Surprisingly, this blog’s inbox will sometime get an email that isn’t trying to sell me Viagra:
“Dear Sis Boom blog,
I think you “get me”. I am addicted to banana. Unfortunately, when I go shopping my eyes are bigger than my mouth. I tend to over-buy and so by the end of the week I must race to consume them all. There must be more to do with ripe bananas than make banana bread, isn’t there? Sometimes I think that if bake any more banana bread for my girls, I will get violent.
Another thing, I believe in eating locally and reducing my carbon footprint whenever possible. You seem to have a lot of opinions, what do you think of this? All this social responsibility makes me want to drink…sigh.
Sincerely,
Possibly Postal in PA
(P.S. I love my bourbon, but I have been drinking a ton more of it since your Horse’s Neck Cocktail went viral. It is oddly gratifying to blame it on you!)
Well Postal, you are in luck because I’ve got something for you that is right up your alley. But first let me say that violence never solved anything except my early struggle to be left alone in high school. But I digress…
To be blunt, as far as dining trends go I find the whole “eating local” or “farm to table” movement a bit annoying . At least with the “put bacon on and in everything you can” movement you ended up with genuinely enjoyable food that didn’t cost a fortune. I know it’s a splendid idea to support local farmers and growers and all that stuff when you can, but are you honestly willing to strictly limit your diet to what comes to you in a CSA basket? You will be sacrificing enough cash and variety to accomplish this movement’s lofty goals when you go out to dinner — are you just as willing to martyr your wallet and menu selections at home too?
For my part, the day I realized that I lived 2000 miles from where they make good bourbon was also the day I realized how much I disliked “eating local”. Now that I think of it, do farm-to-table restaurants even have a bar? Who would drink tequila made in Montgomery County or house gin made ‘out back’ in Allentown?
There is a lot here to work out if you ask me. Not enough of us live close to where bacon is made.
And you, dear Postal, help me prove my point.
Your addiction is to the most environmentally incorrect food there is, the banana. When was the last time you saw a banana plantation in Philly? It takes an awful lot of fuel and regime support to schlep your beloved banana from Ecuador (or wherever), to your kitchen counter.
So, if you aren’t going to give up bananas the very least you can do is not let them rot and go to waste after all that they had to do to get to your kitchen counter.
If that means more banana bread for your girls PP then do it! If we all did more to not waste the food we do transport and buy we could affect greater change than if we dined out at whatever establishment is offering to baptize our guilt with a high priced, often boring meal.
Luckily you don’t have to. You do have options. If you are so tired of banana bread, chocolate banana bread, coconut banana bread, chocolate peanut butter banana bread, or chocolate bacon banana bread you can always make ice cream with your tropical fruits.
Which brings us to this Roasted Banana Bourbon Ice Cream.
You’re welcome.
Signed, Sis. Boom.
The recipe is adapted from David Lebovitz who is my go-to guy for frozen inspirations. The added booze was my idea, but something tells me David would approve. If he doesn’t, I would be happy to buy him a bourbon and discuss it with him further.
Roasted Banana Bourbon Ice Cream
(Adapted from David Lebovitz, The Perfect Scoop; inspired by my favorite booze.)
This is what you will need:
- 4 ripe bananas
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon butter cut into pieces
- 1 1/2 cups half and half
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons bourbon
This is how you make it:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Peel and slice the bananas into a bowl and toss with the sugar and butter until well coated.
- Spread out on a lined sheet pan or baking dish and bake until well brown. Try to avoid stirring or mixing during the cooking. Bananas will get very dark and mushy. This is good! Roasting should take about XX minutes.
- When completed, spoon the mixture into a blender.
- Add the next six ingredients and blend until well mixed and emulsified.
- Add bourbon and gently stir.
- Chill mixture in the refrigerator for no less than 2 hours and then freeze according to your ice cream maker’s directions.
I am so glad that Postal inspired you to make this. Definitely a creative move from the same old banana bread. I got lost in the vodka aisle today, lots of flavors. The mandarin was recommended, but the bubble gum was hidden at the back (yuck). Also, there was someone demanding cupcake flavor and did not want cake flavor?? Weirdness.
Anyhow glad this has a simple bar ingredient I have on hand. Delicious post!
Dear Mr. Sis. Boom.,
Thank you for interjecting a little bit of reality into the blogosphere.
As of late, I have become increasingly paranoid regarding my failure to stockpile locally grown squash and apples to feed myself throughout the winter. I have been terrified that the sustainability police were going to come seize my stash of canned pineapple and Nutella. Although, it is maple syrup season up here – I guess I could always eat my butternuts with healthy serving of syrup…
Truly yours,
Relieved in NY
P.S. I am certain that Mr. L would absolutely approve the addition of bourbon.
Cheers
OMG, Trevor, I am on my way to your house right now! And I can get there quicker than Cher! LOL!
I think the best ingredients are the best ingredients. It’s wonderful to take advantage of fresh local foods in season, but as you point out, not all of the best ingredients are local.
I have no idea why (or how) some ingredients become as trendy as lipstick colors. Does everything have to be flavored with bacon, chipotle, miso, and/or genmacha?
Okay, back to this ice cream – what a winning flavor combination! I’m sure David will wish he’d thought of it himself!
I have SO many friends who can relate to being utterly and hopelessly addicted to big bananas! But like postal, their eyes are SO much bigger than their mouths … sigh. I so agree with you Sis Boom – local lettuce can only get you so far, and I don’t care HOW much fossil fuel it takes to get the good booze into my belly. We’ll run out eventually, and I plan to be drunk for it. Pretty ice cream!
Yes! Your ice cream looks insanely good. Amazing post!
Your comment section is more entertaining than most blogs.
PS…fabulous ice cream!
A little bacon in this ice cream would really give it a “wow” factor . In all seriousness, this looks delicious.
I was wondering what you would do with that bourbon besides drink it. 🙂 Your ice cream looks delicious. My husband just signed us up for a CSA (I really think it was mostly due to the cute girl who came to our front door) and we got our first delivery this week. I don’t intend to limit our produce consumption to the CSA, but I have to say the produce that we received is so beautiful and I often have to go to 2 or 3 stores to get the kind of selection we got delivered to our front door. I at least want to give it a try.
That does sound quite extreme. I like bourbon ice cream so much. It’s tasty, spicy, and delicious and I always feel the smell of Roasted Banana Bourbon Ice Cream. I enjoy much when I taste this spicy item. Thanks for this article
Ice cream. Need not say more. And bourbon with roasted banana? Sounds perfectly delectible. One tip for overripe bananas. Slice ’em up, then freeze ’em. Makes for a creamy, frozen addition to smoothies instead of ice cubes.