A travel blog sprinkled in literature and served up with a dollop of foods from around the globe.

Tuesday 25 March 2014

Bannana Bread


Concluding this section of my blogs, I’ve decided to continue blogging on my travels. But for now, the assessed part of my blog is finished. (Hooray) I’d like to go back to my questions asked in my first blog and hopefully I shall have some answers for you all now:


What is the role of the travelling Gourmand? Are they a voyeur upon cultural culinary traditions or are they ever able to immerse themselves fully into foreign food?


Is the sharing of food and culture always a positive act? 


Do time and distance improve the quality and nature of food?


Does authenticity matter in the culinary voyage?


The role of the traveller is to observe, learn and respect other cultures, I feel one is able to immerse themselves into foreign food if they are prepared to learn, this is not to say that personal interpretation should not play an integral part in this experience. A recipe should only act as a guideline, the sharing of food catalyses a space for interpretation and alteration which is why, on the whole with a few exceptions, such as Taco Bell, I feel positive things come from the sharing of cuisines. Authenticity is important, but not vital, for the Sarajevans, Cevapici will always have an indescribable relation for them that others simply will not understand, but without the duplicity of cultures we may never have discovered the Reggae Roast. The heterogeneity of cuisine unifies us as a human race, proving that food is now, and has always been something much vaster than a basic human need…it is a undeniably an ever-changing, autonomous foundation in cultural history.


Finally, I could not conclude my blog without making reference to my ambiguous title. Why banana bread? Asides from the obvious alliteration, banana bread was the first thing I ever learnt to bake. The recipe belonged to my grandmother on my father’s side. Simple, but effective the recipe has been ingrained in my brain for a decade to the point that I could make it with my eyes shut. This recipe has travelled from Montserrat and I hope to take it with me, wherever I go!


1 Cup Flour

3 bananas (must be browning!)

4 eggs

6 tbsp butter

2 tbsp raw honey

1 cup sugar

¼ tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tbsp. baking powder

1tbsp vanilla essence


 Pre-heat your oven to 170oc. Mix the baking powder and flour together in a separate bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients in another bowl apart from the bananas (use a wooden spoon) and slowly add the flour and baking powder into the other ingredients. Once you have removed all the lumps from the mixture add your bananas by squishing them in your hands. Grease a loaf tin and pop in the oven for 50 minutes, or until a beautiful golden brown.


Safe travels and happy scoffing!

1 comment:

  1. Love the fact that you have kept this recipe with you for so long and I hope you continue to do so! I am even going to attempt to make it myself! Sound so yummy! :)

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