bananas and cheese.

Bananas and Cheese

Submitted by Brian Sutorius

When I was too young to be dropped off at school so my mom could catch up on her soaps, she compromised with me by letting me catch up on my Mister Rogers' Neighborhood for a half hour right before lunchtime. The venerable Fred Rogers played with puppets well into an age where he was eligible for AARP benefits, and also had a traffic light installed in his house. Needless to say, everything he told me should have been taken with a grain of salt, especially before lunchtime.

One day, Mr. McFeely ("Speedy delivery!") brought Fred a blank gray box from the neighborhood grocer, known to all of us as Chef Brockett. Inside that box was one banana, one slice of pre-wrapped American cheese, and a note reading "Wrap cheese around peeled banana and eat right away. Yours, C.B." This being a happier time, Fred gave no second thought to the sparse instructions before enjoying his snack. I immediately told my mother to nix the scheduled peanut butter and jelly.

There's nothing special about this quick concoction (a "C.B."—cheese banana, yes, but also Chef Brockett!), but it doesn't taste half bad. I've tried it with Swiss and jack cheeses in addition to the classic American, and they all play nicely off the banana's spongy texture and unique flavor. I'm sure there are health benefits galore, along with the added bonus of disgusted looks from your lunchtime companions.

[mcsweeney's]