National Banana Split Day

No one can say for sure exactly who was the first to invent the banana split. Several have claimed responsibility. 

Some say it was invented by Dr. David Strickler in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. In his pre-doctor days, while working at Tassell Pharmacy he supposedly came up with an original ice cream concoction, the banana split, which became a big hit with students at a nearby college. 

However, in 1906 Stinson Thomas, promoted it at the National Association of Retail Druggists in Boston.

Whoever the original inventor was, it appears that the banana split was born in a drug store! 

Ingredients:

1 scoop vanilla ice cream
1 scoop chocolate ice cream
1 scoop strawberry ice cream
1 large ripe banana
1-2 tablespoons crushed pineapple
1-2 tablespoons hot fudge
1-2 tablespoons strawberry sauce
Chopped walnuts or wet walnut ice cream topping
Whipped cream
3 Maraschino cherries

1. Split the banana down the middle and place the halves on opposite sides of a banana split dish.

2. Place the three scoops of ice cream between the two halves of banana.

3. Add pineapple on top of the vanilla ice cream, hot fudge on the chocolate ice cream, and strawberry sauce on the strawberry ice cream.

4. Cover the whole thing with whipped cream.

5. Add a Maraschino cherry to the top of each scoop of ice cream.

^{Banana split image courtesy of Harvey-Harv on flickr} 

These days people experiment and make all kinds of banana splits. These are some unique toppings you might like to try. 

Nuts: Peanuts, almonds, Macadamia nuts, cashews, pecans, pistachios

Gooey stuff: Caramel, chocolate syrup, butterscotch sauce, honey, marshmallow creme, pudding

Fruits: Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, peaches, kiwi, mango, raisins, dates

Crumbles: Vanilla wafers, graham crackers, waffle cones, cookies, smashed Oreos, granola

Candy: M&Ms, Nestle's Crunch bars, Heath bars, Butterfingers, Reese's pieces, toffee bits, chocolate chips, chocolate shavings

Other toppings: Mini marshmallows, sprinkles, coconut, cinnamon


 

• Watch episodes of The Banana Splits Adventure Hour on YouTube. 
• Have a banana split making contest to see who can make the tastiest or the biggest or the goofiest banana split.
• Practice singing The Name Game using different words and names. You might want to watch the video above and write down the rules first. 
• Visit an ice cream shop and order banana splits.
• Eat banana splits for breakfast. 
• Play banana surgery. Divide into teams. Cut each team's banana into equal numbers of parts (4-6 parts). Instruct each team to reassemble their banana using tape, toothpicks, pins or whatever they think will work best. Once the bananas are reassembled, decide which team did the best job.

Why did the banana go to the doctor?
She wasn't peeling well. 

What do you call two banana skins?
A pair of slippers

Why don't bananas snore?
Because they don't want to wake up the rest of the bunch.

What do you do if you see a blue banana?
Try to cheer it up. 

Why do people like bananas?
Because they have a peel. 

• Bananas come in more than 200 varieties. 
• A cluster of bananas is called a hand. The bananas on the hand, usually 10-20, are known as fingers. 
• Bananas do not ripen on the plant. They are cut green and allowed to ripen.
• The average American eats between 26-30 pounds of bananas per year. 
• Bananas have a calming affect on the body.
• The peels of bananas can be used to decrease swelling and irritation from mosquito bites, as well as to polish leather shoes. 
• The biggest banana split on record was over 4 miles long!

^{Banana image courtesy of 24oranges.nl on flickr}

If you liked learning about National Banana Split Day, stop by my Crazy Holidays board on Pinterest for even more fun!