Bananas are grown in warm, humid areas throughout the tropics. A banana plant, which matures in about 15 months, yields only one bunch of bananas weighing 50 to 60 pounds. A bunch consists of 10 to 15 "hands" of 10 to 20 bananas or "fingers." After the bunch is cut, the plant is chopped down and another one is planted. Unlike most fruit, bananas develop a better flavor when picked and shipped green. By the time they reach the supermarket, they are almost ripe.

• Use slightly underripe bananas for baking, sautéing and grilling, because they hold their shape better when cooked.
• Overripe bananas are best used to flavor baked goods, such as cakes, quick breads and muffins.
• Banana leaves are used in many tropical cuisines to wrap foods for steaming.

There are hundreds of varieties of bananas. The most common one in American supermarkets is the yellow Cavendish. Some larger supermarkets carry such varieties as the short, chunky red banana and the tiny finger banana; both are known for their sweetness. Plantains are large, firm bananas with rough skins and a squashlike flavor. They are a staple food in the tropics where they are used as a starchy vegetable but never eaten raw.

Look for bananas with plump, evenly colored yellow skins. Avoid bananas with blemishes or split skins.

Bananas with green tips and ridges will ripen at home within a day or two. Brown speckles are an indication of ripeness. When banana skins develop black patches, they are overripe. A grayish-green color is a sign that the fruit was exposed to cold temperatures and will not ripen properly. Red bananas are dark red with black speckles when ripe.

1 pound Cavendish bananas = 3 medium; 2 cups sliced; 1-1/3 cups mashed. 1 pound dried banana slices = 4-1/2 cups slices.

To ripen bananas, store at room temperature. To speed ripening, place them in an unsealed paper bag at room temperature. To prevent ripe bananas from spoiling, store them, tightly wrapped, in the refrigerator. Although the peel will turn brown, the fruit will retain its creamy color for about three days. Mashed bananas may be frozen for up to six months. Simply stir in 1 teaspoon of lemon juice for each banana to prevent browning and freeze in an airtight container.

Once the peel is removed, the fruit should be used immediately or it will begin to brown. To retain its creamy color, the fruit can be dipped in an acidic liquid, such as orange juice or a mixture of lemon juice and water. To mash bananas, use a fork, potato masher or process in a food processor.