Thursday, February 27, 2014

Mini-Banana Splits for Book Clubs @LucyBurdette


LUCY BURDETTE: Being a writer is very hard work, right ladies? I don't know about the rest of you, but one of the best rewards for having written is the chance to meet with readers-especially book clubs and groups!

Last week, I was invited to meet with a group that has been reading and discussing for over twenty years. All of the women live somewhere on the Florida Keys, at least part time. (Though we did have one wonderful woman who'd come all the way from Miami to meet me. That may not sound so far to you, but it's a four hour drive--on a good day!) We had a marvelous meal at the Banana Cafe in Key West, with lots of laughter and chatter about their friendships and their lives and food, and of course, the Key West mysteries. (By the way, there is a fun scene in DEATH AND FOUR COURSES that takes place at the Banana Cafe.) Oh, how grateful I am when readers love one of my characters, even to the point where they might begin to believe she's real:). They brought me a rose and bought me a delicious yellowtail snapper dinner--I felt like a star and it was delightful!

As an additional treat, Jan brought me a bag of mini-bananas from her backyard tree. I like bananas a lot, but my husband is an addict. And he pronounced these little guys the best he'd ever eaten. So I knew I had to made something special with them. 

But I'm also on a crushing deadline. (That's writer-speak for way the heck behind!) Then it came to me--mini banana splits! So easy and forgiving:)

Ingredients:

Bananas, split
Ice cream
Other fruit of your choice, chopped
Nuts
Chocolate ganache or other syrup

Split the bananas!



Cut the fruit (I used strawberries and mango)



Arrange scoops of ice cream over the bananas



Sprinkle with nuts, nestle fruit around the edges



Drizzle with syrup. (I happened to have some homemade ganache on hand, but anything you choose will do!)



Enjoy!

Speaking of thanks, thanks to all the readers who bought MURDER WITH GANACHE over the past weeks. If you haven't gotten yours yet, GANACHE can be purchased wherever books are sold.
And please stay up on all the Key West foodie news by following Lucy on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest


In this compelling mystery Burdette successfully balances the serious topics of homeless youth and divided families with bad tourist cuisine, excellent cooking, and a mother’s quest to find true love for her daughter. Hayley may lose her mind, her job, and possibly her life, but she will always have her family’s love. Not to mention an appreciation of excellent food. Kings River Life
 












14 comments:

  1. Delicious, Lucy! We used to get those little bananas in West Africa and they are so much better than the big honking yellow ones in supermarkets up here in the frigid north.

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  2. They are really so amazing--a little pink inside and sweet. And really just the right size...

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  3. Our twist on banana splits is split the bananas, sprinkle them with cinnamon sugar and grill them. Then we top the hot bananas with a half a brownie and vanilla fudge ice cream.

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  4. That Book Club photo is especially beautiful. We authors can’t thank book clubs enough for the support they give us.

    ~ Cleo

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  5. Lucy, I kid you not, my first banana split did NOT have the banana in it. I was with my boyfriend in college and I was finally over a very bad illness. He took me out (a rare treat) for a banana split. I ate...ate further...said there's no banana. He assured me there was. There HAD to be. Finally, I had the courage to call over the waitress. I said there's no banana and she gasped. I was right. It was her FIRST banana split to make!!! She whisked it back to the kitchen, and I got to start all over again. :) Needless to say, my Alpha-boyfriend was not happy to be proven wrong. LOL

    Daryl /Avery

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  6. What a great post, Roberta/Lucy! I love the pic of the book club and the recipe. I will search for little bananas, but needless to say, our Canadian bananas leave a lot to be desired.

    Thanks for a tasty treat!

    XO

    MJ

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    1. I'd never had one of the petite bananas before, but now I'm craving them LOL

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  7. A well deserved love fest!
    Those little bananas really are delightful. We have plants in our backyard and get a bunch now and then.

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    1. Lucky lady Libby! Give us a shout when the next bunch is ripe:)

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  8. Is it my imagination, or do I recognize one of those ladies from Malice Domestic? What fun! They look like a wonderful bunch of women. Love your banana split, too. Now I'm hungry for one!

    ~Krista

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  9. WEll, of course I love this recipe! I do like those sweet little bananas.. add chocolate ganache, and I'm all over it! thanks for the recipe!

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