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Savoring Sweet Moments: My Banana Bread Tradition

Nearly every Saturday morning after my weekly art class at the local library, my grandma insisted she take me too, and we would often also indulge in baking my favorite snack. The pungent smell of paints and crayons on paper would soon be replaced with the sweet smell of warm butter, caramelizing sugar, and ripe bananas. This is the kind of smell that makes me feel instantly at home. Right away after art classes, I plotted myself down for relaxation on the creaking recliner chair I sank into comfortably. “Ava luh” my grandma shouted with anticipation for our next Saturday afternoon activity. I replied knowing exactly what she was going to ask. “Would you like to help me make a loaf of banana bread? You can take it home!” Every time I agreed, how could I not agree with my sweet grandma? It was impossible to resist any opportunity to spend quality time with her on our days together.

“Yeah!”

As we both gathered ourselves in the kitchen, my grandma carefully flipped through the delicate and faded pages of her favorite baking recipe book and squinted at our favorite page, page 356. My first job was to read the instructions out loud since her vision had grown weak over time. I leaned closer, ready to read the instructions aloud as her warm presence surrounded me making me feel calm. While I read each of the ingredients along with their measurements aloud, my grandma prepared the measurements precisely exactly as the book describes them. “That's all the ingredients, do you want me to read off the instructions now?” I laid my eyes upon the now cluttered kitchen counter; the eggs, overripe pre-mashed bananas, warm butter, vanilla, flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and sour cream were scattered out across the counter. 

“Go ahead, you take it from here Ava luh!” Little me was in charge of pouring the ingredients she measured out, combining all the dry ingredients together in one big bowl, and mixing all the wet ingredients together in a smaller bowl while using the large wooden mixing spoon I was trusted with. 

To start our baking process, my grandma would preheat the oven to 350 degrees ahead of time. Then, we would start the recipe by creaming the butter and adding the sugar to it which has been done with the electric mixer by my Grandma since. I was not yet trusted with it as I would have splattered all the ingredients in her clean kitchen. Next, we would lightly beat the eggs and incorporate vanilla, baking soda, and sour cream with a regular whisk. After we would combine those few ingredients we finally added the mashed-up banana my grandma has been saving for me since her last grocery run. The next step was the messiest part, adding the flour little by little until you poured about four cups while keeping a runny yet thick consistency. I always dropped a good amount of flour on the counter or floor but cleaned it up very quickly because I knew my grandma kept a remarkably clean cooking area. Then, I got the choice of adding chocolate chips mostly at the request of my grandpa and other immediate family members. Although I do not like chocolate chips in my banana bread, it adds an extra layer of sweetness and richness to the bread's taste; some people tell me it is their favorite part. After those steps, all that has to be done is the actual baking. My grandma set the time on her kitchen timer to thirty-five minutes after she carefully placed the raw mixture into a baking pan, which went directly into the piping hot oven. It never actually took thirty-five minutes because it would be too raw in the middle. As a way to check if it was still raw, my grandma taught me to carefully poke a toothpick into the center of the loaf; if there was a large amount of residue on the toothpick then it needed more time in the oven, if there was no residue then it was guaranteed to be ready for cooling. 

Pure excitement rushed through me when I heard the timer ring and I knew it was for the cake to be enjoyed. I always wanted to eat it right away when it was still piping hot but I know my grandma was right when she said it has to cool off for at least half an hour. Little me did not fully appreciate those moments spent with my grandma, I just wanted to rush through it so I could move on to watching TV or playing video games on my cell phone. As I think back to those Saturday mornings in my grandma's kitchen, I now perceive how little I respected the actual baking process at the time. It all felt just like a routine for me at some point, mixing the batter and reading the instructions out loud, waiting for the bell to finally ring. Back then, my mind was elsewhere focusing on going back to my video games or TV, not actually processing all these small and simple moments that have shaped me. My focus was caught up in the distractions of childhood, being easily distracted and eager to move on to the next step. I now see those Saturdays in Grandma's kitchen for what they were, a lesson in patience and the importance of being present in the moment to cherish the small things in life to their fullest extent because these moments are temporary.

I now know how to bake banana bread better than anything else when wanting to bake. Every time I produce it now, it feels like I am now in charge of this tradition she had of making the tastiest banana bread. Whether I am baking banana bread now and eating it, getting it at Starbucks for breakfast, tasting another friend's special recipe, or even just buying a premade one at the market, the taste reminds me of loving memories from all the times my grandma and I baked together. The smell of caramelized sugar with a hint of cinnamon in banana bread is always going to be familiar to me. The first bite of the bread is crisp on the outside, soft and dense on the inside while the flavor bursts with sweetness from bananas, with just a hint of vanilla. I recently made it for my boyfriend and his mother and they both thought it was very tasty and addicting to eat which made me feel spectacular. This act of kindness of baking for other people reminds me of how my grandma used to always make sure I was fed when I was in her company. I aspire to be as compassionate and caring for my loved ones as she was to our family and friends. And, whenever I do make banana bread, those are the moments I feel most connected to my grandma after her passing, it is almost like a continuation of the bond we shared while baking in her kitchen while growing up.

 As my grandma got older and older we would make less bread, but along with her aging,  I also aged and was more responsible with baking materials so I eventually made it all by myself with none of her guidance. Baking my grandma's famous recipe has evolved into such a meaningful task that allows me to look back upon and remember the memories she and I spent in the kitchen. Now and then, I visit my grandpa who lives without his wife, and bring him banana bread as a reminder of her. This simple recipe has become a tradition that I would like to pass down to my loved ones and let people enjoy it as much as I do. I find so much joy when I let other people try my banana cake knowing I am keeping this tradition alive and forming close relationships with it. 

Grandma Rose’s Banana Cake

This recipe for banana cake was given to me by my grandmother and I will always cherish it close to my heart. It is such a comforting snack and can also be served be a dessert. I am not an experienced baker and this is such a simple recipe to follow and it is not hard to mess up.

Ingredients:

1 ¼  cups sugar

½ cup butter

2 eggs

1 teaspoon soda

4 tablespoons sour cream

1 cup banana pulp, mashed

1 ½ cups cake flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions: 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cream butter and sugar, add eggs, beat very lightly, and the soda dissolved in the sour cream. Beat well; then add the bananas, flour, a pinch of salt, and vanilla. Mix well. Bake in a well-greased 8- by 8-inch pan for 30-35 minutes.