Banana magic 1

Sometimes for lunch Mom would make me a banana sandwich. Two slices of bread, buttered of course, a banana thinly sliced over the bottom one and lightly sugared.

When I left home and went to university, I experimented quite a lot with food, but I always went back to the good old banana sandwich. I was actually quite pleased to see the wholefood stall in the Students Union selling something labelled as "banana sandwich", but it looked nothing like what Mom used to make! Still I had a go with it. Wholemeal bread, medium sliced: something that didn't taste like butter: and no sugar. I was not impressed and went for a chat with Tulio to see what he'd put in it.

The spread was some ersatz sort of organic vegetarian marge, and I reasoned that was what the odd taste was. I also told him I didn't think it was sweet enough. "Hmm" he said, stroked his goatee, and asked me to come back tomorrow when he'd have something special for me.

I duly returned the day after. Tulio's face lit up. "I have your something special Chris! You must eat it here though." So I stood beside the stall and tucked in. Wow! What a difference. Nutty, gooey, banana-y, in short - yummy. The magic ingredient? Smooth peanut butter. Never heard of it. Didn't have it again - until a few weeks ago.

I had treated myself to a bunch of bananas which were reduced in the supermarket. While making my lunch, I noticed in the cupboard a jar of crunchy peanut butter. Hmm. I wonder....?

Oh maaaan! Bliss! My mind went back to Tulio some 35 years earlier. How could I have forgotten such an amazing creation so easily? Shame on me!