Lets go Bananas for Black Banana Bread

I always find myself saying, when I look down at a pair of brown, extremely ripe and squidgey bananas, 'I really should turn you into banana bread', then after contemplating for a couple of seconds I usually sigh and move on. Then a couple of hours later end up throwing the bananas out. However this time, when I heard myself reciting the same old familiar thought whilst staring at a pair I thought 'No, actually today I am going to do it'. And I have, and the bread is delicious, chocolatey and oh so nutty and well worth doing on a Saturday afternoon. Using a recipe taken from my favourite Nigel Slater, I have transformed these banana's into a glorious loaf.


Ingredients:

• 175g/6oz unsalted butter softened
• 175g/6oz sugar (half light muscovado, half golden caster)
• 75g/2½oz hazelnuts/walnuts
• 2 free-range eggs
• 175g/6oz self raising-flour
• 2 very ripe bananas (about 250g/9oz total weight)
• drop vanilla extract
• 175g/6oz good-quality dark (cut into small chucks)
  
  

Recipe:

1. 1. Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3. Line the base and sides of a 20cm x 12cm/8in x 5in loaf tin with baking parchment.
2. 2. Beat the butter and sugars in a bowl until the mixture is light and coffee-coloured (make sure the butter is a room temperature then this stage will be much easier - especially if you don't have a mixer!)
3. 3. Toast the nuts (Which ever you are using) then remove their skins with a tea towel. Then grind.
   
   
   Watch technique0:52 mins
4. 4. Slowly add the eggs to the butter and sugar mixture, then mix in the toasted ground hazelnuts and self-raising flour.
5. 4. Peel the bananas and chop them the small pieces. Gently fold the vanilla extract, the chopped bananas and the chocolate chips into the cake mixture, turning gently and taking care not to over mix.
6. 6. Scoop the cake batter into the prepared loaf tin. Dust with a little demerara sugar or chocolate shavings and bake for between 1 hour and 1 hour 10 minutes, covering the cake with foil if the top starts to darken too quickly
   
   
   Serve: Once cooled cut off a big slice and devour with a lovely cup of tea or in the morning at breakfast, or as a lunch time snack. Really just have it and eat it anywhere - you will find it almost impossible to have only the smallest slither.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Serve: Once cooled, cut off a large slice and devour with a cup of tea. Enjoy it as a mid afternoon snack or in the morning at breakfast, or when you have the midnight munchies, or whenever or wherever you like. I guarantee that you will find it almost impossible to have only a tiny slither of this banana bread. 

Friend of a Farmer

Friend of a Farmer, is just one of the many trendy places to be seen tucking into brunch on a Saturday morning in NYC. Having heard about its popularity we were surprised to get two seats at the bar almost immediately after arriving, thinking we were going to have to join the queue of hungry New Yorkers that was beginning to snake around the cafe.

Once inside it was if we had been transported to countryside inn, rather than a busy metropolitan eatery. The walls were decorated with floral wall papers, and from the exposed wooden rafters, low hung lamps sat over each table. There were vases full of flowers and baskets full of fruit. The smell of pastries and freshly baked bread delightfully floated through the cafe, whilst we sat gloating at the fact we had managed to somehow sneak into one of the most popular breakfast spots around.

At the bar we were greeted by a friendly barman who quickly provided a large cafetiere of coffee whilst we patiently made our way through the extensive brunch menu; pumpkin or blueberry pancakes, home-made granola, and Belgian waffles were but a few of the sweet offerings. Eggs came in a dozen of varieties from smoked salmon scrambled eggs, Eggs Benedict and omelette's to Tortillas filled with scrambled eggs, guacamole, salsa & sour cream and crabcakes topped with poached eggs & hollandaise sauce. We were in a perfect vantage point, close to the kitchen entrance which meant I could try and peak at the dishes flying out, to help try and aid my decision. It didn't work. I ordered a french classic, eggs Benedict, of which I have ordered before, and my friend ordered a Cobb Salad, hmmmm, we were not as adventurous as we thought. 
However, the Cobb salad was fresh and full of sweet tomatoes, avocado and smoked pancetta topped with a perfectly hard-boiled egg (perfect as in yolk still runny). Whilst the eggs Benedict, well they were eggs Benedict. The salmon was served hot and the eggs were softly poached. The hollandaise sauce however, often considered to be the fundamental part of the dish was served sparingly which was a little disappointing. 
Whilst being a sought after brunch hot spot the food was not fanciful, it was light, fresh and comforting and the atmosphere was charmingly bucolic. I recommend it.