A dried banana is not a banana chip and it’s not really dry. It’s much worse. Dark brown and shriveled, it’s soft and feels slightly greasy-some might even say slimy.
But boy, does it taste great. Sweet and mellow, dried bananas melt in your mouth. And like fresh bananas they pack a nutritional punch with lots of protein, potassium and other vitamins and minerals.
They’re sun-ripened with no preservatives, no added sugar and negligible fat. Ugly as they are, the wizened fruits also are a lot easier to carry around than whole bananas.
Timber Crest Farms, under the brand name of Sonoma (known for marketing sun-dried tomatoes and other fruits), now is packaging two whole dried bananas in 1 1/2-ounce packages that will keep for a couple days unopened in your pocket or desk, up to 6 months in the refrigerator and several months in the freezer.
They’re a product of Thailand and sell for about $1.25 in health food and gourmet stores.
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If you have news of food events or discoveries around town, please send it to Carol Mighton Haddix, Food Guide editor, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, Ill. 60611.
