Dole Food Co. has created the ultimate wedding reception menu for couples that are as bananas for bananas as they are for each other.
Just in time for the traditional June start of wedding season, Dole’s “Ultimate Banana Wedding Reception Menu” is the first in a series of five banana-themed special event spreads developed by the produce leader in honor of its 125th Banana-Versary, the year-long celebration of Dole’s 125 years in the banana business, according to a news release.
And despite the ubiquity of the iconic yellow fruit, the six new banana-infused recipes for couples from Melanie Marcus, Dole’s manager of nutrition, wellness and communications, are as special and elegant as anything served at the world’s most lavish receptions and parties, the release said.
“I’d say Dole’s banana quasquicentennial gave us the license to go a little crazy — or should I say bananas? — to prove how far the world’s most-purchased fruit has come from a culinary standpoint,” Marcus said in the release. “Now, for banana lovers in love, the fruit you peeled and ate as a kid for breakfast and lunch has been reimagined and served elegantly baked, grilled and pureed on your wedding day.”
Dole’s “Ultimate Banana Wedding Reception Menu” consists of the following six new original banana small-plate, soup, entrée and dessert recipes created by Marcus and her recipe-development team. Four of the recipes are vegetarian and two are also gluten-free, according to the release.
- Banana Blini and Beet Canapes (vegetarian and gluten-free) — Dole bananas and avocado, chopped beets, walnuts and fresh spices are arranged on lightly toasted chickpea blinis for an elegant pre-reception appetizer.
- Banana Coconut Soup (vegetarian) — This luscious vegetarian soup blends Dole bananas and green onions with coconut milk, and adds a red chili pepper and dash of soy sauce for a little marital zest.
- Plantain Gnocchi with Citrus Banana & Sage Butter — Dole plantains are the star here and combine with Dole russet potatoes to create a vegetarian gnocchi tossed in a buttery mixture of Dole bananas, oranges, lemons, chopped walnut and sage.
- White Fish with Banana Salsa — Dole’s take on a favorite New Zealand dish tops grilled white fish fillets with a savory-sweet salsa made with Dole bananas, brown sugar, hot red chili and fresh mint, cilantro and lime.
- Banana Peanut Butter Chocolate Truffles (vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and low-sodium) — These five-ingredient truffles are made with Dole bananas, cacao dark chocolate, coconut cream, peanut butter and cocoa powder.
- Bananas Foster Trifles with Date Caramel (vegetarian) — The iconic flaming dessert from Brennan’s in New Orleans is the inspiration for these elegant-but-simple treats made with Dole bananas, dates, angel food cake, almond milk, almonds and rum extract.
Dole says it even created its own elegant, banana-themed wedding reception menu cards for the occasion. They can be downloaded and printed for free here.
To continue the Dole 125th Banana-Versary celebration, a series of new event-specific Dole Ultimate Banana Celebration Menu featuring healthy, delicious, visually stunning and at times unconventional ways to enjoy America's favorite fruit will be issued monthly through October, the release said. Future menus will be themed to outdoor grilling parties, kids’ birthdays, tailgates and cocktail parties, and posted on the 125th Banana-Versary website.
Throughout 2024, the commemoration rolls on with contests, charity engagements, city proclamations, social activations, Bobby Banana appearances, recipes, employee events and free digital downloads and giveaways across the county. Shoppers can also find collectible Dole 125th Banana-Versary stickers on millions of Dole bananas across the U.S. and Canada, the release said.
Related link: Additional recipes made with Dole bananas