Scalloped bananas, a unique summertime dessert recipe

✯ Day 222 of Vintage 365 ✯

 

It's usually about this time of the season when the incessant heat of summer starts to almost take on an almost humorous quality. You make a sort of funny peace pact with this ever-present warmth and come to accept - perhaps even embrace it - for what is, aware in the back of your mind, that in the blink of an eye it'll be winter again and as you shovel through another three feet of snow, you'll pine for these roasty-toasty days.

Just as the second half of summer can be (despite the crushing heat) oddly light-hearted - even silly at times - so too do I find this season puts me in the mood to try off-the-wall, sort of kooky, entirely fun recipes. Luckily when dealing with vintage recipes, one does not usually have to look far to find a dish that falls under that heading.

While I'll stop short of grape, celery and beef tongue stuffed aspics, I do think there's something rather intriguing about the sound of banana scallops.

Fear not (unless you like ocean dwelling scallops and bananas together in the same dish), this recipe does not include any seafood. Instead, I believe, the name derives more from the same that finished product takes on.

{Not a million miles off from other fried fruit desserts like apple fritters, these Scalloped Bananas would be a terrific addition to a tropical or tiki themed meal. Click here for a larger version of this intriguing 1940s fried banana recipe. Darling vintage Chiquita Banana ad via curly-whirly on Flickr.}

I haven't made this recipe yet myself, but it's definitely go into "try this file". Years ago there was a great Chinese restaurant in my hometown that served light, crispy breaded and deep-fried bananas and, while not quite the same, I imagine the taste of the two would be quite similar.

If you're in the mood to have some fun this week, too, why serve with these yummy Banana Scallops (perhaps dished up with some French vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of chocolate or caramel syrup), they're such to be a conversation starter - and who knows, perhaps become a family favourite!