)en's Cookbook: Frozen Choco-Banana Deluxe

There's a chocolate place in Provo, UT called Taste that I love.  It has charming decor and ambiance.  It's driven by passion and purpose, with a mission to spread the good word of fine chocolate and other gourmet foods to the world, something I wholly support. They do tastings which are super fun as well. Whenever we go there, it is fairly empty and I'm afraid, like I have been with on other occasions, that it'll go out of business because no one understands what a gem it is. It's like our used-to-be favorite pizza place here.  When it started it was exciting, something different, something with some elegance and a higher standard.  Slowly over time, we've watched it lower its standards, I'm assuming, to meet the lower standards of the general public here.  It's a judgment I'm making and it's harsh but I stand by it.  People often don't understand the importance of good food and bemoan anything priced higher than fast food which provides me an opportunity to show self-restraint when I stay my hand to slap them across the face twice.

I had a conversation with a person once about this very thing. They had mentioned the possibility of dining together somewhere and they asked me what kind of food I liked. I replied, "I like good food."   They didn't seem to understand as I believe they meant for me to list of various food chain restaurants and arbitrarily connect them to words like "Mexican" or "Italian."  I tried to explain saying I don't care what it is, as long as it's good. Still, they were mystified.  I offered one food place I enjoyed and they commented that they're pricy and pretentious.  I countered saying, "they care!"  And continued to support my argument.  As an open food snob, I defend all attempts made by someone in the culinary arts to have standards, to make a statement, to create something somewhat different and share it with the world.  To simply be thoughtful about their food-making. Thoughtful. Obviously, this was not going to be a match made in heaven because I realized soon after we were at an impasse and this shared dining experience may never happen. It was a little awkward, I'll be honest. But also awesome, and informative.

Taste makes an "iced chocolate" and it's just so good. It's on the bitter side so none-too-sweet (*celebratory firework explosions*) and is made of 150% cream, I am convinced. Whewww it is full fat.  It's all thick and icy chocolatey goodness. Mmm, so good.  I get it on occasion and I'm always glad when I do.

Well I decided to make my own at home.  It may have helped to have some ice to crush but instead I opted for three ingredients:

1. frozen banana pieces
2. valrhona chocolate powder 

3. Banana milk. Banana milk?? What's that?

 INGREDIENTS: FILTERED WATER, ORGANIC BANANAS, ORGANIC SUNFLOWER SEEDS, SEA SALT, ORGANIC CINNAMON, GELLAN GUM.

 I just discovered it.  We've always been able to stomach cow's milk in our home so I've never paid much attention to milk alternatives unless we are catering to someone else's needs.  I think soy milk is out now, right? I've enjoyed almond milk a few times.  And I recently read about banana milk and being that bananas and cinnamon are two ingredients very dear to my heart, I decided to give it a go.
And it's tasty! I don't know if I'd replace all of my milk needs with it, but I opened it for the first time for this frozen choco-banana drink and it was supes delish.

Side story:  Chocolate and banana is a winning combination every time, an opinion shared by my mother and perhaps passed down to me.  I'm not sure if this is still true for her but it is for me in that if I go to Coldstone Creamery, I get the same thing every time: Chocolate ice cream with banana mashed in. It's all I want.  Long ago, Sean and I were having a meal at a restaurant located at the base of the Brooklyn clock tower that always reminded me of Ghostbusters:

I ordered a milkshake and asked them if they'd throw in a banana for me. They stared. Banana? What? Why?  They did not understand this combination. While I let them explain egg creams to me, I tried to explain chocolate banana milkshakes to them which they seemed to regard as inconceivable.  I can't remember if they conceded in the end; some people don't. I am always trying to persuade establishments to "throw in a banana."   Recently I tried this at another ice cream place where I knew they made banana splits so they had bananas on hand and they refused.  My first memory of doing this was in college at the ice cream counter on campus. They didn't serve banana splits but I asked them, "if I go get a banana, will you make me a banana split with just some ice cream?"  They stared at me but I convinced them and they did it and it was excellent. Wow, I am remembering all kinds of things involving me and bananas.  In fact, I'd better include a picture of my favorite sweatshirt:

go, banana!

Which brings us to today and my recipe.  (I really need a "jump to recipe" button.) I didn't measure anything so here's my recipe for:

 )en's Frozen Choco-Banana Blitz
(I can't think of a good name for this at all. I have tried several.) 

1. pour some banana milk into a blender
2. throw in some frozen banana pieces
3. add cocoa powder. 
4. blend
5. add more of these ingredients to suit your needs. Or wait, "to taste."

(click)

A very satisfactory replacement for chocolate milkshakes or iced chocolates or whatever frozen chocolate drink you need in your life, for chocolate + banana is a match made in heaven, and ever shall be.