19/05/2026
TICO TALES
There’s No Such Thing as Too Many Bananas
When your banana plants overproduce!
Proudly Submitted by Adelia Ritchie. .
Costa Rica is a land of plenty—avocados, mangos, corn, squash, beans, and every other fruit and vegetable imaginable. One has to make a serious effort not to consume a healthy diet. Admittedly, after ten years of living with a meat-and-potatoes man, I was
a little on the pudgy side when I arrived. But after being here and shopping almost exclusively at the local feria (farmer’s market) for two short months, I dropped ten kilos without any thought or effort.
When I visited an old friend in Washington soon after, she mothered me into buying new clothes because “baggy pants don’t show off your cute bottom!” I agree about the clothes, but I’m not convinced my bottom is still that cute after sitting on it for so many
decades. But now at least it’s somewhat smaller.
It’s not about dieting; it’s about availability.
Fresh, delicious fruits are everywhere. My tiny backyard sports mamones, starfruit, limes, lemons, two varieties of oranges, avocados, mangos, mulberries (moras), and
several other strange fruits that Ticos love, but no me gusta.
Across the road in front of my house, there’s a quebrada with steep banks… and a bonus! Wild bananas and mangos erupt from the jungle every year. The mangos fall to the ground when perfectly ripe, and my morning walks can be bountiful.
People here love to give each other fruit from their orchards. Every time my landscape guy visits, he brings me an avocado the size of Delaware or a mano (bunch) of bananas, for example. My existence here couldn’t be more fruitful!
But I’m going bananas!
The only problem I see with bananas is that they all mature at the same moment. Whether you have a small bunch of five or an entire stalk of 80–100, they remain green for days and then yellow and perfect for one day. The following day, they are mushy and brown, and even the birds don’t want them.
Last month, I bought a small lot in Alfombra, near Tinamastes, in an ancient and pristine area—never any pesticides or herbicides—and the land is fertile like only rich, black jungle soil can be. The land has a long history, with prehistoric Indigenous petroglyphs on boulders at the edge of my property. It will be an honor to build a casita there.
My new lot is infested with banana plants! Last week, my friend and neighbor chopped an enormous racimo from one of these trees before anyone else could grab it. The term racimo describes the entire stalk of bananas, which consists of multiple “hands” or
“manos,” each containing several individual bananas (fingers).
There were close to 100 bananas on this stalk, so I gave my friend half the stalk, planning to give half of my half to my other neighbors. I still had too many. Today, they all ripened. I had to take action.
What to do with too many bananas?
One of my favorite dishes is called “banancakes,” a tropical favorite made with one ripe banana and two eggs. Sometimes, I put sliced bananas on my Cheerios, throw them in a salad, or blend them with other fruits to make delicious and healthful yogurt smoothies.
Some other ideas:
• Banana chips—Slice and bake or dehydrate bananas for a healthy snack.
• Banana pancakes—wonderful, but not as good as my “Banancakes.”
• Banana ice cream—blend frozen bananas for a dairy-free, creamy ice cream
substitute. Delicious!
• Banana oat bars, muffins, or cookies—great for grab-and-go snacks.
• Banana bread—delicious, but in the tropics one might hesitate to turn on the oven for an hour.
• Banana jam—Yes, you can make banana jam! Add spices like cinnamon or vanilla for a unique spread. Slather some of this on a tortilla with peanut butter. OMG.
• Banana face mask—Bananas are great for hydrating skin. Mix mashed bananas
with honey and yogurt for a soothing face mask. Try not to lick your lips.
Today I realized that I have too many (even though there is no such thing as “too many” bananas), and it was time to deal with them. Wasting such perfect food is something I try very hard to avoid.
The solution! Freeze them!
The prevailing internet advice is to remove the skins and freeze them whole in a resealable bag, or slice them, freeze them in a single layer on a sheet pan, and then transfer them to a bag.
My approach is slightly different. I slice them, fill a resealable baggie with the raw slices, and smash it flat, squeezing out every molecule of air. They’ll keep for at least six months this way, ready to thaw for that banana bread recipe, or use frozen for smoothies and ice cream.
As I pack away the last of the bananas, I’m reminded how living here is all about making the most of Nature’s incredible gifts. Whether it’s sharing them with friends, freezing them for later, or tossing a few to the birds, nothing goes to waste. Even the peels are useful, going into the compost for later soil enrichment.
Life in Costa Rica may be simple, but it’s full —
and that’s plenty for me.
Pura Vida!
Adelia Ritchie
Website: www.adeliaritchie.com
Quito and the Galapagos: A Bucket List Adventure
The Accidental Expat: A Costa Rican Adventure
An Accidental Masterpiece: Poems from a Colorful Life
Timeless Voices: A Poetry Anthology
aritchie.substack.com
San Isidro de El General, PZ, Costa Rica
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