Go Bananas

Let me tell you a little about the bananas here. There are several different varieties. Some are the small mini-bananas. I’ve tried two varieties so far. One is sweeter than the other and both are more concentrated and a bit starchier than the bananas we usually get in the US.

Bananas grow everywhere here. I remember seeing my first banana tree in Hawaii and just about flipping out. It is the coolest looking tree and the bananas grow in massive clusters.

Bananas are used here for just about everything – banana leaves are used to cook food in; they make banana ketchup and several banana desserts. I imagine they distill it into alcohol, but I have yet to find it.

My favorite dessert here so far is the banana fritter, or turon. Marie makes these at home and I think I’d known her a couple of years before I ever tried them. I accused her of keeping these a secret from me. I am totally addicted to them now. As far as I understand, these are filled with banana, brown sugar and jack fruit (a huge tropical fruit that is shaped like a pear but is all prickly and about 4 pounds). You wrap these in a lumpia (or wonton) wrapper and deep fry them. I’ve had them served with ice cream and also a coconut sauce here, but I think they are just fine plain and warm.