Banana
bread is one the United States’ most popular
desert breads. Unlike traditional bread, banana
breads are moister, denser, sweeter, and use
spices to enhance their flavor. This type of
bread is usually chemically leavened and baked
in pans to create a square loaf. Although bananas
are the most common in the summer, banana bread
is available in some places during all times
of the year.
Although bananas themselves originated in south
Asia and the Malaysian islands, the native people
of these places were reliant on rice, and bread
was not part of their diet. Some of the earliest
accounts of bananas are from Grecian naturalists
after 100 years B.C. It is likely that the Greeks
or Egyptians were the first to make banana bread,
possibly during a season when wheat was in short
supply. It is one of the traditional foods of
Hawaii, and is a common dish at luaus.
Banana bread is considered to be a ‘quick
bread,’ since baking soda is often used
to cause it to rise chemically during the baking
process, instead of through setting. Although
it does not store well at room temperature,
this bread can be frozen and kept for long periods
of time. Because bananas themselves do not store
exceptionally well, banana bread is primarily
available in bakeries, supermarkets, and some
restaurants, but not as a mix.
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