Appearances can be deceiving: the Blue Java, more commonly called the “blue banana,” is a natural fruit, despite what you might think based on its lovely bubble-gum-blue colour.
While blue isn’t a colour that shows up often in nature, several blue fruits and plants exist, tantalising the palates of foodies everywhere.
The blue banana, a treasure from Asia and Oceania
These bananas grow in humid and sunny places like Fiji, the Philippines and Southeast Asia. While the classic banana varieties that we know such as the Musa balbisiana and Musa acuminata need heat and are grown in tropical places, the Blue Java is more resistant. It can grow in temperatures as low as -7°C!
The delicious vanilla taste of the “ice cream banana”
There is more to this fruit than simply its blue peel and its resistance to cold. While the flesh of this banana is similar to other bananas in its pale yellow colour, the smooth texture has a taste that will surprise any sweet tooth with its vanilla flavours.
This banana also grows in Hawaii where people call it the “ice cream banana.” It definitely piques the interest of food lovers!
Where can you buy the Blue Java?
Due to climate change and repeated snow events, it is entirely possible to imagine growing this variety of blue banana in other zones of the planet where they had not previously been growing.
This strange banana is extremely intriguing and there is growing enthusiasm for it on social media, where you can see its mouthwatering and unique colour making the rounds.
Blue tomato, blue apple…it’s a blue foods revolution
Blue food on your plate? While it can be surprising to see such a hue on foods other than blueberries and merlot grapes, it is not actually that rare. Take the tomato for example. You can grow a variety of blue-skinned tomatoes in your garden if the climate conditions are humid and do not go above 25°C. A small tomato akin to a cocktail tomato, the OSU Blue was created in the early 2000s by an American research centre.
There is also the blue apple, a climbing vine from the forests of Australia and Tasmania. Their flowers take on a tubular shape that develop purplish-blue coloured fruits. When ripe, you bite into a fruit whose skin is more like an aubergine while the flavour is closer to an apple.
Blue vanilla, a plant from Reunion Island that symbolises good health
As for vanilla, you have surely heard of this variety. However, blue vanilla is blue in name only. The bean, originating from Reunion Island, has been wowing great chefs (with a comfortable budget – count on nearly 1,000 per kilo) and has a long maturation period.
The Escale Bleue, the sole supplier of this unique vanilla, pushes the refining process to six years for a limited edition. Its subtle aroma isn’t its only asset: blue vanilla is entirely edible! So what’s blue about it? The name is a tribute to past locals of Reunion Island who used the adjective blue to describe a healthy plant.