for some time. When I played balatro and saw that a joker was dedicated to the two bananas I was excited that people would look into it and learn about them.

[@matthueloose7172]

I am both jealous and informed. Well done.

[@RPGFort]

BANANA TIME.

[@CaptainOverkill]

I am planning on ordering Gros Michel from Miami Fruit myself soon too. I learned about the banana a few years ago and have always wanted to try one. After discovering Gros Michel, I also found out there are many other types of bananas out there that are less well known. I have found the Cuban Red (smaller than a Cavendish but has a nice rasberry flavor), the Ladyfinger (also known as Baby Bananas and Mini Bananas) and the Burro Banana all on sale in various supermarkets in the US, though they can be difficult to find. The Cuban Red seems most common. Miami Fruit also has a lot of other exotic bananas you just can't get in the US at all. If my order of Gros Michel goes well, I hope to eventually try them all!

[@timothytosser288]

Also the gros michel is supposed to taste more like bannana sweets as thats what they are based on

[@Klayht]

🍌/10 great video

[@Paroxymic]

Wow I thought it was an Arrested Development reference. I didn't realize it was a real banana cultivar!

[@ninji3308]

bro really juat used balatro as an excuse to yap about bananas😂

[@Fachewachewa]

Fun idea :D How thick the skin is is probably due to how ripe the banana is right? Even our usual bananas can get way thinner when they start getting brown. Also the S is "gros" is silent 🤓

[@pedroff_1]

Same for the blemishes. The black or brown spots tend to increase in wuatity as a banana ripens

[@chucktowski_]

@@pedroff_1 I have three others that are still green, but the gros michels have a notable amount of blemishes even in that state. They do have a thinner peel than the cavendish and I imagine it contributes to the blemishes.

[@pedroff_1]

@@chucktowski_ Sounds fair. IIRC, the thicker skin on the cavebdish also was a plus for exporting it once it replaced the Gros Michel

[@SakanaKogane]

Always bet on banana! PS: next time you eat a Cavendish, try to open it by pinching the other side (especially if it's not super ripe), it's way easier to open!

[@MyNameIsMikey]

BANANA LORE

[@JayX7]

damn now i wanna try a gros michel

[@HollyLamovsky]

+15 Mult

[@Vladimir_Lemon]

Nooooooo D: The long stem is a natural handle Great video though!

[@dangitwes]

You did good.

[@a_nobody3920]

Cool video👍

[@rainbowhornmusic]

GARARAAAAAAAAAK

[@miachristensen5444]

GREAT VIDEO :D

[@decrobyron]

Bananas