Bananas Flambé

Years ago I did a cooking demonstration on Bristol TV. When told we would be doing Bananas Flambé one of the techs said, "Sounds like the name of a hooker!" I acknowledged that the recipe came from my friend Carlin Glynn who won a Tony for her performance as the Madam in the Broadway production of "Best Little Whorehouse in Texas."

Bananas Flambé (with a nod or a bow to Mr. Foster)

On a cart in your dining room, set up a chafing dish, a bowl of brown sugar, a stick of butter, very firm bananas cut in half crosswise then lengthwise, a bottle of banana liqueur and a bottle of 151 rum, a long-handled spoon (the kind used to sup with the Devil) and a lighter.

(I am sure there is a fire-extinguisher nearby.)

Melt the butter, add several spoonfuls - about half a cup - of brown sugar. Stir to dissolve, pour in some banana liqueur. When melted and hot, add the bananas. Cook stirring gently for just a minute or two Douse with a healthy slug of rum. Stand back, light and shake the pan back and forth until the flame subsides or serve, still flaming, over the individual bowls of vanilla ice cream your assistant has provided.

Incidentally Carlin, who is one of the world's best cooks, designed a special birthday party menu for her aging mother. It began with Prune Margaritas...