Summertime Choco-Banana Shake

Try this recipe for a frozen chocolate shake: easy, heathy, and all-local!

Summer is here! I’m enjoying these hot days as a perfect opportunity for experimenting with, and definitely for enjoying, frozen chocolate drinks. Honestly, I drink chocolate hot year round, but I know other people may prefer a cold refreshment on a hot day. The copious bunches of ripe bananas in our yard inspired this recipe for a simple, invigorating treat. I especially appreciate that this recipe can be made entirely from the fruits of our land, but I suspect it will be almost as delicious if you need to run to the store for some of the ingredients.

Banana and chocolate: so simple and so delicious!

Another inspiration for this recipe comes from my ongoing research of the Kuna people, island dwellers of the Caribbean coast of Panamá (after having been displaced from their ancestral home in Columbia). Years ago the Kuna had a moment of international fame when reports suggested the secret to their robust health is the huge amount of cacao they consume. As many stories of super foods bestowing super powers go, this turned out to be an exaggeration. While the health of the Kuna people is stellar, more recent reports suggest that they don’t really consume a ton of chocolate. Sad, I know.

Good information about the traditional and current cocoa habits of the Kuna people is hard to come by. Some sources say that when they do drink chocolate, it is often, or at least sometimes, sweetened with ripe banana or plantain. They mash ripe banana and roast and grind (unfermented?) cacao. They combine the two ingredients with water and simmer for a while making a thick drink. I have yet to come across a specific, authentic recipe, but you can try these adapted recipes from The More Than Occasional Baker and Hazel Lee. (If you know more about this topic, please let me know!)

In any case, banana and cacao is a wonderful combination, both on the farm and in the cup. Don’t let the summer go by without trying this treat.

Summertime Choco Banana Shake

Ingredients for 1 serving:

• 1 cup (about 130 grams) frozen banana pieces (about 2 apple bananas)

• 10 to 30 grams high percentage chocolate (I use 100%)

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or other flavorings (optional)

Directions:

1. Dice and freeze the bananas. The quickest way to freeze fruit is to cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper and arrange small pieces in a single layer. Put the sheet into the freezer for a few hours. For longer term storage, transfer the frozen pieces in a freezer-safe ziplock bag, Mason jar, or other container.

2. Heat water to a simmer. Add 1/4 cup hot water and the chocolate to a blender. Blend until the chocolate has melted and dissolved into the water without lumps.

3. Add the frozen banana to the blender and blend until smooth.

4. Pour into a cup and enjoy the summer afternoon.

This shake is thick - bring a spoon. If you’d like, thin it with water or something creamy like coconut milk. Enjoy a cup as a refreshing and energizing afternoon snack.

I hope this idea will inspire you to experiment. Try different varieties of bananas for different flavors. Add mint or root beer extract. Add cardamom or nutmeg. Slip in a dollop of nut butter.

Let me know how you like it!