Yes, Banana And Mayo Belong On A Sandwich

Southerners certainly take pride in their regional foods, which are known for combining interesting ingredients. Some of these combinations taste fantastic and have become iconic, such as mac and cheese, chicken and dumplings, biscuits and sausage gravy, and shrimp and grits. Unless you grew up in the South, though, there are a few dishes that are hard to wrap your head around. Case in point: the banana and mayo sammie, also called the Southern banana sandwich.

That's right; to many in the southern U.S., there's nothing like sliced banana in between two pieces of white bread that are slathered in mayonnaise — preferably Duke's Mayonnaise, the go-to Southern condiment (it's even Alton Brown's favorite mayo brand). According to fans, this combination works because the salt in the mayo complements the sweetness of the banana.

While it's unclear exactly when the Southern banana sammie first emerged, it found popularity throughout the 1930s and 1940s. The Great Depression defined the '30s, and people were looking for cheap ways to get the calories, fat, and vitamins they needed in order to work long days. Since bread was hearty and affordable to buy and make, families would put just about anything between two slices to satiate their hunger — including mayo with partners like tomato, pineapple, and other fruits. From then on, the banana and mayo sandwich became something of a delicacy.

There are a couple of tips for making the perfect banana and mayo sammie. Firstly, don't use Miracle Whip, as it will change the overall flavor too much. Secondly, make sure that the banana is entirely yellow — green fruit will be too stiff, while brown spots indicate that it will be too mushy. Thirdly, cut the fruit lengthwise before and place the slices on the mayo-smeared bread. The slices will be less likely to fall out as you eat, compared to cutting the banana into coins.

Many Southerners may be strict about their banana sandwiches, but others like to swap out the ingredients and live on the wilder side. For instance, some people use peanut butter instead of mayonnaise, and add honey, marshmallow fluff, or even bacon. Others might use chopped nuts, lemon juice, and sugar to accent the fruit's flavor.

Meanwhile, some have taken banana sandwiches to the extreme, combining mayo and peanut butter with the fruit. In one 1930s newspaper recipe, readers were directed to spread butter, cream cheese, and jelly on sliced bread and cover with banana slices — lettuce optional. Plus, there's famous Southerner Elvis Presley's favorite sandwich, the Fool's Gold Loaf, which featured banana, peanut butter, and bacon on sourdough bread that was then deep-fried or heated in some way. On that note, doesn't using French toast as the bread on a Southern banana sandwich sound like a delicious idea?