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The Gardens of Mien Ruys - a book review

I don't know how I missed her, but I was totally unfamiliar with Mien Ruys. A beautiful new book The Gardens of Mien Ruys details her life and work. Born in the Netherlands in 1904, she was the daughter of Bonne Ruys, who founded Moerheim Nursery in 1888. She grew up in a liberal atmosphere and encouraged to learn and study. She found great comfort in the natural world around her and learned all the plants in her father's nursery at a young age. After leaving school at the age of 19, she knew that she wanted to work in the garden center. The Moerheim Nursery, in addition to selling plants, had an on-site design studio where they published a detailed catalog and sold landscape design plans to customers. It was in the design studio where Ruys first began to work and she was soon encouraged to venture beyond her country and study abroad. Her father's connections helped her secure a traineeship with Wallace & Sons Nursery in Tunbridge Wells in England. There, she met Gertr...
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Chocolate Banana Bread


Happy New Year and let's hope this year is a better one. I wanted to thank those who responded with advice about my shoulder. I think it helps you mentally when you realize that you are not the only person that has experienced the misery. I thank you for the helpful tips and encouragement. I would share a piece of this chocolate banana bread if I could but I can at least pass on the recipe.

I was watching a series called "My Greatest Dishes" which features mostly British and Australian chefs. The only one I was familiar with was Prue Leith from "Great British Baking Show". I wasn't familiar with Bill Granger and that is whoe this recipe came from. Upon further investigation, it is a hugely popular recipe and Granger is also credited with inventing avocado toast.

Bill Granger’s Chocolate Banana Bread

  • 2 cups plain (all purpose) flour

  • 2 teaspoons baking powder

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

  • 1 cup sugar

  • 4 ripe bananas, mashed

  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Method

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350.

  2. Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl

  3. Mix the butter, sugar, eggs, banana, chocolate chips and vanilla extract in a separate bowl

  4. Add to the dry ingredients and stir to combine, being careful not to over mix

  5. Pour the batter into a non-stick , or lightly greased and floured 9 x 5” loaf pan and bake for 1 hour and 5-10 minutes or until the bread is cooked when tested with a skewer

  6. Leave to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.

 


Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

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  1. Hoover BooJanuary 1, 2021 at 2:33 PM

    Yum. I'll have to try that. I just made banana bread a few days ago, (because ripe bananas). Choc Chips sounds like a good flavor accent.

    Happy 2021, Phillip!

    ReplyDelete
  2. sweetbayJanuary 1, 2021 at 5:09 PM

    The banana bread looks amazing. Happy New Year!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Kris PetersonJanuary 1, 2021 at 8:17 PM

    Looks great to me (even if I'm full from dinner). Best wishes for the new year!

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousJanuary 2, 2021 at 2:27 PM

    That looks amazing. I will have to check out the series you mentioned, as I love the Great British Baking Show. I wish you a wonderful 2021!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Gardener on Sherlock StreetJanuary 3, 2021 at 3:39 PM

    Yum! Happy New Year!

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  6. Ford 7.3L Powerstroke injectorsJuly 31, 2021 at 2:38 AM

    I make a simple banana cake in which all ingredients go into a blender, rather than bowl but otherwise similar. I love the idea of making it chocolate banana bread!

    ReplyDelete

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