THE BANANA WAS ONE OF THE FIRST CONVENIENCE FOODS. It fit nicely into the brown bags and lunch pails of an America where city life was rapidly taking over from the rural existence most people had known in the country’s earlier days. The fruit was agreeable to just about everyone, from infants to old folks. It was also becoming the object of culinary innovation (or at least the creation of memorable treats.)

In 1904, David Strickler, an apprentice pharmacist and soda fountain operator at a drugstore in Latrobe, Pennsylvania began serving a concoction made of three scoops of ice cream nestled between halves of a banana. His recipe for the dessert was one banana, cut lengthwise; scoops of vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice cream; a drenching of chocolate, pineapple, and then strawberry sauce; and a final sprinkling of nuts and a trio of whipped cream dollops topped with cherries. He charged ten cents for the creation and even had special boat-shaped dishes manufactured for serving the extra-large sundae.       Three years later, a version of the delicacy appeared at a restaurant owned by E. R. Hazard, 275 miles away, in Wilmington, Ohio. Hazard called his creation a “banana split.” Both towns now claim to have been the birthplace of the dessert! Similar assertions have been made by Columbus, Ohio (1904) and Davenport, Iowa (1906), though the Pennsylvania town was recently reported to possess evidence of the treat’s earlier origin in the form of an invoice Strickler received for the oval dishes. But at the time this book was written, the document appears to have gotten lost, so the debate continues today…and now that you know, here’s a review of different banana splits, all around America. Which is your favorite?

DAIRY QUEEN: “Delicious DQ soft serve covered in luscious strawberry, pineapple, and chocolate toppings, with whipped topping and nestled between a sweet banana.” DQ’s advantage is that it is ubiquitous; her highness has outposts in nearly every U.S. state, and internationally, too (I ate at one in Beijing.)The ice cream is special – no other soft-serve tastes like DQ – and that makes the split nearly perfect. Price: $3.00. Rating: four of five. Royal hint: go for the banana split blizzard instead – all the ingredients, mixed into a cup. Locations: Almost 6,000.

CARVEL’S “BANANA BARGE”: No official description. But the picture speaks for itself. The best quality soft-serve in the bunch, but just two scoops/swirls. Unconventional name, unconventional presentation, but it works. Price: $6.00. OW! Stars: Five of five. Locations: 500 (recently opened several stores in Los Angeles.)

BASKIN-ROBBINS: “Delight in a traditional treat with your favorite ice cream flavors, two banana slices, crowned with chopped almonds, whipped cream and three cherries.” About as close to the classic banana split as you can get. But traditional hard ice cream suffers in the age of Haagen-Dazs. Rating: two and a half of five. Price: about $5.00.

TASTEE-FREEZ: Claims to have invented soft-serve. I’m not so sure. But this is high-quality stuff – almost as creamy as Carvel. R ating: four of five. Price: $3.00 About 100 locations, with the most in California, Texas, and Illinois. One in Alaska.

FOSTER’S FREEZE: Weird, yucky, yellow ice milk. This California chain has passed its glory days, though you can find them in – and this is kind of yucky, too – hybridized “El Pollo Loco” stores. Plus, the picture is BOGUS: look at the glass dish. Price: $3.00 Rating: one of five. Locations: About 40.

CULVER’S: This midwestern chain features not ice cream, but creamier frozen custard (whole milk, egg yolks.) Don’t forget to eat ten or so of the chain’s “Butter Burgers,” which taste exactly the way they sound: smooth as meat. Rating: SIX (!!!!) of five. Price: $4.00. Locations: 350.

SONIC DRIVE IN: Another middle-of-America chain. Best known for 1950s-style car hop service, the ice cream is pretty undistinguished (note that the regal sundae is positioned behind some DQ Blizzard-like treat in the picture.) Some stores sell deep-fried pickles. Rating: two of five (add two points if you’re pregnant.) Prices: $3.00. Locations: 3,000.