Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Bananas Revisited

Bananas Revisited:

About:

The banana is an edible fruit, botanically a berry, produced by several kinds of large herbaceous flowering plants in the genus "Musa".  Musa species are native to tropical Indomaylaya and Australia and are likely to have been first domesticated in Papua New Guinea.  They are grown in at least 107 countries primarily for their fruit and to a lesser extent , to make fiber, banana wine, and banana beer and as ornamental plants.The banana is the world's largest herbaceous flowering plant.
In America and Europe "banana" refers to the soft, sweet, dessert bananas of the Cavendish group.  The firmer starchier variety are called "plantains".  Plantains are often called "cooking bananas" and are cooked and served as a vegetable in Latin American countries.   Export bananas are picked green and ripened in special rooms upon arrival in their destination country.  These rooms are air-tight and filled with ethylene gas.  Bananas can be ordered "ungassed" and will never ripen. These bananas are suited for cooking.  Bananas are a staple starch for many tropical populations.  Dwarf Cavendish are named for the shortness of stem on which they grow.  They are also called "Petites".   The Monzano banana is also called the Apple banana because of its apple like flavor. It also contains some hints of strawberry flavor.  The light golden color turns totally black when ripe.  The Red banana is stubby and round with a dull red skin that turns to a reddish purple or maroon when fully ripe.  The Red banana is sweeter than the Cavendish with a heartier flavor with a softer pinkish orange flesh.

History:

Farmers in Southeast Asia and Papua New Guinea first domesticated bananas.  Bananas may have been present in isolated locations in thge Middle East on the eve os Islam.  Bananas were introduced to the Americas by Portuguese sailors who brought the fruits from West Africa in the 16th century.

My Story:

When I was growing up I remember bananas coming in a box packed with shredded newspaper.  They were whole hands of bananas.  You would have to cut the hand down to a smaller sizes as you put them on display. Today they come pre-cut and wrapped in cellophane.  In the store we would open up the box and cellophane to let out any gas to slow the  ripening process.   My dad use to tell  how, when he was a boy he had a friend whose father was a baker and baked Italian bread, which my father loved.  Well, the baker's son loved bananas, so my dad would trade him bananas from his dad's store for the Italian bread.  One time while in the supermarket  a produce manager was feeling sick.  He thought he had some kind of flu.  Well, he was getting worse so he went to the doctor to find out that he had been bitten by a banana spider.  He never felt it.  Because of the delay in treatment, the poison was able to grow.  At one time they even considered amputating the leg.  He was told it could take a year for the poison to get out of his system.  Something like that is very rare. Usually the gassing will eliminate  spiders.

Health Benefits:

Bananas have an impressive amount of potassium.  One large banana of about nine inches in length contains 602 mg of potassium with 140 calories.  It also contains 2 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber with just 2 mgs of sodium.  It has abundant vitamins and minerals.  The high potassium and low sodium help with blood pressure.  Its high iron content can stimulate hemoglobin production to help in cases of anemia.   The high fiber can help with constipation.  Bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein the body converts to serotonin , know to make you relax, improve your mood, and generally make you feel happier.  Research found that eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut risk of death by strokes as much as 40%.  A piece of banana skin placed peel side out on a wart and secured is known to kill off the wart.

Uses:


Bananas are  peeled and eaten out of hand,  or sliced on cereal.  You can put a stick in a peeled banana and dip in in chocolate and then freeze it.  Try them sliced and then sautéed briefly in butter and brown sugar.  Put them over ice cream.   Overripe bananas are perfect for baking in bread, cake, or muffins.

Selecting and Storing:

Select bananas that are slightly green, firm, and without bruises.  Bananas with a gray tint and a dull appearance have been refrigerated and will not ripen properly.  Never store unripe bananas in the refrigerator.  Yellow-green bananas will ripen at room temperature to a sunny yellow in three days.   Bananas can be put in a paper bag with an apple or tomato overnight to speed ripening.  Once ripe bananas can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.  The skin will turn black, but the fruit will be fine.  The brown spotting on the banana is a sign of ripeness and sweetness.

Here is a banana ripeness chart.  The number 7, the ripest, is the most healthy banana.

So......Eat up !  Enjoy !  I'll show you how.

Simple but Good.....

Banana and Peanut Butter Sandwich:

Cooking spray
2 tablespoons of peanut butter
2 slices of whole wheat bread
1 banana sliced

Heat skillet or griddle to medium heat.  Coat with cooking spray.  Spread 1 tablespoon of peanut butter on one side of each slice of bread.  Slice the banana on the peanut buttered side of one slice.  Top with the other slice and press firmly together.  Fry the sandwich until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side.

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