Bananas Foster

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 pound dark brown sugar
1 bottle banana extract
6 bananas
3 ounces brandy
5 ounces dark rum
Vanilla ice cream

Place butter in an electric skillet. Cover with brown sugar. Pour banana extract over this. Heat until bubbly, about 350 degrees F to 400 degrees F. Add bananas, sliced lengthwise, and halved. Fry bananas until the edges just begin to curl. DO NOT OVERCOOK or they will be very tough. Just right is when they are just translucent and cut easily with a wooden spoon. Add brandy and rum. Flame and stir until flame dies. Immediately serve banana-candy mixture over a deep bowl of vanilla ice cream. It helps to have all the ingredients ready to put into the pan since timing is important. Also, one of the delights of this dessert is the contrast of the hot candy with the cold ice cream.

Start eating as soon as the dish is served.