The Bent Spoon is a popular ice cream shop located on Nassau Street in Princeton. In addition to selling unique ice cream flavors, they also offer a type of “ice cream” that is solely made of bananas. When I first heard of Bent Spoon’s Banana Whip, I was talking to my friend and it went something like this:
“I will never eat banana whip.”
“Why?” I asked.
He quickly replied, “Because it's basic-girl food.”
At first, I shot back with, “What does that even mean?” Truth is, most of us know what he meant. It’s often used as a back-handed insult to those who only eat beautifully made foods, which at least seem to be low in calories, fat free, sugar free, etc., and post it on social media. The resulting assumption is that the food may look pretty, but it probably doesn't taste good.
For the record, most foods that fall in the “basic girl” category happen to be delicious.
Mad at my friend, and looking to satisfy my sweet tooth, I set out to The Bent Spoon a few days later, and I never looked back. I don’t care what you have heard about banana whip before today; all you need to know is that you MUST go try it.
Their banana whip is so smooth and creamy you will think it's ice cream. It melts in your mouth, and because it is just bananas the flavor is strong in the best way. You feel like you are eating dessert, but you could also go run three miles at the same time.
At this point, you may be thinking “can’t I just make this at home?” To that I will tell you that I have tried, many times. Bent Spoon has perfected its technique in a way that makes its 'nana whip unbeatable.
Still not convinced? I asked Bent Spoon staff members some basic questions about their banana whip and if this doesn't get you, I don't know what will.
What are the basic steps in making banana whip?
Peel the bananas, stick them in the freezer, take them out, and blend them.
Is it true that the banana has to be at a specific ripeness in order to use it for the banana whip?Bent Spoon prefers to have the bananas at a certain ripeness, but any frozen banana will work.
How many bananas go into making one banana whip?
About two to four bananas.
Where do you get your bananas from?
All of Bent Spoon’s bananas are organic and fair trade.
What are the toppings you can put on the banana whip?
Cacao nibs, caramel sauce, hot fudge sauce, whip cream, and à la mode with any ice cream or sorbet .
When did you start making banana whip and why?
Gab (one of the owners with Matt Errico) has been eating them since she was a child so they decided to include it on the menu when they opened in 2004.
In summary, here is why banana whip is a heavenly invention: It is organic and healthy, it is more tasty than many ice cream flavors on its own, and you can add Bent Spoon toppings and ice cream to your 'nana whip to have the best of all worlds.
I’m telling you, go try the banana whip. If you don’t like it (very unlikely), call me and I will gladly come eat it for you.