Grenadian Banana Bread

I’m reading this fabulous book called “The Spice Necklace” by Ann Vanderhoof. It’s about eating and cooking her way through the Carribean. I was inspired by Bonnie Stern to pick up this book at the library. Bonnie influences many decisions at my house, usually in the kitchen, but this is new. I received a gift of a cooking class at Bonnie Stern’s School of Cooking for Mother’s Day. Besides cooking classes she also has a really cool book club. You sign up,meet the author, discuss the book and eat recipes inspired by the book. I haven’t decided what i will do. But this book is an upcoming book club.

The book has recipes within the story. So it is not a cook book or a travelogue it is both. Basically the first recipe I saw I had to make! Grenadian Banana Bread.

• 1 1/2 c flour ( I used unbleached but ap would work too)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• 1 egg beaten
• 2/3 c lightly packed dark brown sugar or demerara
• 1/4 c dark rum
• 1.5 c mashed banana
• 1 tsp frshly grated Ginger
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/3 c chocolate, dark, chopped (optional)
• 1/4 c pecans, chopped (optional)
• 1/3 c coconut, flaked or shredded, either sweetened or unsweetened (depending on how sweet you like it)

1. preheat oven to 350
2. combine all dry ingredients in one bowl and all wet in another (egg, sugar, rum banana, ginger, vanilla),  mix, but do not overmix
3. gently stir in nuts and chocolate
4. pour into pan(s) (I used the small 4 loaf one, but you can make a single larger loaf) and bake for 30-60min depending on pan size used, test with toothpick, let stand for 10 min in pan, and cool on rack.