BANANA BREAD GONE BANANAS FOR VISITING TEACHING

FEBRUARY 28, 2009

Last day of the month...help...need to get that visiting teaching done. I haven't been diligent in getting this done since we started spring vacation. To redeem myself, I thought I'd spend some time in the kitchen and make some banana bread for my church friends.

Everything was on the go...I have bananas, oil, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, and all that's required. For a moment I was very proud of myself for keeping all the ingredients. After all, this is China and it just doesn't have all those American ingredients we need to do any serious baking. But, I got all the things I needed...no worries! Besides, I have purchased a super duper blender that could make smoothies, chop nuts, even make soy bean milk as it has a little cylinder filter that sits in the middle of the blender cup. Best of all, it even has a recipe to make banana bread mix right in the blender. Yummm...I can't wait.

The mixture in the blender cup is looking very good. Now it 's time to put in some brown sugar. I love Chinese brown sugar. It has the smell and taste of sorghum. It's a little lumpy, so I popped a little lump into my mouth as I did when I was a little girl watching mom cook. The inside of the lump was very soft...no problems. I turned on the blender and for a second, it seemed to be doing its job. But, no, the whole blender is shaking, making big noises like it's ready to blow up. I held the lid tight and turned the jar clock- wise to turn it off...but too late! The mixture started shooting out...within seconds, anything near the blender was covered with banana bread soot. Worst of all, most of it landed inside of the toaster that was sitting next to the blender. The rest of it landed on the window, the wondow screen, the counter top, woozing down the front...it was the most disgusting sight! So, get out the bucket, go to the bathroom to fetch some hot water (no hot water in the kitchen) and start cleaning...

What was I thinking? This is China! I could walk out of our apartment and with minutes, I could purchase delicious, ready made bakery goods easily and cheaply. I could have been answering my e-mail, surfing on the Internet. Oh, yes, I missed my weekly UEN faculty lounge workshop on Saturday, at 6:30 AM. Oh, no...

Sorry, my visiting teaching sisters, I'm going out to get you some of those delicious cream puffs. They are better than my banana bread any day.

Prologue: Came to find out the lumps in the brown super brew a hole on the side of the blender jar. The force pushed the batter out at the speed of light, or may be not quite, but close. We took the blender back to Wal Mart. For a non-Wal Mart shopper, I have new respect for this place. They gave me a new jar. Life is good.