The first thing that I ever learned to cook was banana fritters. I must have been no more than 10 years old, when a friend of mine introduced me to this heavenly treat. I was in total awe. How could something as simple as a banana, and other simple ingredients, infuse such a powerful blast on the palate. It had been and still is: pure bliss. This sweet treat has made such a lasting impression, and to date, I have made banana fritters at least once, every single week since then.

In Jamaica, my home was a walk away from one of the largest markets. When I wasn’t shopping for my grandma, I was buying ripe bananas for myself. I knew that the firm ripe bananas would not provide the sweetness that I desired. I needed to get the speckled, freckled bananas, that were soft and appeared to be imperfect. Those are the best bananas to use when making banana fritters. I would get what seemed like a ton load of bananas for just 10 cents. The sellers were excited to give it away. After all, no one else was going to buy them (unless of course, it was someone who was just as crazy about banana fritters as I was). They were more than likely to be discarded. So why not just give all their imperfect bananas to the cute little girl.

I have a habit of teasing my friends with these fritters. I’ll fry up a batch and take to work with me. Any one who sits in close proximity to me, at work, will at some point or another, in our work-life, enjoy my banana fritters. Then they stalk me, wanting to know when I will be making more for them. One co-worker said she went searching through several Jamaican restaurants trying to find banana fritters and lucked out. LOL. Yes I had to laugh.

Banana fritters are fairly simple to prepare. I enjoy cooking, so everything is simple to me, but trust me, banana fritters are really simple.

Banana Fritters Recipe:
Coconut Oil for frying (or oil of your choice)
3 Over ripe bananas
1/2 cup of sugar
3/4 cup of all purpose flour
1 tspn cinnamon
1 tspn nutmeg
1 tspn vanilla
1 tblspn coconut oil (optional)
a pinch of salt

Directions:
Mash bananas with a fork
Add sugar and whisk until combined
Add cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, vanilla and coconut oil- whisk to combine
Add all purpose flour and fold into mixture to create a batter
Heat oil in skillet
(All stoves are calibrated differently, I keep my burner in medium low)
With a ladle or large spoon, drop batter into hot oil
Fry for about 3 minutes on each side
Flip fritter and fry on each side for another 3 minutes
Remove and drain on paper towel
Enjoy!