Saturday, August 25 is National Banana Split Day, so why not devote this day to nothing else but the enjoyment of one of the world’s most creative and glorious desserts.
What I love most about them is that you can get as creative or traditional as you want— one of the best things about banana splits is that there’s no wrong way to make one, only different ways to experience the delicious combination of bananas and ice cream. And for many, making a banana split can be a visual spectacle, a personal a work of art.
When it’s first placed upon the table, the split appears as nothing less than one of the most spectacular desserts in existence. The sheer preponderance of all those colorful ingredients, glistening in sugar, is truly a sight to behold.
Any child can testify to the excitement of his/her first banana split. Once you really start to dig in to the split, it can get a little messy—but when all those ingredients begin to melt and meld into each other, the resulting spoonfuls are nothing less than heavenly.
The banana split was originally a deviation on the more traditional ice cream sundae dessert. Concocted by David Evans Strickler in 1904, this three scoop neapolitan triumvirate of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry ice cream are bordered on either side by long slices of peeled bananas, anchor the mound of delicious toppings to follow. Beyond varying degrees of chocolate or fudge syrup, strawberries, pineapples, nuts, whipped cream, and maraschino cherries are also popular—but, the sky is the limit when it comes to your favorite toppings!
I suggest that on August 25th, throw a banana split potluck party. Set up a banana split buffet bar, and let everyone go to town with as many flavors and toppings as they wish. In fact, you could have a contest to see who can manage building the tallest split, or the most glorious looking assembly of ice cream and toppings.  For this year’s National Banana Split Day, celebrate the poet laureate of desserts, the unrivaled banana split…then put your jogging shoes on!
