If you live in Tenerife, you’ll know the problem.
You buy a bunch of Plátanos de Canarias, leave them on the kitchen worktop and, a couple of days later, they’re covered in black patches.
It’s one of the downsides of living somewhere warm all year round. During the summer, especially if you’re on the south of the island where temperatures regularly climb into the high 20s and 30s, bananas ripen incredibly quickly.
The good news is that there are a few simple ways to make them last longer without losing their flavour.
Should you keep bananas in the fridge?
Ideally, bananas like temperatures between 10°C and 20°C.
That’s fine if you live in a cooler part of Tenerife, perhaps around La Esperanza or the north of the island. But if you’re in Costa Adeje, Los Cristianos, Golf del Sur or anywhere else that gets particularly warm during the summer, your kitchen is probably much hotter than that.
In those situations, keeping bananas in the fridge is often the better option.
The skin will turn dark quite quickly, but don’t let that fool you. The fruit inside usually stays firm, sweet and perfectly good to eat.
If you do refrigerate them, place them in a paper bag or wrap them in a tea towel and keep them in the least cold part of the fridge.
A simple trick that really works
One of the easiest ways to slow ripening is to wrap the top of the bunch, where all the bananas join together, with cling film or aluminium foil.
It helps reduce the release of ethylene, the natural gas that causes bananas to ripen.
It’s a small job that takes less than a minute but can give you a few extra days before they’re ready for banana cake.
Keep them away from other fruit
Another mistake many people make is storing bananas in the fruit bowl alongside apples, pears, avocados, mangos or papayas.
These fruits all produce ethylene as well, which speeds up the ripening process.
If you want your bananas to last, it’s best to keep them on their own.
The Tenerife sun isn’t helping
It sounds obvious, but don’t leave bananas sitting in direct sunshine.
A bright kitchen windowsill might look like a good place, but in Tenerife it can become surprisingly hot, especially during the afternoon.
Keep them away from windows, ovens and even the airflow from air conditioning units, as sudden temperature changes aren’t ideal either.
Hang them instead of stacking them
If you’ve got a banana hanger, now’s the time to use it.
Hanging the bunch helps prevent bruising and stops the bananas underneath from taking all the weight.
It’s one of those little things that actually makes a difference.
Don’t throw overripe bananas away
If they’ve become too ripe to eat, peel them, slice them and freeze them.
Frozen bananas are perfect for smoothies, homemade ice cream, cakes or pancakes.
Considering how quickly bananas ripen during a Tenerife summer, it’s a handy trick to avoid wasting good fruit.
Quick tips for Tenerife residents
- Store bananas somewhere cool whenever possible.
- If your house gets very warm, don’t be afraid to use the fridge.
- Wrap the stem with cling film or foil.
- Keep them away from apples, avocados, mangos and other ripening fruit.
- Avoid direct sunlight and hot kitchens.
- Hang the bunch instead of stacking it.
- Freeze any bananas that become overripe.
One final thing…just because the skin has turned black doesn’t mean the banana is past its best.
More often than not, it’s still perfectly sweet inside. That’s just another consequence of living somewhere warm like Tenerife.