Hello!

Thanks for the great blog! I'll be using some of the recipes for the upcoming holidays!!

I'm an independent filmmaker working on a new documentary film about bananas, called CAPTAIN BANANA...

Centered on the life and tropical expeditions of former sea captain and self-taught botanist, Markku Häkkinen, CAPTAIN BANANA celebrates the personal, cultural and environmental significance of bananas. Taking the viewer on a unique journey to Southeast Asian banana festivals, a banana expedition in the mountain forests of China and to the wintery city of Helsinki, the film explores one man’s undying passion for a very misunderstood fruit, and explains why bananas matter to all of us.

If you'd like to learn more about the film, follow it's progress, receive updates, or find out how to support the project, please visit the CAPTAIN BANANA profile on IndieGoGo.com:

http://www.indiegogo.com/CAPTAIN-BANANA
(please look at the photos from China/Thailand on the "Updates" page)

At the moment, we are looking to spread the word about CAPTAIN BANANA, so that lots of people know that this exciting project is underway and hopefully some might choose to support the film. That's why I'm contacting you - your blog explores all things bananas and it seems like some of your reader may be interested in this documentary project. If the film seems interesting/relevant/worthwhile to you, it would be a huge help if you posted the link or our widget (it can be found on the IndieGoGo page) onto your blog. OR, if you didn't want to do that, but know a couple of banana lovers who might be interested, then please pass this info onto them... Anything helps!!

If you have any questions or would like any more information about the film, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Take care and thanks for your time!

Ryan White
Director/Producer/Editor - CAPTAIN BANANA

Check out there new website >>> here <<<

Instructions:
Stir together bread crumbs, sugars and 1/4 tsp cinnamon in medium bowl, set aside. Combine bananas, apples, orange juice, remaining 1/4 tsp cinnamon and nutmeg in medium bowl. Sprinkle 2 tbsp crumb mixture into bottom of 9-inch cake pan sprayed with vegetable cooking spray. Evenly spread fruit mixture over crumbs. Dot margarine over fruit. Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture evenly over fruit. Bake at 375 F, 30 to 35 minutes or until apples are tender. Cool slightly. Serve warm with topping, if desired.

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Ingredients:
1/2 cup Orange Juice
1/2 cup Milk
1/2 Banana sliced up
1 cup Orange Sherbert

Instructions:
Mix orange juice, milk, banana and orange sherbert in blender until smooth. Pour into a glass and enjoy.

[Recipe Source]

Ingredients:
2 scoops fat-free frozen yogurt or ice cream, any flavor
1 banana, sliced
2 tablespoons Jif(R) Creamy Reduced Fat Peanut Spread
2 tablespoons Smucker's(R) Strawberry Low Sugar Preserves
Smucker's(R) Hot Fudge Sugar Free Ice Cream Topping, warmed according to package directions
Frozen sugar free whipped topping, thawed
Maraschino cherry (optional)

Instructions:
PLACE ice cream in a medium bowl. Top with banana slices.

PLACE peanut butter in a small resealable food storage bag. Microwave 20 seconds or until melted. Knead slightly. Cut a small corner from the bottom of the bag and squeeze to drizzle peanut butter over ice cream.

TOP with strawberry preserves, hot fudge, whipped topping and a maraschino cherry, if desired.

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The gene has previously been used to combat diseases in tobacco, tomato, broccoli, orchids and rice.

Speaking in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Peter Werehire, the publications officer at the AATF said in the last five years, the disease has spread in the entire Eastern and Central African countries of Uganda, Eastern Congo, Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda.

"So, the National Agricultural Research Organisation and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture sought to access candidate genes for conferring resistance against the wilt. One such gene was the plant ferrodoxin-like protein gene from sweet pepper," he said.

Werehire said the banana bacterial wilt disease, caused by Xanthomonas campestrispv. Musacearum, is spread through the use of infected banana planting materials, infected cutting tools, vectors and browsing animals.

"When the disease strikes, the leaves of the infected plants first turn dull green before they become scalded. The plants start wilting and the bunches show uneven and premature ripening of fruit," he said.

It has been found to be very destructive with incidence of 70-80% in many plantations and yield losses of 90% have been reported on some farms.

In Uganda for example, the potential national loss is estimated at USD 360 million annually (or 90% of banana’s contribution to the country’s GDP). He said preliminary laboratory tests indicate that transgenic banana plants appear to be resistant to the wilt.

[News Source]

A cool winter in Central America, flooding in Ecuador and increased demand in Europe are creating a shortage in North America and forcing stores to rush supplies to market greener than usual, says local banana man Ron Chiovitti.

At the same time, transportation costs are skyrocketing, which explains why the price has shot up by 10 to 20 cents a pound.

"Our market has already moved up 10 cents," says Chiovitti, 61, North America's largest importer and distributor of bananas. But even if our favourite fruit rises to 69 cents a pound, it's still the best buy in the produce department.

"Even local apples cost more than a buck a pound," says the former drummer whose Italian great-grandfather began peddling bananas on Toronto streets in the early 1900s. "At three to a pound, a banana might cost you 20 cents each."

Most bananas are bought on impulse and we often don't even notice the price, Chiovitti adds. "If they look nice and they're the right colour, you're going to buy them."

Though his organic banana business is growing 10 per cent a year in volume, he says it's driven by price rather than conscience. If regular bananas are 49 cents and organics 99 cents a pound, consumers will buy a regular bunch. But if regular bananas are 69 and organics 79, he sells more organics.

In a typical week, Chiovitti trucks up to 3.5 million pounds of boxed bananas into southern Ontario from U.S. ports, then ripens them for four to five days in the company's 50 ripening rooms at its Etobicoke headquarters and at the Ontario Food Terminal.

Though he estimates that Canadians eat more than 35 pounds of the super-nutritious fruit a year, banana barons such as Dole and Del Monte have big plans to encourage us to eat even more.

Bunches of Chiquita bananas are already appearing beside the checkout in some local supermarkets. If we follow the U.S. lead, by the end of the year we should see single ripe bananas for sale in high-end coffee shops and fast-food chains.

Will Canadians buy a 99-cent banana with their $3.50 latte?

"We'll see!" says Chiovitti, whose bedside reading includes the current bestseller The Fate of the Fruit That Changed the World by Dan Koeppel.

[News Source]

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Instructions:
Apply lemon juice to the rim of a frosted double-cocktail glass, and dip into caster sugar. Fill the glass with crushed ice, add the ingredients and blend briefly. Serve with a lemon juice-dipped slice of banana.

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