The Absurd Amount Of Bananas One Historic NOLA Restaurant Uses Yearly

As the original home of bananas foster, Brennan's restaurant in New Orleans goes through 35,000 pounds of bananas per year. Presented tableside with a dramatic, flambéed finale, bananas foster is an iconic New Orleans dessert created through a bit of serendipitous invention. One day in 1951 at Owen Brennan's Vieux Carré restaurant, the eponymous owner blindsided his Chef Paul Blange with a last-minute demand: create a new, banana-centric dessert for a dinner that evening honoring Brennan's friend Richard Foster, the New Orleans Crime Commission chairman. 

At the time, bananas were an immensely popular yet still somewhat exotic indulgence, so a banana dessert was a no-brainer. Owen Brennan's sister and restaurant manager Ella Brennan, who helped shape New Orleans cuisine, offered Chef Paul Blangé some inspiration. She recalled a banana breakfast treat that her mother made, and the chef got to work, creating a deceptively simple recipe.

Blangé combined sliced bananas in a pan with butter, cinnamon, sugar, rum, and banana liqueur. As the pièce de resistance, he set the ingredients ablaze, thus burning off some of the alcohol and caramelizing the fruit. Then, he poured the warm, syrupy mixture over vanilla ice cream, resulting in a slightly boozy, sweet, and creamy indulgence that can be found at restaurants throughout New Orleans today. In 2024, Brennan's even created a National Bananas Foster Day on April 6, celebrating the famed dessert.

Looking at all the possibilities, it makes sense how bananas foster has maintained its popularity for over 70 years. When made correctly, the sizzling sugar melts the vanilla ice cream, while the caramelized bananas create a texture that is almost pudding-like. Once you taste this famous dessert, you'll understand how it became Brennan's most popular menu item and exactly why the restaurant needs those 35,000 pounds of bananas each year. 

But don't stop there. A world beyond traditional bananas foster exists if you think outside the box. Simply tweaking ingredients can make the dish your own. If you aren't a fan of cinnamon, play with the spices. Cardamom adds an exotic note with its slightly sweet, slightly peppery character — while allspice and nutmeg up the warming spices element. Adding a hint of chipotle powder, some grated Mexican chocolate, and a dollop of whipped cream on top makes for an unexpected south-of-the-border banana split. 

Beyond the spices themselves, you can try a bit of orange zest for a citrusy counterpoint or heavy cream for an even more decadent texture and richness. Instead of dessert, think breakfast (or brunch with your favorite friends) with bananas foster pancakes or French toast. A bananas foster milkshake and a cheesecake are further inventive spins. You won't need 35,000 bananas like Brennan's, but your version just might become your household favorite.