Banana bread

I like Sophie Dahl. She is pleasant to look at and even if her BBC2 series was not brilliant I have to say I was still watching it because she was there. Never mind the cooking skills that shown her being behind some other celebrity chefs. Never mind the recipes that where not surprising or refreshing. I simply like her.

Do you wonder why? As most women I was always concerned about my weight and way I look. She helped me realised that skinny does not mean pretty and there are normal women that can be a part of the fashion industry. And take great pictures like this one. I was blown away by this picture and after few years still think this is an iconic fashion photo.

Even she is skinnier today I still like to look at her. Perhaps her series was not the best one I have seen and her cooking skills showed that cooking is not the best of her abilities. However I was still watching it with a pleasure. Having some toasted banana bread with butter, relaxing and thinking at the same time: screw skinny! Screw this pressure to fit in small sizes! Enjoy eating. Enjoy life.


Makes 23x13x7cm loaf tin

4 very ripe bananas, peeled
150g brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
75g butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
170g all purpose flour
pinch of salt
pinch of cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda


Preheat the oven to 175°C. Grease the loaf tin with some butter and dust with homemade fine bread crumbs or flour.

Mash the bananas with a fork and add sugar, egg, butter and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl mix the flour with baking soda and cinnamon. Add the flour, mix only until everything is combined - use the fork or spoon rather using a mixer. The batter should not be perfectly smooth - do not over mix it. Pour the batter into the loaf tin and bake for about 60minutes. Remove from the oven, leave it to cool slightly for few minutes, remove from the tin and leave it to cool down on a rack.