I am quite fond of my high school alma mater: The Asheville School. One of the very important lessons I learned while there was how to eat a banana with a spoon. Little did I know then that 27 years after graduation, the banana would become one of my favorite foods and that I’d be blogging about it.
Asheville School was founded in 1900 and one of the surviving traditions is sit-down meals. While I was a 4-year day student, all lunches were at table-clothed tables and students would take turns being table waiters…not to take orders, but to deliver the food from the kitchen.
Apparently, at some point in the school’s history, it was considered uncouth to eat fruit with one’s hands, so a method of eating fruit with utensils was developed. The Asheville School Banana is one surviving tradition. It’s easy & delicious and I’ll show you how to make one.
Start with: one banana (make sure it’s ripe!), one lemon, honey, a spoon, and a sharp knife.
My Asheville School friends who read this post will know that we didn’t make The Asheville School Banana with honey. However, I’ve learned a lot about food since I graduated and have substituted raw, local honey for refined white sugar. (UPDATE: For vegans, like I am now, use raw dark agave syrup or other plant-based sweetener.)
Why? Because refined white sugar is one of the 8 worst foods that I teach to omit in my free online course The 8 First Steps to a HAPPY™ Kitchen. Honey is a better choice and tastes delicious…especially if it’s raw & local!
Okay, cut the banana with a sharp knife lengthwise and then position the two halves on a plate. Score the meat of the banana into bite-sized pieces.
Next, drizzle the banana halves with honey!
Lemon is the finishing touch. You can use freshly squeezed lemon or lemon essential oil. I did juice on one half and oil on the other half. I’ll let you know below my preference. Squeeze juice or drop oil along each banana half over the honey.
Now you can eat the banana with a spoon! Just scoop out the honey-lemon banana meat and enjoy!
I preferred the half with the lemon juice because the watery juice gave the banana a more pleasing texture in my mouth, however the lemon essential oil packs a concentrated anti-oxidative punch.
Both halves were pretty darn good. This recipe really jazzes up an ordinary banana and elevates it to sophisticated, gourmet status!
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Parts of me were thinking you’d eat it vertically after seeing the article title in your newsletter. Sort of eat your way down the banana with a spoon, if that makes sense?
This way sounds a lot better and a lot more delicious. I think I’ll skip the honey though as to me bananas are sweet enough already.
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I may have to try that Solveig!! If a frozen banana would peel, that’d be a perfect way to eat a hand held portion of banana “ice cream!” Yes, bananas, especially when adequately ripe, are very sweet. The honey dresses it up a bit for those who want something different. We used to use gobs of white sugar back at school, so this honey drizzle is a definite improvement. Thanks for taking the time to read and comment!
Carla, I go bananas for your recipes. Thanks for another great post. I love the historical connection to your past & the school itself.
So glad you enjoyed it Cyd and thanks for taking the time to read and comment!
I haven’t eaten a banana with a spoon since 1986.
You can change that today Dana! Relive the memories!
That is a really unique way to eat a banana. I have to give that a try. Thanks for the new eating method. Hehe
I hope you love it Morgan!