Bananas Foster

These two recipes are in Aunt Ethel Wheeler's handwriting. Ethel was an honorary aunt, Edith's good friend from Pilot Club, an organization for business women in a time when Rotary and Kiwanis did not accept women as members.

Brennan's Bananas Foster

2 tablespoons brown sugar 1 tablespoon butter 1 ripe banana, peeled and sliced lengthwise Dash cinnamon 1/2 ounce banana liqueur 1 ounce white rum 1 large scoop vanilla ice cream Melt brown sugar and butter in a flat chafing dish. Add banana and sauté until tender. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Pour banana liqueur and rum over all and flame. Baste with warm liquid until the flame burns out. Serve immediately over ice cream. One serving.

Aunt Ethel's Bananas Foster recipes

Brennan's is a restaurant in New Orleans. According to their website, New Orleans was an early center for importing bananas into the U.S. Owen Brennan's chef, Paul Blange, created the dessert in 1951 and named it after his boss's friend Richard Foster, then Chair of the New Orleans Crime Commission. This recipe is a little different from the one currently on Brennan’1 website. The use of a chafing dish suggests a server prepared it at the table.

Plantation Club Bananas Foster

Slice bananas diagonally into six pieces, dust lightly with flour and sauté in a skillet with butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar to help flavor the banana. Add fresh juice from 1/2 lemon and banana liqueur. Flame with rum and brandy, sprinkle with cinnamon and serve with a small scoop of vanilla cream and macaroons.

Plantation Club is part of the Sea Pines, N.C., resort on Hilton Head Island.