I have a parrot, actually an umbrella cockatoo, named Moti. Moti is twenty-seven years old and quite the diva, especially about her food. In Moti’s world there is no sunshine if she doesn’t find a half a banana in her food dish each morning. Moti is quite a foodie, too. She holds the banana in her claw with the cut side up and puts pieces of her other food on top of the banana so that she can mix the foods together as she eats. Smart Moti.
Bananas are a very healthy part of any diet–human or avian. They are low in calories at approximately 110 calories per banana. They are fat free. A banana gives you 18% of your body’s daily requirement for potassium and 15% of your Vitamin C. Interestingly, bananas are also rich in tryptophan, that mood-elevating neuro transmitter that can also help you fall asleep. What’s not to love?
Try as we may, though, Moti and I can’t seem to keep up with the bananas in our fruit bowl. We always seem to have some disgusting overripe ones. We can only eat so much banana bread (another of Moti’s fav foods–especially baked with lots of walnuts). What to do?
I recently saw this banana upside down cake recipe on David Lebovitz’ blog and I knew that I had to try it. It didn’t disappoint. It is rich and beautiful– a cinnamon and vanilla flavored cake underneath a very pretty caramelized banana crown.
By the way, bananas are the fourth largest fruit crop in the world (after grapes, citrus fruit and apples). Per capita, Americans consume an average of twenty-seven pounds of bananas each year. Whoa! That’s a lot of bananas.
Here is your banana trivia question for the day. Is a banana (a) a legume (b) a berry ( c) a grain (d) a nut? You got it right if you chose answer “b.” Bananas are the seedless berries of a tree-sized herbaceous plant commonly, and incorrectly, referred to as a banana tree.
Trivia question number 2: Is a bunch of bananas referred to as (a) a hand (b) a finger ( c) a foot (d) an elbow? Count yourself correct if you answered (a) a hand. The individual bananas are called “fingers.” I knew you would find that fascinating.
Trivia question number 3: Banana peels can be used for which of the following purposes? (a) polishing your shoes (b) rubbing on your forehead to relieve a headache ( c) fertilizing your roses (d) all of the above. The correct answer, according to the banana experts, is (d). Who knew?
You will find a link to Lebovitz’ blog at the end of this post.
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Here is a link to David Lebovitz’ blog and to the original recipe:
http://www.davidlebovitz.com/banana-upside-down-cake-recipe/
