# Thank you, Alton Brown! (bananas brûlées) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 8, 2006, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-you-alton-brown-bananas-brulees/351835 "2006-04-08T05:34:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-you-alton-brown-bananas-brulees/351835/1 "2006-04-08T05:34:48Z")
I just sprinkled sugar on banana halves and caramelized it with my little torchy thing. So good with ice cream, you should all try it. Mmm. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-you-alton-brown-bananas-brulees/351835/2 "2006-04-08T07:06:55Z")
Your little torchy thing? So that’s what the college kids are calling their todgers now! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-you-alton-brown-bananas-brulees/351835/3 "2006-04-08T07:42:43Z")
This thread was delicious until the [todgers](http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Todger) got into the act … 😃 ---
**Author:** ![zuma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9c0ed/32.png) [@zuma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zuma)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-you-alton-brown-bananas-brulees/351835/4 "2006-04-08T12:16:39Z")
I’ve wanted to try making creme brulee, and want to try your banana thing… but where in the world do you buy the little torchy things? I’ve never figured that part out. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-you-alton-brown-bananas-brulees/351835/5 "2006-04-08T13:17:41Z")
> [@zuma](#): > > I’ve wanted to try making creme brulee, and want to try your banana thing… but where in the world do you buy the little torchy things? I’ve never figured that part out. [Culinary Torch.](http://ww2.williams-sonoma.com/cat/pip.cfm?skus=4433348&pkey=xsrd0m1%7C15%7C0%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7Ctorch&gids=sku4433348&cmsrc=sch) The best part about it is… It’s a _tool_. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-you-alton-brown-bananas-brulees/351835/6 "2006-04-08T13:21:53Z")
Ivylad picked up one of those thermometers that sticks to your oven door, like AB has. I want one of those hair dryer things you point at a skillet and it tells you how hot it is. Alton makes me feel all wobbly inside. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-you-alton-brown-bananas-brulees/351835/7 "2006-04-08T13:25:25Z")
Moved from IMHO to CS. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-you-alton-brown-bananas-brulees/351835/8 "2006-04-08T14:30:26Z")
> [@zuma](#): > > I’ve wanted to try making creme brulee, and want to try your banana thing… :eek: If you liked the bananas with white sugar, try Bananas Foster with ice cream. melt some butter in a pan with some brown sugar. Add a dollop of banana liqueur and rum. Cut up the bananas and drop into the mixture, heat until the nanners are warm. Add about a quarter cup of rum all at once and light. Let the flames burn down before serving. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-you-alton-brown-bananas-brulees/351835/9 "2006-04-08T15:57:43Z")
> [@zuma](#): > > I’ve wanted to try making creme brulee, and want to try your banana thing… but where in the world do you buy the little torchy things? I’ve never figured that part out. AB says to get a small propane torch from the hardware store. [Like this, plus a bottle of propane.](http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=91896) $19.99, vs. $39.99 for the pretty “culinary” butane torch. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-you-alton-brown-bananas-brulees/351835/10 "2006-04-08T18:04:51Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > AB says to get a small propane torch from the hardware store. [Like this, plus a bottle of propane.](http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=91896) $19.99, vs. $39.99 for the pretty “culinary” butane torch. Dude…that’s one massive propane torch. It would be a little awkward to stand over a foot away from my bananas and creme brulee. You can just get a small one for about $10, and a bottle of propane for $3-$6. Works just as good as the overpriced culinary ones, but can also be used for other things one might want a propane torch for. ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-you-alton-brown-bananas-brulees/351835/11 "2006-04-08T18:21:23Z")
Yeah, I got mine at BB&B for 20 bucks and it came with 4 ramekins. Now I have 8 ramekins, so I can make CB for a crowd. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-you-alton-brown-bananas-brulees/351835/12 "2006-04-08T21:30:30Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > Dude…that’s one massive propane torch. It would be a little awkward to stand over a foot away from my bananas and creme brulee. > > You can just get a small one for about $10, and a bottle of propane for $3-$6. Works just as good as the overpriced culinary ones, but can also be used for other things one might want a propane torch for. Overall length: 31-1/4’’, Goodness, you’re right! Heh. I just searched for “small propane torch”. ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-you-alton-brown-bananas-brulees/351835/13 "2006-04-08T21:41:21Z")
Figuratively speaking, I’ve been carrying a torch for Alton Brown for quite a while. Now I can do it literally! ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-you-alton-brown-bananas-brulees/351835/14 "2006-04-08T22:02:35Z")
Wal Mart carries culinary torches, but you have to look in hardware. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-you-alton-brown-bananas-brulees/351835/15 "2006-04-08T23:24:11Z")
I’ll second the suggestion of using a proper propane torch instead of a culinary butane torch. The culinary ones are basically high powered Bic lighters. Propane torches are much more powerful, durable, multipurpose, and you can find one in 5 minutes at your local hardware store. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-you-alton-brown-bananas-brulees/351835/16 "2006-04-08T23:56:45Z")
I bought [this kit](http://www.bernzomatic.com/bernzomatic/consumer/jhtml/detail.jhtml;jsessionid=MYTPC4UGO01WICQHUBSCJBQKA4QHQJCK?prodId=BernzoProd100016) at Home Depot. Pretty good in the kitchen, though the back-and-forth of playing the flame across the surface of whatever you’re torching apparently creates pressure problems in the cylinder and causes sputtering after a while. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2006, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-you-alton-brown-bananas-brulees/351835/17 "2006-04-09T00:43:01Z")
Not so much pressure problems as liquid propane burping out. Most torches are meant to be used when the cylinder is upright. I’ve had one of [these](http://www.bernzomatic.com/bernzomatic/consumer/jhtml/detail.jhtml?prodId=BernzoProd100018) for years, and it’s OK so long as I use it with a cylinder that’s about half-gone.