Thursday, November 12, 2009

The Diverse And Interesting History Of The Banana Bread Recipe

By Ben Cook

The original banana bread recipe looked nothing like it does today, and it sure didn't taste like it does today. There have been many cultures spanning over thousands of years that have tried to improve upon the original bread recipe. Eventually, from these efforts the modern day banana bread recipe was born.

We can not say with absolute certainty when and where the first banana bread recipe surfaced. It was likely an experiment that went over well and was copied over and over again. It was probably not documented considering the time in history. Cooking skills were passed on from either the servant or the mother to little girls who might need them some day.

If we look at the evolution of the basic banana bread recipe ingredients we can most likely gauge when the first actual recipe was handed down and where it was probably developed. All banana bread recipes are quick bread recipes. This simply means that there is no yeast used for rising in the baking process.

12, 000 years ago bread was initially developed and became a staple of the dietary needs. It began to grow onto a more flavorful and delicate recipe much later. The simplest version of bread is nothing more than wheat flour and some water that was mashed together and then placed on hot rocks. In order to speed the heating process, the flat rocks were also covered from the top with hot ash.

Banana bread recipe attempts were most likely made during this time. In order to create a more pleasant taste there were numerous additions to the bread making process, including fruit and spices. A little mashed up banana in the original bread recipe could definitely help create some flavors that would make the bread much more palatable.

It was, however, the Egyptians that were able to transform the flavor and the feel of bread. In 4, 000 BC the discovery of fermentation of bread dough was astounding. This would lead to a softer and fluffier bread product that would appeal to a wider range of tastes. Fermenting the dough before cooking it allowed gas to escape, leaving behind air pockets to soften the overall texture.

The banana bread recipes we know today have been significantly altered from the original breads that were made from what we now know and eat today. One of the most significant improvements to the bread included leavening. Instead of fermenting wheat dough, adding water and mashed bananas to cook quickly on hot stones, adding lightness to the bread would improve its taste and desirability

Eventually these first banana bread recipe attempts would grow into what we now lovingly call banana bread through the addition of a leavening agent. In this case, the leavening agent is baking powder. This single ingredient can give the loaf just enough power to rise without turning it into a yeast bread. Baking powder was brought to the United States in'75. This addition to the ingredients gives credence to the claim that the first banana bread recipe was developed in'th century America.

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