Last weekend S and I had been to Pier 39, San Francisco's major Bay attraction. The place is so colorful and entertaining with more than 100 stores for shopping, almost a dozen restaurants to dine-in. Sea-lions, street performers, terrific rocket boats,ferry rides and carousel - This place has something or the other to offer any age group.
For the cook in me, the demonstration bakery at Bistro Boudin sounded more exciting than anyother attractions. This bakery has a 30-foot observation window which lets us see the bakers craft batches of bread by hand. We saw a young baker sculpting turtles, crabs, teddy bears in no time. We could also talk to her while she makes them! Isnt that great?
I need to share a brief history about the bakery. The story begins back in the California Gold Rush, where Boudins, French family bakers developed a tangy "sour" dough which is now called as San Francisco Sourdough French Bread. It has a dark-golden crunchy crust with a typical tanginess in it. To maintain the consistency in taste and texture, the bakers use the "mother dough", a combination of yeast and lactobacillus cultivated in the water-flour mixture. This dough mixture has been divided and replished everyday since the beginning of Boudin's bakery (since 1849).
Note: On a cold January morning of 1848, James Marshall found tiny gold nuggets along the shores of American River at Coloma, near Sacramento. From then on, there were more than half-million people from around the world migrating to California in search of this wealth. This period is referred in the history as "The California Gold Rush".
After all these baking visual treats, bread making , sour dough stories from SFO, I decided to bake some bread. Baking has always fascinated me but all these days, I have not really found enough time and patience to do them. Now I am determined to bake something easy.
EASY BAKING = BANANA NUT BREAD.
All one has to do for making a wonderful flavorful lovely banana bread is to pour in all the ingredients and mix and bake. So simple right!!!!!!
I used Duram whole wheat and wheat bran flour instead of all purpose flour. The bread had a more crusty outside. I liked its taste and was way happy to eat extra slices since it was a healthier option but S complained about the crust being hard and that it didnt taste like the one he eats in a bakery. So friends you can decide on the kind of flour to use.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour/ whole wheat flour
- 3 ripen bananas
- 1/2 melted butter
- 1 well beaten egg
- 1cup sugar
- 1tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
Method
- Preheat the oven to 375' F.
- In a large bowl, first mix all the dry ingredients without lumps: Flour, sugar, salt, baking soda.
- Now add in the mashed bananas, butter, vanilla extract and egg. Mix them thoroughly to form a batter.
- Then add in the walnuts and give it a complete mix.
- Pour the batter into a greased bread loaf pan and smooth out the top with a spoon.
- Bake at 375' F for 1 hr. Always keep an eye on the bread while baking.
- After 1 hr, allow the bread to stand inside the oven for 5-10min. Remove and let it cool.
- Slice them and serve.
I have noticed that 100% whole wheat flour works better for baked goods than the durum wheat.
You may want to try that the next time.
The crocodile/alligator bread looks awesome. Wonder how they have the patience to make it!
Banana nut bread looks delicious and moist..perfectly baked!!
I too made this bread a few days ago. Great photos dear and the bread looks perfect :)
lovely spongy ccake...awesome click! You have a great space here
looks so good..
That must've been awesome to watch them craft those beautiful breads. Your banana nut bread looks great - btw.. is that half stick of butter or half cup?
The last comment was mine.. sorry realized that my husband was logged on using his id (asiv) - Laavanya
oh..u had a great t ime Vij..so much fun..that alligator bread n all looks cool.I would have spend hours watching it there ..lol.
Bread looks awesome..I do it half-half..like half whole wheat n half bread flour or some time 3/4 wheat n rest AP n so on..n yeah I go with Divya on that..:)
Good to see you back Vij! How are you? Looks like you've well settled in US. Profile pic is nice :)
Banana bread looks so perfect and yummy!!
Banana bread looks great.....
Really a patience work.....wonder how they come up with that idea....Looks gr8!
The alligator bread looks awesome!!! your Banana nut bread is so soft and looks fluffy too!!! talking to them while they make the bread mmm that sounds interesting1!!
bread looks yum n perfect!
perfect looking bread and that alligator bread is just awesome!!
Banana nut bread looks moist and fabulous...the crocodile bread looks too fabulous...
Wow, that alligator bread is very neat! Yummy banana bread, great recipe!
The crocodile/aligator bread looks wonderful.Banana nut bread looks very good....my all time fav one.
Sounds like an exciting demo for baking enthusiasts.Banana nut is certainly the simplest one to start with ,just whip-pour-bake:)
Banana nut bread....hmmmmmm never tried it, looks yumm n moist!!!!
Banana nut bread looks delicious and spongy.Love the Alligator bread :).
Banana nut bread makes me tempted and i tried it, came out very well and its yummmmmmmmmy!!!!!!!!!!!!Thanku vij.........