Banana Bread

The banana is possibly the most popular fruit of all for people almost everywhere in the world. This delectable fruit is a staple in most kitchens in America, but it does have a very short shelf life. If you ever buy too many bananas and some don't get eaten, you know that once the over-ripened bananas start turning into mush, there is really only one good thing left to do; find a good banana bread recipe and start baking.

Banana bread is a treat welcomed part of just about everyone's diet. You may want to consider looking up a good banana bread recipe in your cookbook or on the internet, or maybe you would like to try the original Pillsbury Company recipe. Which ever recipe you choose, I can see your banana bread disappearing even quicker than the bananas themselves.

The history of banana bread is quite short, and the hay day of this memory-provoking edible was the 1960's and 1970's. The first recorded banana bread recipe appears in Balanced Recipes, a set of recipes distributed by the Pillsbury Company in 1933. The Pillsbury Company recipe quickly became a standard in many kitchens across the United States but banana bread didn't really gain explosive popularity until the 1960's.

Food purists will tell you that banana bread is not bread, it is cake. Doubtless, many of us don't think too much of such distinctions while savouring the sweet taste of our banana bread. The texture and taste of this bread is more like a cake or muffin, and adding nuts to the mix creates a great flavor although the classic Pillsbury Company recipe from 1933 calls for nothing but the yellow fruit.

I reckon that I love the bread so much because it isn't like any other bread. In fact, it is the only homemade bread that I make from scratch. It's my opinion that this is still a must-have in your recipe box today. Perhaps my attachment to this original banana bread recipe is there because it's so closely linked to my childhood.

These days there are many variations to the basic ingredients but they all seem to turn out the same; just plain good. I have tried a number of banana bread recipes and I have to admit that I can't determine which one is my favorite. I am often tempted to try the original 1933 recipe in the Pillsbury Company's recipe book. Maybe that would be my favorite banana bread recipe of them all.

I find there's nothing to beat the authentic aroma of the fresh-baked bread. I almost like the smells as much as I like the flavors. It's wonderful to smell the aromas as they driff through the house while the bread is baking, though I doubt whether a candle scented with the aroma of banana bread could ever be quite the same.

Related Articles: