It hit me like an idea I should have thought of years ago. Bananas and bone marrow are quite similar in texture, shape, and color. The major difference between the two is taste. Even taste may be subjective, especially when seasoning either the bananas or the bone marrow. Now we begin to look at how to marry the two, pondering the best way to introduce complementary flavors, trying to utilize the texture of these two ingredients in conjunction with crisper and sharper textures.
A key point in looking at similarities is to realize that while they can be interchanged or paired together, greatness can be discovered by emphasizing their individual characteristics and then substituting one for the other. In a similar vein, the juxtaposition of ingredients can be dangerous. Taking the idea too far will make a dish too cute or just plain bad.
While we are just beginning to look at these two ingredients together, the pairing, or rather the association of textures and aesthetics must be looked at carefully so that what we end up with is delicious and not just interesting. Both ingredients require a hint of acid and spice, perhaps accented with a wisp of smoke to balance out their inherent sweetness and rich flavors. Something crisp or crunchy is required to temper the smooth textures and an herbal note will add a welcome freshness to the compostion. This may seem like a lot of additional elements but created with a delicate hand they will come together to harmonize and highlight the main ingredients. Bananas and bone marrow, oh the places we'll go.
