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May 3, 2012

Perfection in a Peel

44 Comments/ 2553/ 0

I found it today. The perfect banana.  What makes up a perfect banana, you may ask?  I know it is different for everyone but for me it is yellow with a hint of green.  No brown on the peel whatsoever. Brown is bad.  Unless you are making banana bread and cookies.  It was firm and stringless when I peeled it.  It was quite simply put—perfection in a peel.  I ate it and reveled in the flavor and texture.   And then I got a little sad.  You could even say I was verklempt.   Because it was gone.  I realized I did not savor it as much as I should have.  I did take a picture but seriously–will I ever find another banana of that magnitude again?  I am doubtful.  It embodied every thing that I love in a banana.   Insert sad face here.  There are lessons in this banana story.  Seize the day.  Savor the moment. Enjoy the experience. Live life to the fullest.  Add your own to the list.

You know that I strive to live up to the tagline of my blog—Finding the Extraordinary in the Ordinary–every day.  Today I am going to offer you up some facts about my extraordinary banana as found on a great website Today I Found Out.

1. Bananas are naturally radioactive. They contain high amounts of Potassium-40 which is a radioactive isotope of potassium.

2. There are about 1000 types of bananas in the world but most of them are not suitable to eat. The Cavendish is the commercially produced and favored plant.

3. Over 100 million bananas are consumed annually in the world

4. Americans each eat about 26. 2 pounds of bananas a year making them the favored fruit.

5. People in Uganda eat an average of 500 pounds of bananas EACH yearly.  Wow!

6. Bananas don’t really grow on trees. They grow from a root structure that has an above ground stem and is actually classified as an arborescent (tree like)  perennial herb!

7. The banana fruit is actually a berry!

8. A cluster of bananas is actually called a “hand” with a single banana being called a “finger”.  

Hope my little extraordinary banana made your day today.  You know it is a slow day when I write about bananas.  But please—tell me how you like yours!  

And don’t forget my giveaway of a Gadnake journal…. head over to this post to find out about it.

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44 Comments

Leave a comment
  1. Feeling Beachie - Hilary
    May 03, 2012 at 06:51 am

    You are so cute… And I so agree with you about Brown being BAD… I hated bananas my entire life until about 7 years ago when we stumbled upon a banana tree in the florida keys and I tasted one right off of it.. YUM! I only like them when they are just almost ripe…

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      May 03, 2012 at 08:07 am

      Who else would write a post about a banana, huh??? Slow blog day but hey–it got some comments already this morning!!! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Dianne
    May 03, 2012 at 06:53 am

    Your description sounds just like John’s perfect banana!! I’ll make sure he reads your blog today!

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      May 03, 2012 at 08:06 am

      I knew I liked that guy for a reason! 🙂

      Reply
  3. TBM
    May 03, 2012 at 07:12 am

    I love bananas…but they have to be yellow green for me to really enjoy. I don’t like mush, which I think is why I don’t like tomatoes, unless in salsa or in a sauce.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      May 03, 2012 at 08:06 am

      Mushy bananas are the worst. Glad I am in good company!

      Reply
  4. Susi K (@BocaFrau)
    May 03, 2012 at 07:31 am

    I like my bananas exactly the same way and eat one almost daily. I usually try to buy them when they are still more green than yellow that way they can ripen at home and i won’t have any brown bananas.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      May 03, 2012 at 08:05 am

      I HATE brown bananas. One tiny brown spot or stripe and I won’t eat it. Nope. No way!

      Reply
  5. Ann in the UP
    May 03, 2012 at 07:39 am

    Isn’t that thought-provoking? I love bananas and eat them almost any old way except when they are brown enough so all the sweetness is gone from them. But then they are great for banana bread or muffins. I’m glad you seized the moment and documented your perfect banana, (smile)

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      May 03, 2012 at 08:05 am

      I knew no one else would write a post about a banana today……:-)

      Reply
  6. Bernie Nordman Wahl
    May 03, 2012 at 07:51 am

    *howling* This amuses me to no end that you did a post on that banana! I like mine with no brown and perfectly yellow. However, if I’m baking banana bread, then the more brown spots the better.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      May 03, 2012 at 08:04 am

      I know –I am weird. Chris looked at it this morning and said it was a provocative post…..oh well. It just hit me yesterday that it was indeed the perfect banana.! And it needed documented for the masses! 🙂

      Reply
  7. Megan Broutian
    May 03, 2012 at 11:07 am

    I like my bananas firm and a little on the under-ripe side too. I enjoyed your post, especially your trivia facts. Have a nice day 🙂

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      May 03, 2012 at 11:24 am

      Thanks for the comment, Megan. So far it seems that most folks prefer their bananas the same way that I do!!! I know it was a silly post but hey—somedays you just gotta be silly!

      Reply
  8. poemsandponderings
    May 03, 2012 at 11:09 am

    We have the same idea for the perfect banana.(I really like typing banana too) A while ago I got some interesting facts on bananas that I wish I saved…One I remember was that they are one of the most healty of all fruits, oh and you can shine your shoes with the peel. Don’t know why you’d want to, but…

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      May 03, 2012 at 11:25 am

      Oh you could have dazzled me with all the banana trivia had you saved it!!! Hey I gotta split on out of here now…

      Reply
      1. poemsandponderings
        May 03, 2012 at 11:32 am

        Oh I see, we’re going for the cheap one liners huh! Okay,but I’m tired of being the second banana in this act ..ha ha ha or ba na na.

        Reply
        1. Beth Ann
          May 03, 2012 at 11:32 am

          That one had some ap-peel….

          Reply
  9. Kathryn McCullough
    May 03, 2012 at 11:20 am

    Hooray, Beth Ann, you love your bananas exactly the way I do! That indeed sounds banana perfection to me. Now I want one. Hmmmmm

    I’ll tell you some perfection we had this morning–fresh strawberries that Sara picked from our garden. She blipped a photo of them this morning.

    Hugs,
    Kathy

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      May 03, 2012 at 11:26 am

      Silly post, I know! 🙂 The strawberries sound delightful. I am so not blipping any more…..I lost my blip mojo…..I have packing to do and I just want to sit here and catch up on blogs and blips! Maybe at the airport?????

      Reply
  10. Andrea
    May 03, 2012 at 01:52 pm

    Okay, I never got past the word “verklempt.”. Not in the dictionary, so what is it? I do love bananas, but I rarely savor them, so I guess you could say they aren’t my favorite. I have many favorites … too many, in fact. If I savored every favoirite I had, I would become rotund … not a state I would prefer. So I am glad you enjoyed your banana … don’t spoil it by wishing you had enjoyed it more. Just be glad you found that one. And where there is one, there will be another 🙂 Think positive … I don’t want you to be verklempt, i think?

    Andrea @ From The Sol

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      May 03, 2012 at 09:15 pm

      It means choked with emotion . . I had a boss that used that word when I told him I was leaving the job and it has been my favorite word ever since. I love it. And you are right—-where there is one there will be another. Glass half full!!!

      Reply
  11. Rorybore
    May 03, 2012 at 02:39 pm

    Love bananas! just back from the grocery store and have a fresh “hand” on my table.

    I really, really love them as banana flambe though — such a simple, but decadent dessert.
    I soak them for a spell in good rum. then slice them and put them on low heat in fry pan with some coconut oil and yes, a bit more room. then lit that thing up! for just a bit – it actually cooks off the alchohol. once they are warm – not mushy, you just scoop them out and onto a plate with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. drizzle some honey, or maple syrup and chocolate sauce. So Yummy!

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      May 03, 2012 at 09:09 pm

      Oooohhhh. I may have to try that! Thanks for the recipe!!!

      Reply
  12. Seasweetie
    May 03, 2012 at 05:27 pm

    I did not know some of those tidbits about bananas, but I’m glad I do now. I remember seeing my first banana adolescent perennial herb (I was going to say tree, but now I can’t) on my first trip to the Caribbean. I was thrilled! Heading back in less than three weeks and now, thanks to you, I can be knowledgeably snooty about bananas when I see them!

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      May 03, 2012 at 09:08 pm

      So glad I could be of assistance !!!!

      Reply
      1. Seasweetie
        May 04, 2012 at 11:03 am

        And I actually used the knowledge in a conversation last night!!!

        Reply
        1. Beth Ann
          May 04, 2012 at 08:26 pm

          Imam so proud of you!

          Reply
  13. Paula @ Simply Sandwich
    May 03, 2012 at 08:52 pm

    I have finally found my banana soul sister! 🙂 And I am happy to know that bananas provide “lessons” for us! 🙂

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      May 03, 2012 at 09:08 pm

      Yay! We are connected even more! My hubby was concerned I was posting about banana tho. He thinks I am off my rocker I think!

      Reply
      1. Paula @ Simply Sandwich
        May 03, 2012 at 09:24 pm

        You can just tell your husband that this post proves you are an awesome writer and blogger! Anyone who can write about a banana and work up a discussion to boot, has talent! 🙂

        Reply
        1. Beth Ann
          May 04, 2012 at 08:49 am

          It is ridiculous how a silly post on a banana has gotten more comments than a post that I think has some worth!!! 🙂

          Reply
  14. pattisj
    May 04, 2012 at 12:35 am

    You did a good bit of research on that! Every once in awhile, the “perfect” banana comes along. I’ll take mine just as you described, but once they get brown on them, they are sliced and put in the freezer for smoothies. 🙂

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      May 04, 2012 at 08:48 am

      Hmmmm….smoothies…yummmmmm.

      Reply
  15. benzeknees
    May 04, 2012 at 02:09 am

    I love bananas, but I’m not as fussy as you about the state of ripeness for eating. I am currently eating at least one a day because I am on water pills which depletes your potassium. I love banana bread, banana muffins, sliced bananas with cream & sugar, banana milkshakes . . . . The list could go on & on. Thanks for writing about this interesting fruit!

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      May 04, 2012 at 08:48 am

      I guess I am fussy when it comes to bananas!!! 🙂 I know it was a silly post but it got more views and comments than my ones that “I” think are worthwhile! Go figure!

      Reply
  16. benzeknees
    May 04, 2012 at 04:18 am

    You have been nominated for the Reader Appreciation Award. http://benzeknees.wordpress.com/2012/05/04/intermission/

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      May 04, 2012 at 08:47 am

      Oh wow!! Thanks!!! Yippee!! Time to dust off the crown!

      Reply
  17. kzemek
    May 04, 2012 at 06:23 am

    I never eat the brown spots on bananas. I know they have potassium, help stop diarrhea but also heard they contribute to stomach fat–maybe that’s just a nasty rumor started by other fruits.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      May 04, 2012 at 08:45 am

      Who knows? I just know I don’t like them!

      Reply
  18. Carla
    May 04, 2012 at 07:00 am

    I have some nasty brown nanners in my freezer waiting to be made into bread. Eww brown!

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      May 04, 2012 at 08:44 am

      Brown is bad. Unless it is a last name.

      Reply
  19. Helen Brown
    May 04, 2012 at 03:25 pm

    I have several containers that are in the freezer because they were getting brown. Does that sound inhumane? They someday will become bread or muffins and be eaten.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      May 04, 2012 at 08:22 pm

      No it is nice you put them out of their misery!

      Reply

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