Love bananas? Check out this history of bananas for August 27th, National Banana Lovers Day (April 21st is, simply, Banana Day—another day to re-read your banana history).

But first: While you’re on a long conference call, or waiting for an internet connection that’s taking its time, show your love by decorating a banana (photo #1).

 
Can’t do either? Then enjoy this history of bananas.
 
 
THE HISTORY OF BANANAS

The original, wild, banana was tiny and filled with large seeds the size of peppercorns (photo #2).

Bananas were first domesticated in Southeast Asia and Papua New Guinea, by at least 5000 B.C.E. and possibly as far back as 8000 B.C.E.

Southeast Asia has the largest diversity of banana species, followed by Africa, indicating a long history of banana cultivation in those regions (source). Over millennia, bananas were bred into the fleshy fruits (botanically, they’re the not fruits but the berries** of herbs) we know today.

Many wild banana species can still be found in China, India and Southeast Asia, in the areas south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. They require a tropical or sub-tropical climate.

A 2001 New Yorker article notes:

“More than a thousand varieties of banana exist worldwide. The vast majority are not viable for export: Their bunches are too small, their skin is too thin, or their pulp is too bland.”

Numerous of these varieties are plantains, are starchy and inedible until cooked (there’s more on plantains below).

The article continues: “There are fuzzy bananas whose skins are bubblegum pink; green-and-white striped bananas with pulp the color of orange sherbet; bananas that, when cooked, taste like strawberries (photo #3).

“The Double Mahoi plant can produce two bunches at once. The Chinese name of the aromatic Go San Heong banana means “You can smell it from the next mountain.’ The fingers on one banana plant grow fused; another produces bunches of a thousand fingers, each only an inch long.”

Alexander the Great introduced bananas to what is now Western Europe in 327 B.C.E. They were brought back from his campaigns in Asia and India, China and Southeast Asia.

It took centuries after that—around 800 C.E.—for bananas to make their way to the Middle East.

By the 10th century, the banana appears in texts from Palestine and Egypt. From there it diffused into North Africa and Muslim Iberia (southern Spain). During the Medieval Ages, bananas from Granada were considered among the best in the Arab world [source].
 
 
BANANA HISTORY (CONTINUED): BANANAS COME TO THE AMERICAS

Bananas were introduced to the New World in the 16th century via Portuguese sailing ships, which carried them from West Africa to South America. The fruit’s name comes from a West African language [Wolof, the major language in what is now Senegal] where banan means finger.

In 1870, a Cape Cod fishing-boat captain named Lorenzo Dow Baker imported 160 bunches of bananas from Jamaica to to Jersey City, New Jersey: the first bananas in the U.S.

Shopkeepers hung the bunches and cut off the number of bananas requested by the customer. By 1900 Americans were 15 million bunches of bananas annually; 40 million by 1910. Twenty years later, Baker’s company was renamed United Fruit, today called Chiquita Brands.

By the 1960, United Fruit controlled nearly seven hundred million acres of land and 90% of the American banana market.

If you’ve had bananas in other countries and find our American imports to be bland in comparison, that’s because the original species Baker imported, the Gros Michel, has long since been replaced by the Cavendish—a blander variety that travels more easily.
 
 
THE LOSS OF THE GROS MICHEL BANANA

Many thanks to Wayne Ferrebee for much of this information.

Over millennia, farmers hybridized wild species of bananas and selectively bred the different strains into varieties called cultivars.

[2] The original wild banana was very small and filled with large seeds the size of peppercorns—probably not such pleasant eating. (photo © A. D’Hont | CIRAD).

[3] The peel is red, but the flesh is the same color as a yellow banana (photo © Gardening World). However, bananas in eye-catching colors don’t travel well enough to be exported. Tip: When you’re in a foreign country, seek out the local banana varieties.

[4] Harvesting bananas. (photo © Simon Maina | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations).

A half a century ago, the Gros Michel banana was the principal banana variety imported to the U.S (photo #5, below). They were/are far tastier than the current Cavendish variety: creamier with a tropical fruit taste.

________________

*Berries not in the sense of the sweet fruit we eat, but the fruit of a vine. Hawthorne and juniper trees, for example, bear savory berries. Peppercorns are the berries of a vine. There are many inedible berries, such as the red berries of the holly plant.

†Alas, recently these, too, have come under attack by the Race IV fungus, Fusarium oxysporum.

‡So called because the plant itself grows to a shorter height.

[5] Its predecessor, the more flavorful, longer-shelf-life Gros Michel [Little Michael] variety. What happened? See below (photo © Bananas.org).

[6] The modern banana we know and love is a variety called the Cavendish (photo © Nathan Ward | SXC)

[7] A comparison of four Musa kin: from left, plantains, red banana, latundan dwarf banana and Cavendish banana (photo © Nathan Ward | SXC)

[8] A comparison of Cavendish banana and the fat Gros Michel. We don’t know how large the Gros Michel grew in Jamaica; but this Gros Michel is from “the source,” Thailand, where it is called gluay hom thong, “the golden fragrant banana.” It was photographed by Ketsanee Seehamongkol, who writes an excellent story on her “discovery” (photo © Ketsanee Seehamongkol).

[9] Take a look at our delicious banana recipes (photo © Good Food On Montford | Charlotte, NC).

The world’s current major banana crop in the world, the Cavendish banana, was grown by a gardener of the William Cavendish, 6th Duke Devonshire, in 1830. He was president of the Royal Horticultural Society.

Using a specimen from a lot sent to the Duke by a colleague in Mauritius, the Duke’s head gardener, Joseph Paxton nurtured it and, five years later, the plant flowered and bore fruit. He named the varietal Musa cavendishii, after the family name of the Dukes of Devonshire, Cavendish. He himself became Sir Joseph Paxton for his contribution to England.

Cavendish plants were sent with missionaries to Samoa and other South Sea islands, the Pacific and the Canary Islands [source].

When the Gros Michel was wiped out, banana growers turned to the Cavendish. It was a smaller and less tasty fruit, but it was immune to the fungus, able to grow in infected soils, and traveled well. Practically all bananas exported to foreign markets were Cavendish.

For decades, practically all bananas exported to foreign markets—China, Europe, North America, etc.—are clones of the first Cavendish plant.

Alas, Panama disease has mutated into a new, deadlier strain (Race IV) that not only kills off the Cavendish, but also numerous local breeds of banana around the world. The world is currently in a banana crisis. You can find more information about it online, starting here.
 
 
BANANAS VS. PLANTAINS: THE DIFFERENCE

Plantains, native to India, are used worldwide in ways similar to potatoes. They are very popular in Western Africa and the Caribbean countries, typically fried or baked.

Since popular brands like Dole put their stickers on bananas and plantains alike, here’s how to make sure you’re buying what you want.

 
Both are members of the botanical order Zingiberales and family Musacae and the genus Musa, but diverage at the species level.

 
Musa is a Latinization of the Arabic name for the fruit, mauz; muz is the Turkish and Persian name for the banana [source].
 
 
GO BANANAS: BANANA TRIVIA

From Chiquita Brands:

 
And finally…

Today’s tip was inspired by this yummy photo from Wife Mama Foodie (photo #1). We thought: What a great idea for party food for a group of foodies: roll your own crepes. They can be savory crêpes for the main meal, along with a big green salad; or sweet crêpes for dessert. Just supply enough different fillings to make it interesting, and your DIY crêpes party will become a feast of legend.

Here’s her recipe for easy homemade crêpes. You can also purchase ready-to-heat-and-eat versions (photo #6).

Crepes are thin pancakes made from flour, eggs, milk, butter, and salt. The word was derived from the Latin crispus, curled. There are two principal types:

 
We have ideas below for brunch, lunch, dinner, and dessert. Whatever ingredients you choose, place them on the table with a plate of crêpes, and let everyone fill and roll their own.
 
 
THE HISTORY OF CRÊPES

Crêpes originated in Brittany, the region comprising the northwest of France. They were originally made with buckwheat flour and called galettes, meaning flat cakes. The term is still applied to savory crêpes, which remain buckwheat-based.

Around the 12th century buckwheat, was introduced to Brittany. Common buckwheat was domesticated in Southeast Asia, at least by 4000 B.C.E. [source]. The plant, Fagopyrum esculentum is a member of the Polygonaceae family, which also includes edibles such as rhubarb and sorrel.

Buckwheat—which is not a cereal and thus is gluten-free—has been grown in Tibet and northern China for millennia used to make noodles. It is a boon since wheat can not be grown in mountainous regions. It is the world’s highest-elevation domesticated plant.

Buckwheat spread to Central Asia, Tibet, and the Middle East, and Europe. It thrived in the Breton moors, where it was called sarrasin or blé noir (black wheat—from the dark specks that often show themselves in the milled flour). It is high in fiber, has easily digestive protein, and contains all eight essential amino acids.

Crêpes were initially cooked on large cast-iron hot plates, heated over a wood fire in a fireplace. Today they are made on the stovetop in special crêpe pans. The batter is spread with a tool known as a rozel and flipped with a spatula.

In Brittany crêpes were (and are) served with the local beverage, hard cider.
 
 
MODERN CRÊPES

White flour crêpes appeared only at the turn of the 20th century. White wheat flour, which had been very costly—as expensive as sugar, honey, or meat—became affordable.

In Brittany, both crêpes and galettes are traditionally served with cider.

February 2 in France is a crêpe holiday, variously known as Fête de la Chandeleur, Fête de la Lumière, or Jour des crêpes.

The feast has a tradition: Hold a coin in your dominant hand and a crêpe pan in the other, and flip the crêpe into the air. If you manage to catch the crêpe in the pan, your family will be prosperous for the rest of the year [source].

O.K., sure, but can we have some more crêpes, please?
 
 
YOUR DIY CRÊPE SPREAD

Pick your fillings of choice. Does it need a filling sauce, e.g. mustard sauce for the sausage? Does it need a garnish—for example, whipped cream or raspberry sauce for a banana crêpe?

 
 
BREAKFAST & BRUNCH CRÊPES

 
 
LUNCH & DINNER CRÊPES

You can serve one crêpe as a first course or two as a main. Most work great with a béchamel (white sauce) or Mornay sauce (cheese sauce, a béchamel with gruyère).

 
 
DESSERT CRÊPES

[2] Banana crêpes, to which you can add caramel or chocolate sauce, chocolate chips, even peanut butter sauce (photo © Dairy Info).

[3] The lap of luxury: lobster, caviar and smoked salmon crêpes (photo © Caviar Russe | NYC).

[4] Sausage, onion, and greens, ready to roll into a crêpe for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner (photo © Rolf And Daughters | Nashville).

[5] Goat cheese and asparagus crêpes (photo © Spice Islands).

[6] It’s easy—and more fun—to roll crêpes into cone shapes—no plate required (photo © American Egg Board).

[7] The crêpes are all cone-based at Eight Turn Crêpe in Brooklyn (photo © Eight Turn Crêpe).

[8] Better food stores sell packaged crêpes (photo © Jacquet Bakery).

[2] The traditional banana split (photo © California Milk Advisory Board).

How should you celebrate August 25th, National Banana Split Day?

There’s the tried and true banana split, of course. Classically served in a long dish, called a boat (which gives the sundae its alternative name, banana boat), the recipe is familiar to most ice cream lovers:

A banana is cut in half lengthwise and set in the dish with scoops of vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice cream. The strawberry ice cream is garnished with pineapple topping, chocolate syrup is poured on the vanilla ice cream and strawberry topping covers the chocolate ice cream. Crushed nuts, whipped cream, and maraschino cherries garnish the entire boat.

Today, there are many variations to the classic banana split. We’ve had other Banana Split Sushi, Banana Split Cheesecake, and the recipe below, Deconstructed Banana Split.
 
 
RECIPE: DECONSTRUCTED BANANA SPLIT

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. CUT the bananas in half width-wise, and then lengthwise. Sauté in butter with a dash of cinnamon until browned. Arrange on a plate, as shown in the photo.

2. ARRANGE the other ingredients: whipped cream, caramel corn, and fruit.

3. DRIZZLE with sauce or fruit purée of choice.

The soda fountains of yore were the equivalent of today’s Starbucks, where people met for refreshments and socializing. Soda jerks were the mixologists of their day*, inventing treats to excite customers. Malted milks, banana splits, and phosphates emerged at the soda fountains of neighborhood drugstores in the 1890s.

In those days, “jerk” was not a derogatory term; it referred to the quick, sharp pull as the attendant drew the carbonated water tap forward.

David Evans Strickler, a 23-year-old apprentice pharmacist at Tassel Pharmacy in Latrobe, Pennsylvania*, enjoyed taking on the soda jerk role and inventing sundaes at the store’s soda fountain. He invented the “banana-based triple scoop ice cream sundae in 1904.

The sundae originally cost 10 cents, twice the price of other sundaes, and caught on with students of nearby Saint Vincent College. In those pre-digital days, news of the nifty new sundae quickly spread by word-of-mouth, written correspondence, and newspaper coverage.

It must have done well for Strickler: He went on to buy the pharmacy, renaming it Strickler’s Pharmacy.

The city of Latrobe celebrated the 100th anniversary of the invention of the banana split in 2004. In the same year, the National Ice Cream Retailers Association certified Latrobe as the birthplace of the banana split. It hosts an annual Great American Banana Split Festival in August (it starts today).

The city has the original soda fountain where the banana split was created.

Others tried their hand at the recipe. One, published in 1907, called for a lengthwise split banana, two cones of ice cream at each end of the dish, and a mound of whipped cream in between with maraschino cherry on top. One end was covered with chopped mixed nuts and the other with chopped mixed fruits. [Source: Wikipedia]

Here’s the history of the ice cream sundae, and the long history of ice cream in general.
 
 
________________

*According to Wikipedia, Walgreens is credited with spreading the popularity of the banana split. A chain of drug stores established in the Chicago area in 1901 by Charles Rudolph Walgreen, Walgreens promoted the banana split as a signature dessert. But was it served when the store opened, or did someone at Walgreens read the recipe and adopt it. Did Walgreens bestow the name Banana Split to the “banana-based triple ice cream sundae”? So far, the record is mute.
 
 

The summer’s selection of stone fruits are begging for a naked cake. June through September is prime stone fruit season in the U.S.

WHAT ARE STONE FRUITS?

Stone fruits are members of the Prunus genus, and include:

 
A stone fruit, also called a drupe (it’s , is a fruit with a large, hard stone (pit) inside a fleshy fruit. The stone (pit) is often thought of as the the seed, but the seed is actually inside the stone.

Most stone fruits are native to warmer climates. That’s why in the U.S., much of the local supply comes in July and August.

A drupe is a fleshy fruit with thin skin and a central stone containing the seed. Not all drupes are stone fruits.

 
More for botany lovers: Drupes are members of the Rosaceae family—the rose family—which includes shrubs as well as other prominent fruits in non-drupe, genuses, such as apples, loquats, pears, quinces and strawberries.
 
 
RECIPE: NAKED CAKE WITH MIXED STONE FRUITS

Naked Cake is just the thing for summer. It requires no frosting on the sides (although some bakers like to use a thin swath.

Here’s more about naked cake, with plenty of photos of different presentations.

You can make any layer cake, but we prefer our homemade pound cake recipe (it’s more buttery). And guess what: box mixes don’t save time. The Kitchn did side-by-side tests; here are the results.

What you do save is a wee bit of clean-up, although we just stick the measuring spoons and cups in the dishwasher.

It’s different with whipped cream. Home-beaten cream is so luxurious, but does take 10 minutes. If you’re time-strapped, grab a couple of cans of Reddi-Wip.

Round cake layers are more elegant to present, but loaf cakes are easier to slice. To use a loaf cake, cut two slices and put the filling and fruit on the bottom; add the top layer and the sauce.
 
Ingredients

________________

*While photo #1 uses chocolate sauce, we think summer is too heavy for the cream-based dessert sauces (chocolate, butterscotch, caramel). A berry purée is just right.
 
Preparation

[2] Does light swath of icing make this a semi-naked cake? This recipe, from Wife Mama foodie, is a spice cake topped with fresh figs.

[3] A mixed berry naked cake is also a summery treat (photo Wife Mama Foodie | Facebook).

[4] If you don’t like to measure, use a box mix. But The Kitchn proves it’s not a time saver (photo courtesy Betty Crocker) .

This recipe is especially good with blackberries, boysenberries and raspberries. You can use fresh or frozen berries. Frozen is less expensive, and once you mix the purée with sugar and lemon juice, you can’t tell the difference.
 
Ingredients For About 1 Cup

 
Preparation

1. SORT and wash the berries (or thaw if frozen). Drain, cap and de-stem unsweetened berries.

2. COMBINE the berries, sugar, and lemon juice in a food processor fitted with the metal blade; process to a smooth purée, about 30 seconds. NOTE: Puréeing may be done in a blender or a food processor. If using a blender, make sure that any seeds are not ground so finely that they will pass through the sieve.

3. POUR the mixture into a fine sieve set over a bowl. Use a rubber spatula to stir and press the purée through the sieve. Discard the solids. Taste and add more sugar if necessary. (Editor’s note: Less is more when it comes to sugar.)

4. REFRIGERATE in a non-reactive container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
________________

†When making purée from frozen fruit, let the berries thaw in a colander over a bowl. Once the berries have thawed, pat them dry before blending. By draining the berries first, you get a thicker purée.

[1] BLT Wafflewich, a waffle sandwich (photo courtesy Elegant Affairs Caterers).

[2] Waffle cups aren’t just for sundaes. Use them to hold a crisp, healthy veggie salad (photo courtesy Joy Cone Company).

[3] You can take a gourmet approach to chicken and waffles with little touches like these (photo courtesy Honey Butter Fried Chicken | Chicago).

[4] Smoked salmon on top of scallion-dill Greek yogurt. If you’re flush, add some caviar, as they do at Tsar Nicoulai.

The ancestor of waffles dates back to the Neolithic age; the ancient Greeks invented the practice of cooking them between two hot metal plates.

But the waffle iron we know today, with the honeycomb pattern, was invented by some nameless hero metalsmith in the 13th century. Here’s the history of waffles.

National Waffle Day is August 24th, a good reason to enjoy a warm, fragrant, crusty waffle.

And a good reason to go beyond the original, simple waffle with maple syrup, to some of the more creative ideas below.

First, some tips from Krups, makers of small kitchen appliances including waffle makers, on how to make the best waffles.
 
 
WAFFLE RECIPE TIPS

1. Read the instruction manual before plugging in the waffle iron. Unless you use your waffle iron often, brush up. You need to know more beyond pushing the ON button.

2. Treat the batter gently. Don’t mix it too quickly or vigorously. Use a slow, even tempo to get the right consistency, or your waffles will be tough and chewy.

3. Don’t lift the lid while the waffles cook. As tempting as it may be to peek, it lets out steam needed to fully cook the waffle.

4. Don’t use cooking spray on your waffle iron. Instead, cover the surface lightly with vegetable oil, using a basting brush or a paper towel. You’ll get a better crust on the waffle; and perhaps more importantly, Your waffle iron will last much longer. Chemicals in the sprays can affect the surface over time, and cause even more sticking.
 
> BONUS: 10 MORE USES FOR YOUR WAFFLE IRON
 
 
THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF WAFFLES

American, Belgian, Brussels, Liege, Hong Kong, and more: If you’d like to know the different types of waffles, take a look.
 
 
WAFFLE RECIPE IDEAS

Some would say that any waffle is a good waffle, and we wouldn’t disagree. Others have never had anything beyond a plain waffle with maple or pecan syrup, butter and a side of bacon or sausage.

Let us provide some inspiration:

These recipe ideas work for any meal:

________________

*Sawmill gravy is a white gravy or béchamel sauce with added bits of mild sausage or chicken liver; the roux is made from meat drippings. It is also called country gravy. See the different types of gravy.

Top savory waffles with:

 
 
SWEET WAFFLES FOR BREAKFAST & LUNCH

 
 
SWEET DESSERT WAFFLES

 
 
SWEET WAFFLE TOPPINGS

[5] For lunch: a PB&J wafflewich. Here’s the recipe from Cait’s Plate.

[6] For dessert: S’mores waffles. Here’s the recipe from Posie Harwood for King Arthur Flour).

[7] Who needs a banana split dish? Roll the ingredients in a waffle. Here’s the recipe from Krusteaz).

[8] Blueberry cheesecake waffles. Here’s the recipe from Cafe Delites.