By Jove.

I wish I had more to show for this weekend. (Wait. Have I ever told you that my weekend is Sunday to Monday and not Saturday to Sunday? Probably not. Because I am forgetful like that.) Unless of course you count getting take out, hanging out with friends to celebrate new jobs, passed exams, life in general, and then drinking too much. I cleaned the house until the baseboards shone in an effort to compensate for that. It still hardly qualifies me as a weekend warrior. More like a weekend couch potato with sporadic fits of energy. 

Aside from a truly great produce haul, the highlight of this weekend centered around three ripe bananas (thanks Eunice and KT!) and one miracle recipe. A recipe so surprising and mouth-wateringly delicious that I cannot stop talking about it. To anyone. Who will listen. That includes dogs. And inanimate objects.. Thank you, Molly. I'm not much of a cookbook girl. They make me nervous, with their high price tags and unpredictability. I do, however troll the internet for new (free!) ideas, pretty much all the time. And everyone's favorite girl, Orangette is always the winner.

In addition to foolproof recipes, charm, and general aesthetic loveliness, I think the thing I appreciate most about Molly is that she is a thinker. You can just tell. I am very much in my head when it comes to baking. Time spent in the kitchen is as much an exercise in thought and emotion for me, as it is a series of actions. This is in stark contrast to my chef husband, for whom cooking is entirely instinctual. Seriously people. You could blindfold him and the results would always be the same. 

Her approach is one I can relate to, and when she uses words like exceptionally delicate, tender, dainty, and crumbly bits of cinnamon sugar, to describe banana bread (something I am usually very picky about and as a rule is usually NONE of those things) I do a double take. This is no ordinary quickbread, my friends. Its simplicity almost had me worried. Where was the dairy? Why was it mixing so easily? With a fork? What's with the crazy generous cinnamon sugar topping? But, it was perfect. More perfect than perfect. You should probably just drop everything and go make it. Like. Right now. Don't worry, I won't be mad. 

It is the perfect combination of airy cake and hearty loaf. Of banana-yness and cinnamon-yness (?), fluffiness and density. I felt positively lady-like nibbling slice after slice yesterday with a few pats of butter. Did I mention the crumbly cinnamon and brown sugar topping? The recipe is here. And in a day or two, or a week, or a month, you just might make it and then you will come back here and think, 'By Jove, she ISN'T just a crazy girl rambling on about banana bread.' Okay, maybe you don't really use phrases like, 'By Jove.' But still. You're welcome. I hope your Wednesday is marvelous.

All love,

*Andrea 

 

Comments

[aaron]

mmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!
the best!!

[shari]

sometimes our post office gives away free bananas, so as soon as they do, i know what i'll be making. enjoy the rest of your week friend. xo

[Eunice]

so glad that the apples and bananas experiment worked and that you were able to have your fabulous banana bread.

it's not quite chilly here yet for oven turning, but i'll be trying molly's recipe and my own lazy recipe (it's a flourless kind, really good, more like a banana bread pudding without the custard).

[Carolina]

Who the heck is Jove? Is he your banana supplier? You know what is mentally stimulating while tooling around with your bakers hat? Making pizza dough and pickles at the same time. Or just pizza dough. I love love love love love love love love love love love love love making my own pizzas and the love begins with your hands sticky with flour. Then the bottle of wine love that follows while eating your pizza makes you feel like the greatest Italian who ever lived. Even if it is an adopted red headed Irish one.

[Tracy]

I have had banana bread on the brain for a few days now, and this is the recipe that I was planning to give a shot. And now I have three bananas, and a weekend coming up. Or maybe I'll just make it tonight.

[Molly]

Well, thank YOU, Andrea! I'm blushing over here - and, of course, so glad you liked the banana bread. :)

P.S. If you're "a crazy girl rambling on about banana bread," then at least that makes two of us!

[Carlee]

so i had to make this after this mouthwatering description and plus i am pregnant so i obsess over things like banana bread too - i never made banana bread before, but it turned out great! thanks for the awesome and simple recipe!