“Was that your recipe in the Cape Codder, Sandy?” the Seamens’ Bank teller asked with his usual friendly smile.
“Could be. Don’t know,” I said, handing him my checks for deposit.
“Right here, it says Chez Sven’s Banana Bread.”
Nute shook open the newspaper, as if he had kept it at arm’s length, waiting for me to appear. Sure enough. There was my recipe, attributed to Chez Sven B&B! It accompanied a short article about a new Cape cookbook but did not mention my name.
Last winter I received an email about contribution to this cookbook, and offered up Banana Bread, with a short blah-blah about Wellfleet’s Lorenzo Dow Baker, who first imported green bananas to the USA. That was the last I had heard of the project. Not one email did I receive about publication, let alone a free copy.
I made banana bread this morning for our guests, perfect for a chilly day, as the kitchen slowly fills with the most amazing aroma of warm bananas. This is not a food blog, but here's the recipe, so you do not have to search out the cookbook:
6 Tablespoons butter at room temperature
¾ cup brown sugar, not packed
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 ripe organic banana
½ cup lightly ground walnuts
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Butter/oil a 7-inch round cake pan.
3. Cream butter and sugar until smooth.
4. Prepare banana by mashing with a fork.
5. Beat the egg slightly.
6. Add beaten egg to butter/sugar mixture and stir.
7. Stir in banana, vanilla and walnuts.
8. Add flour and baking powder. Stir.
9. Turn mixture into pan.
10. Cook 25 minutes until golden brown.
We place the banana bread on a doily on a glass cake stand, cut into wedges and serve warm. Enjoy!
