Think bananas are basic? Think again! The Original Banana Company in Laurel Springs is on a mission to bring back this classic treat. This dessert shop sells chocolate-covered bananas and pineapples plus UFOs, which are their version of ice cream sandwiches.
“Bananas are a forgotten type of old-school treat,” says owner Dina Murphy. She spent years in the ice cream and food business. “I wanted to take it to a different level and it’s not a product that people think about. This is fun but it’s not a boring banana. And I wanted to be able to use a product from start to finish,” she says.
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About The Original Banana Company
The 1,000-square foot Original Banana Company is decorated in a modern yet simple and minimal way. For instance, Dina decorates the large front windows with seasonal themes such as hearts for Valentine’s Day. “Laurel Springs has a small and charming downtown. The town is a nice pace for me,” she says. (Dina lives in nearby Barrington.)
The Original Banana Company dips their bananas in chocolate flavors like basic chocolate or white chocolate. They then coat their bananas with toppings like nuts, Fruity Pebbles, or Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Finally, each banana is put on a stick, wrapped in plastic, and frozen. In addition to menu staples, they create seasonal flavors like St. Patrick’s Day bananas. These are dipped in toasted coconut and rolled in cinnamon. Similarly, they sell pineapples dipped in chocolate covered in toppings like coconut and decorated like donuts. These pineapple slices are frozen as well.
An Out of This World Treat
Another signature item at The Original Banana Company is their UFO. “They’re different than your typical ice cream sandwich,” Dina explains. In particular, the UFO uses homemade banana bread instead of a cookie. Between the two pieces of banana bread is small batch, homemade ice cream as the filling. This ice cream has fresh banana and vanilla wafers in it.
Dina also puts seasonal ingredients in the filling for special occasions. For example, adding crushed Red Hot cinnamon candies to the filling for Valentine’s Day, or pumpkin flavor for Halloween. She plans to add seasonal local fruits such as blueberries, strawberries, and peaches during the warmer months.
Aside from bananas, pineapples, and UFOs, The Original Banana Company also sells local honey and a few unique sodas. Their soda flavors include blue raspberry, bubble gum, and black cherry.
Visit The Original Banana Company at 823 West Atlantic Ave in Laurel Springs. Look for them online to learn more.
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All Photos: © Kyle Murphy / The Original Banana Company
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