Ripe Bananas

I don’t have a strong sweet tooth, but one of my absolute favourite snacks is banana bread. I think it’s because you can prepare it either sweet or savoury. Enjoy it in the morning with some tasty butter, fry it up in an egg batter and treat it as French toast, or even add some chocolate chips and gobble it down with some vanilla icecream. I mean, how versatile is this cake-bread? As a self-proclaimed cook, baking is a serious challenge for me. Baking, unlike cooking, is a science that embraces precision and accuracy, something I absolutely struggle with. Cooking on the other hand, leaves much room for interpretation and substitution; it’s a more forgiving art. In fact, banana bread and cornbread are quite possibly the only “cakes” that I have ever successfully baked. Although it’s rare that bananas have the chance to turn brown in my house – as we are intense smoothie people – there has most certainly been the rare occasion when we simply forget about them until the fruit flies begin to appear. Mushy, overly ripe bananas. I mean, it’s practically baby food. What to do? Banana bread, that’s what! Most recipes tend to call for flour, sugar, eggs, butter, baking powder, and of course some super brown bananas. Additional spices or ingredients may include cinnamon, nutmeg, or chocolate chips – all depending on what type of flavour you’re trying to achieve. As mentioned in my previous post, I’m a fan of freezing food. If I realize I have bananas on the verge of going bad but don’t have the necessary ingredients, I just toss them in the freezer and wait for my rainy day of tasty baking. When you’re ready, simply let them thaw out in a bowl on your counter at room temperature and you’re good to go. I find that if you freeze them with the peel on, you can avoid frost buildup and freezer burn, and therefore store them for longer. Here’s a great beginner’s recipe courtesy of the Food Network. I assure you that I am the lowest common denominator when it comes to baking. If I can do it, so can you!