Slow Bananas
There have been precious few pictures this week and that’s due to one reason: the bananas I got on Wednesday were greener than green. I mean electric, neon green…that’s all the local Kroger had. So even though right now they’re undergoing accelerated ripening, stuffed in a paper bag choking on their own ethylene exhaust, they’re still not ready for banana bread. I’ll do my best to keep you amused in the meantime.
Joe, Even your non-posting is great… just keep it up and we’ll be happy!
Ha! Thanks Audi…I appreciate that! – J
By any chance did you read the piece on Banana bread in Cook’s Illustrated? The talk at great length about unripe bananas and ways to improve the flavor, including microwaving, freezing, etc.
It was really interesting, and I would have remembered more details if I liked bananas.
I have read it and am considering trying the microwave technique…though to be perfectly honest I’m having a hard time ginning up much enthusiasm. I can’t see how a five-minute blast of high microwave heat is going to improve the flavor any. Then you have to go through the step of reducing the juice. Which is to say, more intense heat. It seems to me that this won’t increase the flavor (in fact it may well destroy some of it), but rather change it, giving it more caramel-like notes. I’m just not into it…I’m probably going to just stay with what I know and love. Thanks though, Ed!
Someday I am going to try it, just to satisfy my curiosity. The Cook’s illustrated does so many tests and variations, I have to believe it does something to the flavor, but your guess is as good as mine as to what. The secret we learned in cooking school was that some fruits,(blueberries and bananas included) when used in quick breads, actually have more flavor the next day.
We would bake our quick breads, cool and wrap them tightly overnight – it made a huge difference in the amount of flavor in the product.
That jibes with my experience also. One of the first jobs I ever had in baking was making tea breads…they always tasted better after a days or two of sitting. A you say, a whole lot more flavor. – Joe
You’ve only your self to blame for this question….
what’s a tea bread?
Ha! Tea breads are sweet finger foods designed to be served with afternoon tea. British “tea cakes” were originally plain rolls with a little dried fruit kneaded into them. Over time liberties were taken with the recipes so that today these sweet breads are baked in loaf pans and are enriched with all sorts of things: eggs, butter, fruits, chocolate…the works! Good question!