Bananas

I'm grateful for bananas.  Plantain.  Plantanos.  Guenos.  Patacones. Whatever you want to call them.  However you want to prepare or present them.

Bananas were a staple in our house when I was growing up.  I didn't always appreciate them; sometimes they were too green and a bit bitter and other times too ripe and sticky, but there was almost always a nice banana available for an after school snack or to add to a jello salad or slice over ice cream, or even to make cookies or banana bread with.

About 30 some odd years ago some of you may be aware that I spent almost a year and a half in Colombia, where the food was sometimes not quite what I was accustomed to.  Fresh milk was not available, and to someone raised on a dairy farm, this was quite the adjustment.  But, almost every single day I had access to bananas!  Bananas were a very familiar food and quickly became one small comfort in a land and culture far from home.

Since returning to the states, I have almost always had fresh bananas available in my kitchen.  They don't grow in our area, but the travel well and they store well.  Yes, sometimes they are a bit green and bitter and sometimes they get way to ripe and end up in banana bread.  And sometimes they even end up fried or baked, green or sweet.  I am to this day grateful for bananas.