Ford On Food

Unfortunately for me, I can’t eat raw bananas without upsetting my stomach. There is something in them (maybe tannin) that makes my feel unwell.I’m also too unfit to swing from trees – so I would make a lousy monkey.I can however eat cooked bananas, so if you have a similar intolerance, try them barbecued or fried with caramelised sugar and rum. Or maybe diced and cooked in pancakes.Bananas are one of the oldest cultivated fruits and have been eaten by humans in places like India and Asia thousands of years.Contrary to popular belief, bananas don’t grow on trees or even palms; they are the fruit from one of the world’s largest herbs. And, to confuse the issue some more, bananas are technically a berry.Bananas grow in large bunches referred to as a ‘hand’ and are harvested green, because they ripen best after being picked. They contain heaps of essential vitamins (particular B-group), complex carbohydrates, potassium, dietary fiber and absolutely no fat.Varieties commonly available in Australia are Cavendish,