I like bananas. Do you?

Odd, but true,  I like to collect banana tips and trivia. When bananas come up in conversation, I enjoy dazzling others with my banana brilliance.  However, it occurred to me that now that I write my Odd blog, I don’t have to wait for the topic of bananas to be introduced.  I can bring the topic to you.

First, more than likely, you’re peeling your banana incorrectly. Most people have never been taught to peel a banana correctly, so don’t feel bad.  Lets start at the very beginning this video by Cole will help you learn to peel a banana like a monkey in no time.

(Click to play video)

In case you were wondering, my banana fascination began one morning, when my dad found the bananas in the refrigerator.  Taking a chilled banana as his dance partner, he began dancing in the kitchen singing the Chiquita banana song.

“I’m Chiquita banana and I’ve come to say, bananas have to ripen in a certain way. When they are fleck’d with brown and have a golden hue, bananas taste the best and are best for you. You can put them in a salad. You can put them in a pie-aye.  Any way you want to eat them, it’s impossible to beat them. But, bananas like the climate of the very, very tropical equator, so you should never put bananas in the refrigerator.”

Watching my dad dance and sing with a banana, while my mom blessed him with her morning look fueled something in me, and I knew I wanted to learn more about bananas.  One might say it was a defining moment.

First a little fascinating Banana 101:

• Bananas are America’s #1 fruit.
• Bananas have no fat, cholesterol or sodium.
• Bananas are available all year-round. They are harvested every day of the year.
• The banana “tree” is not really a tree, but a giant herb. The banana is the fruit of this herb.
• The cluster of bananas sold in supermarkets is called a “hand” of bananas, while the individual bananas on the hand are called fingers.

Now for a few Banana tips:

1. Help Your Garden Grow: Bananas are naturally high in potassium which encourages plant growth. Use banana peel or puree an entire banana and bury it in the soil.

2. Shoe Polish: Use the peel to make your kicks nice and shiny.

3. Stop the Itch: Rubbing the inside of a banana peel on a bug bite helps relieve itching.

4. Pain Reliever: The oil in a banana peel will help relieve the pain from burns and scratches.

5. Wart Removal: Tape a piece of banana peel on a wart, continue until it’s gone.

6. Make Houseplants Gleam: Just like peels can shine shoes, they can also be used to make the leaves of plants shine.

7. Removing Splinters: Similar to wart removal, tape a piece of the peel over the splinter. The enzymes will help dislodge the splinter and heal the wound.

8. Polishing Silver: Have you been thinking about pulling out that old silver? Well there is no time like the present! Bananas peel can also be used to polish silver. Yes, polish silver. Take the old peels and place them in a blender. You want the peels to become smooth and creamy. Once they have, grab a cloth and small amounts of the creamed banana peel and begin polishing your silver. The shine will be breathtaking.

9. Tenderize a Roast: Banana leaves are commonly used in many Asian countries to wrap meat as it’s cooking to make it more tender. Some folks in these areas say the banana itself also has this ability. So the next time you fear the roast you’re cooking will turn tough on you, try softening it up by adding a ripe, peeled banana to the pan.

I could, of course, share so much more on the subject of bananas, but it’s time for me to split!

Glad you were in my Odd neighborhood. Feel free to drop by any time. I would love to hear from you in the comment section of this blog, or on Facebook or Twitter!

Katybeth

Some cool banana products in case you want to monkey around.  I am not “affiliated”  with these products.

Tupperware Banana Keeper

Banana Holder. It is time to forget boring fruit bowls. If you are looking for something unique, then you will be thrilled with this banana holder.

Once Upon a Banana Kids Book

The Amazing Banana Cookbook

Banana Dog Toy

Catnip Banana

Banana Smoothie Recipes