When I first moved to Berlin in 2011, a fellow American who lived down the hall gave me this recipe. Although that was almost a decade ago, it has remained my go-to banana bread. It’s what I made when I felt homesick in those first couple of years in Berlin and what I made to give my German friends a taste of “American” baking in my later years in the city. (My friends can attest to the number of times I showed up at parties – and soccer practice – with this very banana bread). It’s what I tried (and failed) to bake when I had a terrible day in law school during 1L and it’s what I still make when I need a quick and easy dessert for something.

But bananas, oh no. I love bananas and could eat them every day. And I’m not alone; bananas are Americans’ favorite fruit. Unfortunately, bananas have a deep and ugly history. (Apologies to my friend who, while I was considering starting this blog, said to me: “Please just don’t ruin bananas, it’s my pandemic staple.” Really, I’m sorry.) While Chiquita presents itself as a fun fruit company with its own little jingle, the truth is much darker. For decades, companies like Chiquita and Dole harmed communities, especially in Central and South America, in order to profit off of bananas.