Golden Monkey Smoothie

Shout out to the Bodega Surf Supply in Punta Banco.

In Costa Rica we stopped at Bodega Surf Supply, a wonderful pop up surf shop and cafe in Punta Banco. We were all exhausted after a week of surfing, sweaty and red-faced from spending hours under the tropical sun. Even my eyelids were sunburned. We ordered smoothies and they were exactly what was needed in that moment. I would have happily subsisted on these smoothies for the duration of the trip.

I ordered the Cacao Party, which was fabulous. Then I tasted a friend’s Golden Monkey and was hooked. I decided to try and recreate it at home. I can’t get my hands on passion fruit, katuk, or moringa, but we always have a hell of a lot of bananas sitting on the counter that no one eats.

This is less of a recipe and more of an idea. No exact measurements since I was going by feel and memory.

Put two or three very ripe bananas in the blender. Add a handful of ice cubes, a generous splash of milk (any kind), a hefty squeeze of honey. Mince or grate some fresh ginger and tumeric and throw that in.  A little goes a very long way. Sprinkle in a pinch of cinnamon, cloves or allspice and grind in some black pepper. Blend and enjoy, imagining that you are walking on an empty beach where the lush rainforest meets the sea.