That was a wierd article. The writer seems irked about people walking down the street eating a banana. I think most people are eating bananas because they need a quick snack on the run. And it beats a muffin or one of those fried potato cakes from a fast food place.

I don't mind the texture of bananas and eat them occasionally. I'm not that fond of them because they are sweet and I don't care for sweet flavors.

A friend sent me this recipe for a pumpkin smoothie that contains a banana and peanut butter. I made one and drank a 1/2 cup. It was tasty! The banana was a nice addition! My Mom had the rest of it and loved it!

Pumpkin Smoothie
1/4 can of pumpkin ( I like a little more...it's to taste)
1 container of vanilla yogurt
1 bannana
spoonful of peanut butter - optional

Start blending and add ice & milk to get the consistency you like. I can see adding a little cinnamon or nutmeg, but I did not think of it when I made it.

Ugh, can't stand bananas. You're right, it's the texture, it's just mushy and icky. Now I can eat a banana, if it's very green and very firm and I can slice it very thinly and cover it with copious amounts of Hershey's Syrup, which pretty much negates the "healthy fruit" theory, LOL.

I don't care if other people eat them and I didn't really get the article, the writer seemed annoyed that people eat bananas. Just don't expect me to eat one!

Teresa, Ashley had a "power shake" every day for a couple of years. A cup of milk, a banana, a big spoonful of peanut butter and a generous squirt of Hershey's syrup. Blend it and drink. Coincidentally, a long distance runner gave me that "recipe", and I know you run...

Annie

That sounds good too Annie. I am not a fan of chocolate but a little bit disguised is okay!

Teresa

In Spanish stores, they sell a kind of banana that's much smaller in size. They have a firmer texture and a more refined kind of sweetness.

Very interesting to use them to make banana splits.

dcarch

I love bananas *in* things... muffins, bread, sliced in cereal or smoothies..... but I don't care for them peeled and eaten as is. Shrug.

Alexa

I've had those tiny bananas......they are pure sugar. I bought them and handed them out for Halloween one year - in bunches of five bananas. This was about 18 years ago and they were not that common here. I had seen them in Mexico and when I saw them in a local store I nabbed them for Halloween treats. I wish I had taken a couple of photos of the kids giant eyes when I pulled the miniature bunches out of the big plastic pumpkin!

Guess with The New Yorker, you're either a fan or you're not. I love the magazine because of the dry humor. In my opinion, the article on bananas is a perfect example..

Teresa, did you really give out bananas? In my neighborhood growing up, that would have gotten your house egged!

I did give them out, but I lived in a small condo at the time. An older two story building with 8 units. We did not get many kids. But seriously, the looks on the kids faces when I pulled out the 2.3" bananas was priceless!

But if the older brick building ever got egged I never heard about it. One of the kids from another building stopped by a week or so later and told me he loved the bananas. He asked if I had any more. :-)

I love bananas *in* things...

I swear I didn't say it, someone else did.

I only like bananas when they're still a bit green. For me it's not just the texture but the taste. I like the tart-sweet flavor of a slightly under-ripe banana, but really dislike the super sweet flavor of fully ripe ones.

I know this is weird, but I don't care much for banana flavored baked goods either. I make banana bread once or twice a year, but the idea of banana cakes & muffins does not appeal to me at all.

My mom always had sliced bananas in her oatmeal, and my husband likes them. Seeing them eat bananas never repulsed me. It was more like not understanding the appeal.

So the New Yorker saw fit to pay the author for that article...even a seven year old sees someone eating a banana and thinks of a phallus. More power to her, I guess. I must be completely out of the loop, because I have never had that come to my mind upon seeing someone eat a banana.

I like bananas o.k. I prefer them not so ripe...as long as the stem has a bit of green I'll eat them as is. Once little brown spots start appearing on the peel, if my husband doesn't eat them they go into the freezer for the next time I want to make banana bread.

I guess it's like many other foods that have distinctive flavors/aromas. Some people like them, some people don't. :D

Green bananas can be a substitude for plantain.

dcarch

I thought that it was a funny article, it's really funny how different things make people say hmmm and others aren't bothered at all.

Stacie
who likes bananas and has a 2 and 3 year old that could eat 2 bananas each a day.

Oh MG!!
Perhaps that's why some think midwesterners are dumb...
It's a joke!! It's satire!! or don't you know that literary convention???
And that's why you should never tell some people a joke on Saturday....

It is entirely possible to understand the concepts of satire, jokes, and other literary conventions and still not find individual attempts at such humorous. I for one recognized that the author was reaching for humor...I just don't think she caught it.

Difference in what tickles does not an IQ rating make, be the person live in the mid-west or here in the CA Central Valley.

I have to agree rachelellen. Initially I said I thought the article was wierd. But maybe I should have said the writer did not strike a funny bone with me. However, I had a friend who has since died and she loved the New Yorker. She was 89 years old.

I think it is a matter of taste.....like pizza crust! But fun that jojo posted it because it does sound like there has been a thread or two in past about the dislike of the banana!

I feel sorry for some of our CF members.
I read a few paragraphs and that was it.
Maybe it is because I happen to like bananna's.

I cut them up into Cereal, make Bananna Splits,( Dcarch )
put them in between Waffles with other fruit.
With Ice Cream and Chocolate Syrup

And many other things but never thought of them as a penis.
when I saw someone eating one.
I'm not a mammy pammy but why does everything have to be taken in a - - - - - - - - - - way.
Everyone can use whatever word they want in there.

I don't know too many people who don't like Bananna's.

LOU

That's good that you like them Lou. They are so good for you.

I love bananas at that magical moment when they're neither too green nor too ripe.

I might have to try that pumpkin smoothie - I'm obsessed with pumpkin at the moment!

Sue

I hate bananas, but not just the texture, it's the flavor. That banana flavor.

So many people seem to think everyone loves bananas and must put them in all kinds of desserts, only to ruin them.
What's for dessert? Oh, banana puddin'!
Our house specialty? Chocolate, peanut butter, banana creme pie!

I ordered a wildberry smoothie ( I LOVE these) from McDonalds recently and was given a drink that looked a shade to pale for my wildberry. But, I drove off and started sipping, it was strawberry banana!
Made me grumpy that I used up my free smoothie coupon on something banana.

Love bananas. Under ripe or ripe, not over ripe.

My DH kids me about buying bananas because I try to buy as much local food as possible, but I refuse to give up my bananas. If a friend buys local and sends it to you, does that count?!?!? Maybe we need to set up some food swaps here! :-)
Let's see, I've got lots of tree fruits, hazelnuts, prunes, seafood is close and plenty of grass fed beef, local pork, etc. And if you need grass SEED, we grow ALOT of that!!
I know, I know, still defeats the purpose...

But it still keeps the "big boys" out of the loop (Mal-Wart, Monsanto, etc.).

As far as the article. I love "good sarcasm", satire not so much. Most of it comes across as petty to me.
Not a big fan of the New Yorker either for that matter.

I guess to a simple farm kid, the packaging doesn't matter so much. Bananas are easy, healthy, biodegradeable. Works for me. Mission accomplished.

Deanna

"Made me grumpy that I used up my free smoothie coupon on something banana."

LOL! Woulda made you more grumpy if you'd paid cash for it! :D

For those of you who like BIG novels, there's a bit in James Michener's "Hawaii" dealing with the time in history when missionaries from New England were traveling to Hawaii to convert the natives...married quickly before the trip (and barely knowing each other) a missionary couple, Abner and Jerusha Hale have a pivotal moment in their marriage. Abner badgers his young, seasick wife into eating a banana every day (so as to get used to the foods they will be eating when they arrive.) As soon as she's able to heave herself up onto deck, she throws the bananas overboard and declares that she will never allow him to bully her again. The look, smell, and flavor of bananas made her sick to death.

After reading this, it occurred to me that had I never tasted a banana until I was seasick, I might not like them either. It's not exactly a subtle flavor. But, I think I'd have been more inclined to throw HIM overboard.

Oh Jessy. Jessy, Jessy, Jessy. Sigh. (LOL)

I was in a banana plantation in Costa Rica.

The banana field was miles and miles big. As far as you can see, for an hour long drive, still more bananas. No weeds, no other vegetation. Who knows how much herbicide was used. Almost ripe banana hanging clusters were claded with thin plastic just like dry cleaned clothings. I donâÂÂt know why, may be to prevent insects.
Workers were harvesting banana clusters and pulling them along temporary monorail tracks to the processing plant.

The clusters were first dumped in a big swimming pool-size tub of water for cleaning. Then specialization took over.

There was one team to cut the clusters into tiers.
There was one team to remove some still attached dried up blossoms.
There was one team for quality control to separate the bananas into two groups.
There was one team to put those âÂÂChiquitaâ labels on each high quality banana.
There was one team to put those âÂÂBananzâ labels on each second quality bananas.
There was one team to wrap the finished bananas.
There was one team to transport the bananas to the warehouse for shipping.

Work for everyone was so mechanical, I found myself humming:

Day-o, Day-ay-ay-o
Daylight come and me wan' go home
Day, me say day, me say day, me say day
Me say day, me say day-ay-ay-o
Daylight come and me wan' go home

I asked one of the English speaking workers a question, and his answer was, â I really hate bananasâÂÂ

dcarch

(Sorry Pam! I can't hold a banana in my house without lifting it on top of my head and chanting 'we will not harm your planet' in front of my kids)

Does anyone remember, reverentially, Spewey's Banana Bunkers. I took mine out of the drawer today and thought of selling it on ebay but decided it was too important a memento of good forum days gone by.

I finally read the article...cute, just another person's perspective, a humorous piece to pass the time. DS #1 used to read the New Yorker, I think he has moved on. Funny, today I put on hold at my library a collection of New Yorker essays by Alex Ross, as recommended by one of the bloggers I follow, operachic. I'll look at it because I think he writes about cats too. I love cats. Grilled. (j/k!!!!!!).

I like bananas, but I don't like their smell. When my dad vacations with us I forbid him to buy and store them in our hotel room if we are sharing a suite because they stink up the place. They are great for potassium replenishment and for my upset tummy episodes. I also love peanut butter, bananas and chocolate on whole wheat bread. And Bananas Foster made by Yasou. And banana bread.

Complete banana freak here. I often buy a big bunch that are under ripe to have over the course of a week and then if they turn brown I either freeze them for smoothies or mush them up for oatmeal. Without question bananas are one of the most perfect foods and when our grocery store has the brown ones by the bag for .97 cents I always grab one. Yum.

Kate

I asked one of the English speaking workers a question, and his answer was, â I really hate bananasâÂÂ

ROFL!! I just BET HE DOES!!

LindaC, I know I have a warped sense of humor and I knew that particular article was supposed to be a joke, it just didn't do it for me. Other things I'll be rolling on the floor laughing over and other people will think I've lost my mind. I'll be thinking of Jessica's "we will not harm your planet" banana now every time I see bananas and everyone around me at the grocery will be wondering what in the world is so funny about bananas, so thanks a lot, Jessica.

Oh, and I still have a banana bunker too, from a forum get-together! Well, I sort of have it. Makayla uses it to take bananas to school in her lunch, LOL, so it's useful as well as a souvenir of a good forum get together!

I don't like the flavor of bananas either. No banana bread, banana pudding, banana cream pie. No banana splits or banana cake or banana smoothies. I do like banana Laffy Taffy, but it doesn't really taste like bananas!

Annie

"It is entirely possible to understand the concepts of satire, jokes, and other literary conventions and still not find individual attempts at such humorous. I for one recognized that the author was reaching for humor...I just don't think she caught it.
Difference in what tickles does not an IQ rating make, be the person live in the mid-west or here in the CA Central Valley."

Very well said, Rachelellen. I agree 100%.

As for bananas, I can take them or leave them.
As long as they are still a little on the green side.

Like some others here, I do not like banana flavored things.
Unless it is real bananas.
No banana bread, muffins, cookies or cupcakes, please.
I do enjoy them in cereal & banana splits.
I like them sliced with strawberries
and mixed with strawberry glaze.
Banana pudding is okay as long as the pudding itself is good, and not banana flavored.
And I don't have to eat the vanilla wafers. :>)

But forget anything artificially flavored banana.

So I guess my answer to the OP's questions is
Yes, I do like bananas.

Rusty

Banana lover here....Banana Cream Pie is my all time favorite!!!!

Another banana lover here. I like to eat them in just about anyway you can fix them. I think my favorite is a certain banana bread recipe I found online.

A lunchbox treat for my husband is banana chip (I buy a brand at the Asian store that isn't as sickly sweet) and peanut butter "sandwiches."

"There is no polite way to eat a banana".

That said...I do like bananas.

Linda

Everyone likes deep fried bananas. :-)

dcarch

I'm glad some else loves Bananna's.

Linda :
You could peel them, before they are brought to the table.
Put one on your plate, with a napkin on your lap.

Slice it in small pieces, pick up one piece at a time and in a very dignified manner, with your Pinky extended, Gobble them down as fast as you can.

Lou

The pinky extension is the important part. ;D

So, how DO y'all eat your bananas, when eating them unplated and unadulterated?

I peel the whole thing, and then break pieces off to put in my mouth. Dunno why I don't just peel it halfway and bite it, I just don't...don't think I ever did.

By the way, a piece of banana trivia for if you are serving sliced banana , like to dip in a chocolate fountain or at table as an optional addition for cereal. If you slice through the peel from stem to end twice, enabling you to peel off an entire strip of peel, you can loosen the banana and slice it leaving the rest of the peel as the serving "container." It browns much more slowly that way.

"The pinky extension is the important part. ;D "

Yup!

I peel most of the way, & bite it.

Rusty

I love bananas. I usually eat one every day if I can get to the store often enough. They don't last more than about 5-7 days once bought. I will eat them under ripe or over ripe but prefer them JUST ripe. I also like banana bread and smoothies.

Like Rusty, I can't stand anything artificially banana flavored. That artificial flavoring is icky.

By the way, the "Shouts and Murmurs" column in the New Yorker is specifically a satire column. I don't always think it's funny, but I always like to read it. I think though, that it helps to know that it's meant to be satire before you start reading so that you don't have to figure that out halfway through. Nathan takes the New Yorker since he is currently at school there and passes the copies on to me.

Bananas are one of those foods that I sometimes crave, eat my fill of, and then can't bear the look or smell of, until I crave them again.

A while ago, before DD's wedding I was on a super healthy kick and gave up all sweets, save for fruit. For a couple months I had a plain frozen banana every evening for dessert. I used to so look forward to that treat until one day it lost its appeal (no pun..) and I did not want anything banana for a long time after that.

Something similar happens with watermelon every summer. I can't wait for that first refreshing red juicy slice. Then I end up eating so much in a weekend that I can't look at it till the next year.

The same thing happens with fresh corn. And tomatoes.

So, do I like bananas? Sometimes.

I love banana pudding and bananas in general. I planted a fruiting banana tree in my back yard, but it will be a year or so before it makes bananas. I had a banana tree in Houston, and the bananas I got from it were very sweet (and small). I used to get small ones in Mexico also.

I generally freeze bananas for making smoothies, and I add yogurt instead of milk because yogurt does not upset my stomach. Sometimes I add protein powder and cocoa plus sweetener (generally Splenda).

As for the article, even Freud once said, "Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar." It certainly doesn't bother me to see someone eating a banana - to me it's just a banana.

Lars

Both of us enjoy bananas & we each eat several a week during the fall/winter months. When I was having dental work done & was on a soft diet for endless months I'd slice a banana, mush it up, plop a scoop of yogurt on top, drizzle with Hershey's, & called it "dinner". I also really like banana bread & love banana cream pie if it's the real deal. For some reason though I do not like banana muffins. Weird.

/tricia

amck, it's nice to know that I am not the only one who goes through "phases."

I will just crave something for a while, make special trips to the store just to get it, serve it up to my sweetly non-complaining husband several days in a row and then suddenly have absolutely no interest, even an aversion.

Regularly seasonal items fall into this category...like local corn or strawberries. I begin to crave them several months before they are available, scarf them 'till I'm sated, and then one day leave the last purchase in the fridge to rot.Wouldn't eat an ear of corn on a bet (probably just as well, since good corn is well past) and find the thought of a strawberry almost vile even though the local stand is still picking due to the mild Fall.

Items available year round suffer the same fate, sporadically. At the moment, I cannot leave artichokes alone, nor get enough greens. Sick to death of cherry tomatoes, though in a few months, when I can't get decent ones, I'll probably want them again.

For about a year, I had a real thing for Nissen Cup O' Noodles...had to have them as late night snacks...last one I ate tasted like salty, wet cardboard. Go figure.

Yes, I do like bananas, slightly under ripe, sliced on my Cheerios or eaten on the run as a snack still in the peel.

I'll add another specialization for when I order two cases of bananas for the office employees to have as a snack:

Another team (of one, me) to separate the banana bunch into separate bananas and pile them in a huge clear, acrylic bowl that sits on the counter of the catering kitchen.

I've done this for two years now ordering bananas on a rotation with apples, pears, grapes, oranges, tangerines, and in the summer, peaches and I still keep a sharp eye out of tarantulas!

The bunches are always 5-7 bananas - never 3 or 4 or 8 - always 5-7. Just FYI.

Teresa

Rachel:
You are weird. LOL !!!!! Nobody really does that ???

Well, maybe some do. That's right, I do !

Someone once said:
" if you eat the Best Steak in the World, every night
for a year, you will be sick of it"

I could give it a go.
Lou

I do not like deep fried bananas!
But a fried plantain slice is ok.
I had them in Colombia and was surprised they had no banana flavor.

BB, I'm with you, I'm not eating the things deep fried either!

Rachelellen, Ashley goes through those same phases. She'll eat something every day for 6 or 7 months, then never wants it again, or doesn't want it for a while and then suddenly wants it again.

I don't think I go through phases, I think it's more a food rut. I've had half an English Muffin with peanut butter 5 days a week for years now, about 10 am, with a cup of coffee. Easy, and I don't have to think about it, just shove it in the toaster at work and take it back to my desk with me!

Annie

I like them and buy them sometimes. More so recently because my lunch buddy likes them. We almost always get treats to share around and sometimes it is just a bunch of bananas. Cookies, cheese, and fruit are in the regular rotation... I have crackers and Brie to take today. My friend Kel is such a banana addict I put one in a loaf of squash bread and she IDed it on the first bite.

I understand the big yellow Cavendish cultivar are going to go away. There is a disease the plants get that killed of the previous commercial cultivar and is now starting to kill the Cavendish. The plants don't reproduce sexually so there is not chance of a evolving into a disease free strain. The hunt is on for a new strain of banana.

I've not made a deep fried banana in years. Years ago I worked at an A&W where we put them in a cinnamon batter and deep fried them. They were they served with soft serve ice cream with lots of chocolate syrup.

As for seeing them as a phallic symbol I don't have a problem with that... better then seeing a cooked spagetti noodle as a symbol (little wonder viagra is so popular). I'm sure we could come up with a long list of things people see as phallic... wonder wtf is on their minds?

Dolly's vet is coming over Thursday... think I'll make some banana bread. Dolly gets house calls!

: )
lyra

I'm sure we could come up with a long list of things people see as phallic... wonder wtf is on their minds?

Let me know when you find out.