Bananas and Lemons - Critical Update!

Well, you know there can't possibly be anything too critical about bananas and lemons, but I did get your attention, didn't I? I do want to add some useful information I've learned recently.

My cousin Pam sent me an e-mail with helpful hints. One of them is that if you separate bananas when you bring them home from the store (rather than leaving them attached to each other), they don't ripen as quickly. I don't think you have to send them to their rooms or anything, but just take them apart. I gave this a try, leaving half the bananas attached, and the other half separated, and it did work! This is a very good tip for those who like their bananas not so ripe.

Her e-mail also said to peel the bananas from the bottom instead of the top to avoid having to peel off those strings that usually stay attached. I'm sure that will work, but I just haven't been able to break the lifetime habit of peeling a banana from the top!

The news about lemons is much more serious. My friend Marie forwarded an e-mail that contained a news report that is very troubling. I can truthfully say that from now on I will only be putting lemons in my drinks at home, and never in restaurants. After watching this, I now order my drinks specifically with "no lemon". In the tests this microbiologist did, 77% of lemons in restaurant drinks were contaminated. You can watch the one-and-a-half minute news report by clicking on this link: http://www.healthinspections.LemonStudy.wmv

I believe the problem stems from not washing the lemons, as well as other unsanitary practices. You can refer back to my article "Give That Produce a Bath", and avoid this problem at home.