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Last Updated: Oct 16th, 2008 - 13:33:17 |
The banana.
For many, the banana is simply a piece of fruit: a part of breakfast, a midday snack, an ingredient in bread, something to split with strawberries, ice cream and chocolate syrup.
For a couple of dedicated British entrepreneurs, however, the banana and its well-being is a market ripe for exploitation.
At bananaguard.com, banana lovers tired of unwanted bruises can purchase the Banana Guard - a $6.99 colored plastic case designed to protect bananas from the perils of an average workday.
According to testimonials, the guard is not only effective but "looks quite cool" and is "a great idea." It also comes in nine different colors, including a glow-in-the-dark version - for those long nights in the woods when vital sources of potassium must, at all costs, be protected.
Scrolling through the world of banana-oriented websites I wondered how many frustrated banana freaks had been on the verge of consigning themselves to black bruises and squishiness before this cheap, miraculous guard came along?
Apparently, a lot.
The United States and the European Union are the biggest importers of bananas in the world. Every year the United States imports more than 3 million tons of bananas, and according to a recent poll on krstarica.com - "Serbia's only web portal!" - bananas are the third most popular fruit - topped only by strawberries and watermelons, respectively. Entire countries sustain their economies through the sale of bananas - hence the term "banana republic" - and allrecipes.com "has more than 710 trusted banana recipes complete with ratings, reviews and serving tips."
There are also probably banana lovers who would kick my ass if I told them I thought bananas were "just ok" - a social faux pas equivalent to telling a New Yorker that Billy Joel is not the greatest musician in the world.
Alexander the Great is credited with bringing bananas back from India around 300 B.C. and introducing them to the western world, and, according to banana.com, though China maintained banana plantations beginning in 200 A.D., bananas were considered exotic and did not become popular among the Chinese public until the 20th century. Portuguese traders brought the banana plant to the Americas in 1516, and bananas were first officially served in the United States in 1876 as part of our centennial independence celebration. And get this: the banana is not a tree
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