Go bananas! Banana pudding appeals for a barbecue-centric weekend

Joshua Johnson is reliable. Always. And reliability is important when you have deadlines. So, when the owner of Seana’s Caribbean Soul Food said he’d get a picture of their delicious banana pudding to me with time to spare, I believed him. And he made good on it, sending me several.

It’s just … the shots weren’t all that great.

It was early. This didn’t surprise me, Johnson is a hustler. Anyone who’s paid attention to Seana’s growth and visibility in the community knows it. He’s also photogenic, so I shot a text back accordingly, ever the diplomat, and knowing I had plenty of closer-up pudding shots I also could run with the story.

“You better pose with it,” I said. “Big smile.”

“LOL Already left,” he shot back. Again, not surprising, but it was time for honesty. Ms. Kywanna’s pudding deserved better. Ms. Kywanna, by the way, is the chef’s wife (and also Johnson’s sister-in-law).

“I love y’all,” I wrote, “but this pic could be egg salad.”

The laughing emoji preceded his response.

“We about taste over photogenic food over here.”

That’s another thing about Joshua Johnson. He spits the truth. And so while Ms. Kywanna’s banana pudding may not be the stylistic perfection that so many foodie types have come to expect via social media platforms, it’s definitely one you’ll want to flag for consideration as you ponder puddings to accompany your grilled goodies over the long weekend.

READ MORE: The Very Best Banana Pudding — EVER? ‘Yes!’ say my colleagues.

People raved about the recent recipe we ran for The Domestic Rebel’s “Very Best Banana Pudding. It appeared in papers far and wide, prompting a reader in Hawaii to ask for the peanut butter marshmallow squares recipe I mentioned in the story and the dad of Orlando Sentinel Viewpoints editor Jay Reddick to call him when it appeared in their North Carolina local.

That said, some of you may not have time to get out the stand mixer for your Memorial Day weekend dessert plans. Others of you may never want to. And so here are a few alternatives for those of you craving that banana pudding goodness without all the work.

Cavallari Gourmet

Much like Seana’s pudding, the one you’ll find in the cooler at this killer Oviedo market isn’t much to look at beyond beige pudding with a glut of shattered Nilla Wafers on top. Of course, if you want to dress it up as I did, all the better. It looks luscious layered in with sliced fresh bananas and whipped cream. Feel free to add a drizzle of caramel sauce, too, and something crunchy for additional texture. I used the Coconut Clusters I got at Buc-ee’s, a delicious and delicate brittle with pumpkin, sunflower and chia seeds and it was an outstanding match. Pecans or an additional crumble of Nilla Wafers would do nicely, too. More info: 1954 W. State Road 426 in Oviedo, 407-365-8000; cavallarigourmet.com

Krispy Kreme

They’ve timed the return of their popular Southern dessert-inspired doughnuts at this household name. Among them is the banana pudding doughnut. They’ve also got chocolate kreme, Key lime pie and Strawberries & Kreme varieties, all of which are available until June 18. More info: Multiple locations, krispykreme.com

Scream for ice cream at Martin’s and Kelly’s

Housemade banana pudding ice cream is a regular at Martin’s Coffee and Ice Cream, which layers soft, delicious Nilla Wafers into its mixture. Pecans and caramel make it that much better.

Oh, and you’ll also find a banana pudding flavor on the menu at Kelly’s Homemade Ice Cream shops, as well, where it was such a popular featured flavor, it not only made the leap to regular, they made a candle out of it, too! More info: Martin’s Coffee and Ice Cream, 1945 W. CR419 in Oviedo, 321-765-4275; martinscoffeeandicecream.com. Kelly’s Homemade Ice Cream, multiple locations; kellyshomemadeicecream.com

Seana’s Caribbean Soul Food

Johnson maintains that Seana’s is a worthy choice. And I do, too, which is why it’s here in the first place.

“Our banana pudding is a must because it’s made with the love of a mom of three,” he says, noting its reliability in the realm of bold flavors. And whether you dress it up or not, “it’s creamy, refreshing and smooth and will taste especially good on Memorial Day.” More info: 719 Good Homes Road in Orlando, 321-800-6846; seanasorlando.com

Want to reach out? Find me on Twitter, TikTok or Instagram @amydroo or on the OSFoodie Instagram account @orlando.foodie. Email: amthompson@orlandosentinel.com. Join the conversation at the Orlando Sentinel’s Facebook food group, Let’s Eat, Orlando.