It’s been ten months since I moved to London. At first I missed all my favorite places in New York, I mean where else could I cure my 4am craving for arugula & goats cheese pierogi’s other than Veselka? Over time I’ve found heaps of new favorite places in London that I know I would miss just as dearly.
One of my first favorites was the Ginger & White Cafe in Hampstead. There food is nothing less than delectable, home cookin’ served with style. I would order anything on their menu, but the one I keep going back to is their toasted banana bread. It’s a technique that I was not familiar with before. Pan toasting the thickly sliced bread with a dash of butter. But now that I’ve experienced it, I don’t think I could ever go back. It gives each bite a crunchy and flavorful crust with a warm a freshly bakes center! (It also doesn’t hurt that their butter is out of this world!)
Personally I think any recipe will do but here is the one that I usually use;
INGREDIENTS
- 3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed
- 1/3 cup melted butter
- 3/4 cup of sugar
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch of salt
- 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
METHOD
No need for a mixer for this recipe. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4×8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.
Cookbook Kitchen 