You may not have great sushi chops—it takes years of training—but you can make a sashimi roll, as long as you have a sharp knife.

What’s a sashimi roll? It’s sashimi ingredients wrapped in another piece of fish, a cucumber wrap, even nori (toasted seaweed). As long as there’s no vinegared (seasoned) rice, it’s not sushi.

Some sushi and sashimi basics:

 
CHECK OUT THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF SUSHI & SASHIMI IN OUR PHOTO-PACKED GLOSSARY.
 
WAYS TO SERVE SASHIMI

The slices of raw fish can be:

 
RECIPE: SASHIMI ROLL

We adapted the bottom photo idea from Herringbone restaurant in Santa Monica. That roll mounds albacore tuna sashimi over an avocado half, with a garnish of ginger, tobiko, sambal* and sprouts.

You can use whatever fish looks best in the market, and customize your dish with as many garnishes as you like. They don’t all have to be on top of the sashimi; you cam artistically scatter them around the serving plate.
 
Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. PREPARE the salad base. If using an avocado, don’t slice or peel it until you’re ready to plate.

2. DRESS the base with vinaigrette or olive oil and lemon/lime. If using an avocado, place it plate side down and drizzle the dressing over it.

3. MOUND the base onto each plate into an oval. Cover with the sashimi strips. Garnish as desired and serve.
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*Sambal is a hot relish commonly used in Indian and Southeast Asian cooking. There are many varieties, using different fruits or vegetables, different spices, and different levels of heat.

† Basil-, chili-, chive-, citrus- and rosemary-infused oils are all good here.

[1] Sashimi at Haru in New York City, with a naruto roll at the lower right (photo © ).

[2] Naruto roll, with ingredients wrapped in a thin roll of cucumber—at Tamari in Pittsburg (photo © Tamari Restaurant ).

[3] Salmon sashimi roll: crab salad wrapped in a slice of salmon and topped with spicy salmon (photo © Sushi | Portugal).

[4] This Rainbow Roll from Blue Ribbon Sushi in New York City is a sushi roll covered with sashimi, but it’s still sushi, with vinegared rice (photo © Blue Ribbon Sushi).

[5] Fish over a bed of guacamole at Herringbone in La Jolla, California Herringbone Restaurant.

[1] A grilled banana split: no need for a special banana split dish (photo courtesy Pampered Chef). [2] Another presentation from Women’s Day. Here’s their recipe. [3] Fusion food: a grilled banana hot fudge sundae (photo courtesy Weber). [4] The world’s most popular fruit (photo Nathan Ward | SXC)!

Who doesn’t love a banana? It’s the world’s most popular fruit. Some 25 pounds of bananas are consumed per capita each year.

In the U.S., more bananas are consumed than oranges and apples combined! And August 27th is National Banana Lovers Day.

Bananas were introduced to the U.S. in 1880. By 1910, bananas were so popular that cities—which then lacked sanitation systems—had a problem disposing of the banana peels.

People were literally slipping on banana peels that were discarded on sidewalks and streets (a reality appropriated by comedians), leading to injuries. The Boy Scout Handbook recommended picking up banana peels from the street as a Scout’s good deed of the day (source).
 
MORE BANANA TRIVIA

 
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE BANANA RECIPE?

Banana Bread? Banana Cream Pie? Banana Daiquiri? Banana French Toast? Banana Ice Cream? Banana Pudding? Peanut Butter and Bananas?

We say YES! to all, but today are focusing on two: the kid favorite Banana Split and the over-21 Bananas Foster.
 
BANANA SPLIT HISTORY

Two towns in the U.S. lay claim as the home of the banana split.

 
Fortunately for the rest of us, the concept spread nationwide, affording all of us the joy of a Banana Split.

RECIPE: GRILLED BANANA SUNDAE

Banana splits are easy to make: Split a ripe banana vertically, place it in a long dish, top with three scoops of ice cream (traditionally vanilla, chocolate and strawberry) and toppings of choice. (You can get Anchor Hocking banana split dishes for about $2 each.)

Here’s a twist: a grilled banana sundae, a cross between the classic and Bananas Foster. In the latter, bananas are caramelized in butter with brown sugar and cinnamon, then topped with dark rum and flambéed, with the bananas and the flaming sauce served over vanilla ice cream.

We’ve included a Bananas Foster recipe below. The recipes are very similar, except that for Bananas Foster, the bananas are sautéed in butter instead of grilled; and alcohol is added to the caramel sauce. The banana is typically sliced in half lengthwise and crosswise.

Ingredients For 4 Servings

1. PREHEAT a grill pan over medium heat for 5 minutes.

2. CUT the bananas in half lengthwise and crosswise for a total of 4 pieces each. Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in shallow dish. Gently coat the bananas with the sugar mixture.

3. SPRAY the grill pan lightly with vegetable oil and add the banana pieces, cut sides down. Grill for 2-3 minutes per side or until grill marks appear.

4. SERVE warm with ice cream, ice cream topping and almonds.
 

The original Bananas Foster recipe was created in 1951 by Paul Blangé (1900 to 1977), the Executive Chef at Brennan’s in New Orleans. The dish of sautéed bananas, flambéed and topped with ice cream, was named in honor of Richard Foster, a regular customer and friend of restaurant owner Owen Brennan Sr.

Note that while both the recipes above and the original Bananas Foster cut the bananas into oblong pieces (see photo above), we prefer the round slices of banana, about 3/4-inch thick.

While igniting the dish tableside is dramatic both at a restaurant and at home, it isn’t necessary.

Ingredients For 4 Servings

 
Preparation

1. CUT the bananas in half lengthwise and crosswise for a total of 4 pieces each (alternative: cut 3/4″ rounds; you’ll have more than 4 pieces).

2. MELT the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and cinnamon and cook, stirring until the sugar dissolves (about 2 minutes—this creates a caramel sauce). Add the bananas and cook on both sides until they begin to soften and brown (about 3 minutes).

3. ADD the banana liqueur and stir to blend into the caramel sauce. If you want to flambé, follow the instructions below. However, the drama of the flambé works only if the dish is prepared tableside. Otherwise, the drama is lost in the kitchen (the flame extinguishes quickly).

4. LIFT the bananas carefully from the pan and top the four dishes of ice cream; then spoon the sauce over the ice cream and bananas and serve immediately.
 
TIPS ON HOW TO FLAMBÉ

 
MORE

[1] Bananas Foster at the Bonefish Grill, looking like a more complex Banana Split. [2] It’s harder to sauté a lengthwise half of banana without breaking it. Hence, the suggestion of slicing lengthwise and crosswise (photo Fotolia). [3] This recipe from Taste Of Home slices the bananas into coin shapes (a.k.a. chunks), easier to salute.

Relax with a Banana Colada.

[1] This artisan adult ice pop is made with brandy-soaked cherries. Here’s the recipe (photo © Amarena Fabbri).

[2] Frozen cherry juice ice pops in Tovolo molds.

[3] No ice pop molds? Use 3-ounce paper “bathroom” cups plus wood ice pop sticks or reusable plastic spoons (photo © Jolly Party Store).” target=”_blank”>Jolly Party Store | Amazon).

August 26th is National Cherry Popsicle Day. There are three easy recipes below. But first, a bit of law:

Popsicle® is a registered trademark of Unilever, which owns the brand. Any other frozen juice on a stick is a generic “ice pop.” It’s the same with Fudgsicle® and Creamsicle®.

> Three yummy recipes for making your own cherry ice pops are below.

> The year’s 15+ cherry holidays are below

> The year’s 50+ ice cream holidays.

> Thirty more delicious cherry recipes.

> The history of cherries.
 
Before we get to the recipes, let’s start with:
 
 
THE HISTORY OF THE POPSICLE

In 1905, 11-year-old Frank Epperson mixed together a fruit drink (believed to be orange-flavored) from powder and water and inadvertently left it on the porch.

It was an unseasonably cold night in the San Francisco suburbs, and when Frank found his drink the next morning, it was frozen.

He eased the frozen liquid out of the glass and, holding it by the stirrer, ate it. While Frank may have enjoyed his frozen fruit drink over the years, the public story doesn’t continue until 1923.

A 29-year-old husband and father working in the real estate industry, Frank made what he called Epsicles for a fireman’s ball, combining his surname and “icicle.”

They were a sensation, and Frank obtained a patent for “a handled, frozen confection or ice lollipop.” His kids called the treat a Popsicle, after their Pop.

So Frank created the Popsicle Corporation and collaborated with the Loew’s chain of motion picture theaters for the nationwide marketing and sales of the product in movie theaters.

By 1928, Epperson had earned royalties on more than 60 million Popsicles.
 
Popsicles Go Broke

The happy days ended with the Great Depression. In 1929, flat broke, Frank had to liquidate his assets and sold the patent to, and his rights in, the Popsicle Corporation.

Following three more corporate sales over the years, Popsicle® and the other “sicles” are now part of Unilever’s Good Humor Division.

While the record isn’t clear, Frank may also have invented the twin Popsicle, with two sticks. The concept was that it could be broken in half and shared by two children.

Over the years, the Popsicle Corporation continued to create frozen treats on a stick, including:

 
 
READY TO MAKE ICE POPS?

We’ve got three different ways for you to make cherry ice pops. Pick a recipe and get out the ice pop molds.

The first recipe couldn’t be easier: Just freeze cherry juice!
 
 
RECIPE #1: THE EASIEST CHERRY ICE POPS: FROM CHERRY JUICE

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. POUR the cherry juice into ice pop molds and freeze for 6 hours. If using inclusions, add them when the juice turns to slush, stirring each mold with a chopstick or other tool to distribute the ingredients.

NOTE: Ice pop molds vary in size, often from 2.5 to 4 ounces, and from 6 to 8 pops. A 32-ounce bottle of juice, or concentrate reconstituted to that amount, should cover all bases.
 
 
RECIPE #2: CHERRY POPS FROM FROZEN CHERRIES

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. PURÉE the frozen cherries in a blender. Taste and add sugar as desired.

2. ADD the optional mint, process, and pour into ice pop molds.
 
 
RECIPE #3: GREEK YOGURT & CHERRY ICE POPS

This recipe was published with permission from Rocket Fuel: Power-Packed Food for Sports and Adventure, by Matt Kadey, RD, via ChooseCherries.com.

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. STIR together yogurt, honey, and lime zest. In a separate bowl, stir together the cherry juice, lime juice, and mint.

2. SPOON two alternate layers of the yogurt and cherry mixtures into each popsicle mold. Insert the sticks into the molds and freeze until solid, about 6 hours. They will keep in the freezer for 2 months.

3. UNMOLD: Run the mold under warm water for a few seconds, being careful not to thaw the pops.
 
 
THE YEAR’S 15+ CHERRY HOLIDAYS

 
Plus

*The National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C. is a four-week celebration that has a varying date range each year. The date is tied to the blooming cycle of the cherry trees. The “peak bloom,” when 70% of the trees are flowering, typically occurs in late March to early April. The event commemorates the 1912 gift of cherry trees from Japan.
 
 

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