Banana

Bananas are naturally sweet, filled with fructose, and ideal for eating fresh or baking.

Flavor

How to use it

Speedy Ripening. Ethylene gas trapped in a brown bag hastens banana ripening, increasing sugar levels.

Bake with Bananas. Overripe bananas are perfect for baking, adding moisture with their simple sugars.

Common mistakes

• Refrigerating green bananas halts amylase, keeping them tough and starchy.
• Peeling too soon reveals starches not yet turned to sugar.

What goes with banana

• Cinnamon. Cinnamon's warm spice complements banana's sweet, estery aroma.
• Cocoa. Banana's fruity sweetness softens cocoa's bitterness, as in banana chocolate bread.
• Oats. Mashed banana sweetens and binds oats, which add toasty chew.
• Peanut. Peanut's salty, roasted richness balances banana's soft sweetness.
• Vanilla. Vanilla's creamy sweetness rounds banana's fruity esters.
• Walnut. Bitter, tannic walnut balances banana's sweetness in baked goods.
• Yogurt. Yogurt's tangy acidity cuts through banana's sweetness, lightening the palate.
• Bacon. Salty bacon against banana's soft sweetness is a diner novelty, not a classic.

Try tonight

• Slice onto cereal for a sweet breakfast.
• Blend into a banana shake with milk.
• Use in banana bread batter for moisture.

Storage

Store bananas at room temperature to ripen, or place in the refrigerator when ripe to extend their life.