Banana

About

Banana flavor changes markedly with ripeness. Green-tinged fresh banana is slightly astringent with a bland, grassy edge; as it ripens, this turns into the familiar fresh, fruity banana flavor with a clove-like note. Once the peel is heavily browned, the flavor shifts toward vanilla, honey, and rum, suiting banana bread or flambéed preparations. Banana pairs well with roasted flavors such as coffee, nuts, and chocolate, and with heavily spiced flavors like rum.

Pairs well with banana

• SuEggSweetened omelettes filled with fruit are a French dessert tradition, distinct from Japan's savory soy-and-sugar tamago yaki.
• WoAlmondToasted almond flakes are a classic finishing touch for banana split, adding crunch and nutty contrast to the dessert's sweetness.
• SpCinnamonAs a banana ripens, its content of eugenol -- the clove-flavored compound -- increases, which is why very ripe, spotted bananas taste…
• RoChocolateA simple campfire treat: an unpeeled banana is slit lengthwise, studded with chunks of chocolate pushed into cuts in the flesh, wrapped in…
• CrCoconutKluay buat chii, a Thai dessert whose name translates as 'bananas ordaining as nuns' (a reference to the white robes worn by Thai Buddhist…
• GrAniseLicorice's spicy, salty notes pair well with banana's sweetness, chef Giorgio Locatelli serves tiramisu alongside a banana and licorice…
• FfVanillaBanana and vanilla share floral, spicy notes; vanilla's creamy sweetness softens banana's slightly citric sourness, making the two a…
• MeChickenBanana and chicken combine in chicken Maryland -- fried breaded chicken served with fried banana, cornbread or fritters, and a creamy…
• BrBaconThin bacon slices wrapped around peeled banana, secured with a toothpick and grilled for 8-10 minutes while turning, balances bacon's…
• FfHoneyBoth banana and honey change character with age, though in opposite directions: ripening bananas turn soft, translucent and sweet, while…
• ChHard CheeseComte, France's most popular cheese, ranges from notes of fresh hazelnut, dried apricot and caramel when young to walnut, chestnut,…
• RoCoffeeBanoffee pie layers a pastry or digestive-biscuit base with caramel, banana slices and coffee-flavored cream; a biscuit base is often…
• BrMisoSweet white miso's flavor profile -- butterscotch, custard, tropical fruit -- has made it a natural match for banana in desserts, from…
• CrDateDate's caramel flavor makes it a natural stand-in for banoffee's toffee element: layered with sliced banana and a little cream and…
• FrPineappleThe cherimoya (custard apple), with its scaly green skin, has a flavor often described as a cross between pineapple, banana and strawberry.
• WoWalnutBanana pairs with walnut both fresh -- sliced into coins, topped with a walnut half and a dab of dulce de leche -- and in baking, where…
• RoPeanutA fried peanut butter and banana sandwich on white bread was reportedly Elvis Presley's favorite, without bacon -- a common misconception…
• RoMaple syrupFrozen overripe bananas blended with maple syrup, a little lemon juice and optionally vanilla extract make a simple dairy-free 'nice…
• EaBarleyBeremeal, flour milled from Orkney's traditional bere barley, pairs well with banana, according to Liz Ashworth, author of The Book of…
• CiCardamomBanana and cardamom combine in a cooling raita: mashed banana is mixed with ground cardamom, a pinch of dried chili and yogurt, adjusted…
• FrPearBanana-flavored candy and pear drops share the fruit ester isoamyl acetate -- the same compound honeybees release as an alarm pheromone…
• WoHazelnutHazelnut butter -- distinct from browned butter (beurre noisette) -- tastes like Ferrero Rocher without the chocolate or added sugar, and…
• CrPapayaDried banana and papaya pieces, as found in trail mix, retain a flavor notably close to the fresh fruit, making them a popular pairing in…
• SpParsnipDuring World War II, when bananas were unavailable in Britain, 'mock banana' was made from mashed parsnip -- the two share a sweet, spicy…
• FrCherryKirsch, a clear spirit distilled from stone-in cherries, carries a bitter-almond note reflecting cherries' close botanical relation to…
• MaCaviarIn pre-revolutionary Russia, the tsar's children were reportedly served mashed banana with caviar for breakfast -- an unlikely but…