Bananas may be Britain’s favourite fruit, but most people only ever get to taste the fruits of the Cavendish variety. Those wanting to taste lesser known varieties should head to St Lucia and the East Winds resort where a ‘living banana museum’ is producing fruit from up to 10 different varieties.
Fruits ranging in colour from yellow to red and green can now be enjoyed by guests at the resort’s Flamboyant restaurant. As well as the Cavendish, East Winds grows the Gros Michel which has a delicious taste but can bruise easily, and the prolific Lacatan, that produces about 100 bananas on each plant, and is widely grown for export.
The banana museum was planted as part of East Winds’ efforts to help preserve varieties of bananas that are becoming rare either because they are difficult to grow or are difficult to transport and so only have a small local market.
The museum is part of the extensive kitchen garden at East Winds producing organic fruit and vegetables for use in the kitchens. A path through the garden enables guests to see plants being grown using traditional St Lucian methods.
For more information contact [email protected]
