Bananas Over Bananas



When my brother was 4 years old, he ate an entire bunch of bananas while Mom unloaded groceries. He survived the ordeal, was referred to as “the monkey” from that day forward and continues to eat bananas.
Like my brother, I’ve long made bananas an important part of my diet. In school, the nuns always made us peanut butter and banana sandwiches when we forgot our lunch, and some students forgot their lunch on purpose. Bananas are amazingly versatile, and they’re an easy to-go snack—just peel and eat, no special tools required. When sliced, they are wonderful in cereal, sandwiches, fruit cups or salads. Mash them for custards, ice cream or pie; or blend with other fruit for a smoothie. And don’t forget banana bread straight out of the oven.
    My all-time favorite dessert is the Fried Banana with Coconut Ice Cream ($3.95) at Amarin Thai (1332-C Park St., 510-748-0276). My family doesn’t often order dessert—our first taste was on a whim, and we shared one between four of us. Now a meal there is not complete without the dessert, and we each order our own dish. The bananas are lightly battered, fried and served with ice cream. The contrast of warm and cold as the ice cream melts in your mouth is sheer delight. Yummm.
—Laurie Zerga