I came across a procedure for making banana syrup from peels, and gave it shot. Started with peels of moderately ripe bananas (peel softening, brown spots). Diced the peels and combined them with an equal weight of sugar, and left them to extract (oleo-saccharum method) for a few hours.
Made a “Banana Old Fashioned” (bourbon, banana syrup, Angostura).
It’s perfectly pleasant, although the banana flavor can’t really defend itself against the bourbon and bitters. It’s possible this syrup isn’t concentrated enough to really stand up to cocktail-making… unless you prefer subtle, and maybe there’s an argument for that. After all, do I really want an Old Fashioned that tastes like bananas?
I’m very interested in your results. I always thought the idea of banana-flavored drinks sounded nasty, probably because I was imagining, say, Banana Runts in boozy form.
A Rum Justino at the dearly-departed Existing Conditions spun me round regarding banana drinks, and I’ve subsequently discovered that the Tempus Fugit crème de banane tastes fantastic and makes a worthwhile Bananavardier, or a Caribbean Queen.
The key is really that true banana flavor, as opposed to the chemical candy flavor.
It’s also really interesting that the oleo-saccharum method works for a non-citrus, although maybe not surprising given that cherry bark works for a Wild Cherry Phosphate.
