Bananas Foster is becoming more and more available on dessert menus as an alternative to fancy pastry.  Where once the choice was "ice cream -- vanilla, chocolate or strawberry" now even French restaurants offer "Bananas Foster" as the ice cream dessert of choice.  I write "even French restaurants" because the dish is American, and French menus seem usually to prefer everything in French.  However, Bananas Foster was created in America's most francophile city, New Orleans, so that might contribute to its acceptance on some French menus.

Yes, this is one of those rare instances where a definite time and place can be given for the origin of a recipe.  In fact the whole story can be found at the website of the place of its origin -- Brennan's Restaurant, where Owen Brennan asked his Chef Paul Blangé to come up with a new way of using bananas.  It was the 1950's and, to quote the website, "New Orleans was the major port of entry for bananas shipped from Central and South America."  Brennan was looking for a new recipe, not only to promote the imported bananas but also to submit to Holiday Magazine,  whose editors were preparing an article about Brennan's Restaurant at the time.

The recipe Paul Blangé created in 1951 was a rather spectacular one for the humble banana as it was to be set aflame tableside, and soon became "the most requested item on the menu." It was named Bananas Foster for Richard Foster, a friend and frequent guest at the restaurant.  He was the owner of the Foster Awning Company, and served as chairman of a Crime Commission of which Owen Brennan was a member.   According to the folks at Brennan's, each year 35,000 pounds of bananas are used in the preparation of the dessert.

Combine the butter, sugar and cinnamon in a flambé pan or skillet.
Place the pan over low heat either on an alcohol burner or on top of the stove, and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.  Stir in the banana liqueur, then place the bananas in the pan.  When the banana sections soften and begin to brown, carefully add the rum.  Continue to cook the sauce until the rum is hot, then tip the pan slightly to ignite the rum.  When the flames subside, lift the bananas out of the pan and place four pieces over each portion of ice cream.  Generously spoon warm sauce over the top of the ice cream and serve immediately.

If you're not adept at handling flambé desserts, and/or you don't have either banana liqueur or dark rum handy in your kitchen, you can do as I do and substitute a Tablespoon (or more -- to taste) of rum extract flavoring in place of the liquors and forget about the the flaming.  It's not authentic, but it's still a mighty good dessert.

Now here's the really good news.   Brennan's has been closed since Hurricane Katrina but as I write this, the descendants of Owen Brennan are preparing to open again on June 8, 2006, serving Breakfast/ Brunch and Dinner.  They are closed for Lunch and for all day Tuesdays and Wednesdays.  For details and to make a reservation, click on the Link below

Who Cooked That Up?  is copyrighted 2006 by J.J. Schnebel
 all rights reserved for your pleasure and enlightenment

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