Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-05-21

| As an evidence of how kindly nature |
takes care of her own consider the ba-
mana, the Indian fruit of the tropics |
which forms the staple nutrient food
upon which the native inhabitants
subsist.
The fruit Is cheap, and being easily |
handled, transported and productive
every month Of the year, there is prob
ably no exaggeration in the statement /
made by large importer that the ba-
mana is the fruit Of the future"
Compared to Wheat and Potatoes.
No other plant yields so large a
supply of nourishment according to
space occupied and attention required.
1t exceeds the potato in ratio of "A to
/, and a dozen plantain are calculated
to furnish as much nutriment as q
weeks supply of wheaton bread, but
chiefly in the form OF sugar and starch
It's constituent parts very closely re.
semble the potato and with little salt
meat or fish to furnish proteids.
patch of bananas few feet square will
enable the native West Indian to live
very comfortably, and when necessity
requires. will permit him to perform a
reasonable amount of hard, physical
. labor.
Many Varieties OF the Fruit.
For eating raw the banana must have
sufficient time for the pulp to develop
from the hard, acrid substance, chiefly
immature starch, until all its parts are
ineutraliZed into n sweet delicious jel-
". luscious in flavor and little cloy-
ing to the appetite II too many are
eaten at one time.
The lemon has decided affinity for
the banana and greatly improves its
flavor when the juice Is added to the
ripe fruit.
Manner Of Cooking.
If this fruit is to rival the beloved
potato on our tables 1t is necessary to
study new methods OF preparing 1t to
serve as vegetable as well as fruit.
In the homeland of the plantain 1t is
roasted or baked III the skins like
N potatoes, sliced and fried in butter with
\ powdered sugar; fermented into wine
served in compete and even as bev-
erage like coffee.
T. The banana meal is muCn less nutr'
tious than the meal of grains in com
mon use, is extensively used in plac'
of cereal grains in tropical countries
1t requires the addition Of some lie
gume or lean meat to furnish the nitro
geneous material II lacks.
The unripe fruit is chosen for dryin
and converting into meal because II |
filled with starch, which when drie
and baked closely resembles bread bot
In taste and composition. While W
may exchange wheat for the banan
II would be sending Goals to Newcastl
to ship white potatoes to the tropics 4
order to give the natives variety @
food elements.
Baked Banana.
These are to serve as a vegetable in
stead of potatoes or peas with steal
broiled chops, roast lamb or broile
chicken.
Peel a strip OF skin from each banan
loosen the pulp from the rest of tn
skin, but do not break IT, Place tn
fruit in a baking pan, skin side dow
for each banana melt two level table
spoonfuls of butter in two Of waite
and pour over the fruit; sprinkle wit
a little salt and sugar, few drops Q
lemon juice and II served with chicke
IA tiny pinch of grated nutmeg. Bak
until tender and well glazed.
Bananas In Syrup.
Put plate of currant or strawberr
juice in a saucepan III the latter ad
a little lemon juice, add one cup {
sugar and let boil up; then drop in
dozen small, peeled. ripe bananas an
simmer very gently for twenty mil
utes. Lift the bananas out CAREFUL
..:a u . u .. .: :: :: u u u 81 u u