I was first introduced to the banana boat in Minaki, Ontario, after a day of mountain biking and rock-climbing with some of my favourite people. Having grown up with plain ol’ toasted marshmallows and s’mores, I will never forget that cool summer evening. I watched intrigued, and with a hint of disbelief, as my friends sliced into their bananas, stuffed them full of chocolate chips and mini marshmallows, wrapped them in foil, and carefully placed them on the edge of the hot, glowing embers. Anticipation built as they prodded the delicate packages, encouraging them to do their thing. Once it was declared they were done to perfection, my friend eased open the tin foil and handed one to me. The heavens sang out for a moment and the banana boat was revealed in all its ooey-gooey glory: every spoonful a delight of soft, warm banana, sweet melty chocolate chips, and sticky marshmallow. It is the king of campfire treats, and here’s how to make one of your own.
Banana boat recipe for one
- 1 banana
- A handful of chocolate chips
- A handful of mini marshmallows
Peel back one strip of the banana peel along the fruit’s inside curve, leaving the peel attached at the base.
Cut v-shaped slit along the opening. Remove the section you’ve cut and eat it. Fill the canoe with a liberal sprinkling of chocolate chips and mini marshmallows.
Fold the peel back into place to cover the filling. Wrap the entire thing in tinfoil twice. Place the tinfoil-wrapped banana on the edge of a red-hot fire, keeping the filled side of the banana facing up.
Cook for about five minutes to melt the chocolate and marshmallows before pulling it out of the fire, opening up the foil, and digging in!
Go gourmet: Add chopped nuts, dark chocolate, peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips, or dried fruit. After much experimentation, it has been revealed you can put just about anything in a Banana Boat with good results.
