Too many too-ripe bananas so it was time for banana bread--my grandmother's recipe and my grandmother's cooling rack.
Once it was in the oven, I realized I'd misread the recipe and put in twice as much banana as was called for. Oddly enough, it turned out just fine--and perhaps closer to the original that I remember. I always wondered why my banana bread wasn't quite as good as hers.
Then it was time to deal with the cucumbers. These are the pickling cukes, salted and resting under ice while I made an equally large bowl of cucumbers in sour cream using the long thin Oriental cukes.
I haven't made pickles in a while and I'd forgotten how satisfying the little dance of filling the hot jars is: lift from the hot water and empty the jar; set in in a bowl with a little hot water in the bottom; fill with hot pickles and juice; wipe rim; retrieve lid and ring from hot water and screw down on filled jar; return filled jar to large kettle; repeat.
I first made bread and butter pickles over forty years ago, under the tutelage of my dear neighbor Louise Freeman. I still enjoy the pleasure of setting out the processed jars and listening for the tiny ping that says they've sealed.
7 comments:
When we were ordering online for pickup, we had to purchase a whole bunch of bananas and not just two or three, so Sue made several loaves of banana bread for the first time ever.
I'm not a big fan of bananas, only enjoying them when the ends are still a bit green. But John and Josie will eat several every day so we have to keep a supply around.
This is the first year we've grown cucumbers and we are getting so many! I think I will try my hand at pickling them. I'm also eyeing recipes for cucumber soup. We've got a large pot of onions on the stove right now, slowly caramelizing, to be frozen for French onion soup and Belgian beer stew and caramelized onion pizza with gruyere and bacon. The basil needs to be turned into pesto . . . a gardener's work is never done this time of year!
My mouth is watering. John's the pizza maker--I'm going to suggest that combo to him. Actually, I'm going to insist.
Whole wheat pizza dough is better for this than white, 8 or more oz. gruyere, grated, about a cup of caramelized onions, and I usually use 4 oz. diced pancetta, lots of freshly ground black pepper. Layer half the cheese, then the onions and pancetta, then the rest of the cheese. It's really good and remarkably filling. We always have leftovers which reheat really well. I like the pancetta because you don't have to cook it first.
You are busy! It all looks yummy. I also made banana bread - I'd not tried it before but I had overripe bananas to use up. The first loaf I made (to a recipe I found online) turned out perfect and delicious. Then I couldn't find the recipe next time and the loaf turned out dense and claggy. It makes an OK dessert with some yoghurt but it's not a cake!
I recall the same thrill of listening to the ping as the jars sealed. Almost a reward for the hard work.
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