Banana Bread Recipe, Ogunquit Beach Inn style....

I am going bananas!

-Madonna

With a busy B&B we always have plenty of bananas. Bananas are perfect breakfast food.  I have one every morning with my cereal; it's also a  good recovery food after a run.  Bananas are an excellent source of vitamin B6, potassium and vitamin C.  Banana's also contain tryptophan, Tryptophan  is a natural mood enhancer, which can help reduce feelings associated with Seasonal Affected Disorder (SAD).

The question is what to do with ripe bananas?  Solution: Banana Bread! So every other day, we make Banana bread at Ogunquit Beach Inn. My recipe is different than Mike's. Innkeeper Mike won't share his recipe. However, I will share MY recipe.

             These are NOT ripe bananas, but rather bananas from our yard in Wilton Manors, Florida.

The key to making good banana bread is to use ripe bananas. When bananas ripen more sugar is released, and this changes the chemical composition of the starchy fruit. Green bananas are actually tart and not good for you.

Banana bread is the perfect breakfast food, or snack. It also goes well with coffee!

Greg's Ogunquit Beach Inn Best Banana Bread Recipe

Five  or six mashed ripened bananas ( mash with fork)
3/4 cup of sugar
1 1/2 cups of flour
1 teaspoon of baking Soda
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon melted
1 large egg
1/4 cup of melted butter ( half of a stick or 4 tablespoons).
1/2 cup of chocolate chip morsels (not optional)
1/4 cup of Ocean Spray "Craisins" (dried cranberries). Optional

Cream butter and sugar, add bananas, eggs and vanilla.
Combine flour, baking soda, sea salt, cinnamon into batter. Add chocolate chips and craisins. Bake in greased loaf pan for 60 minutes at 350 degrees.
Let cool on bakers rack. Cut and serve. Delicious. Wrap in aluminium foil.

One of my favorite all time snacks is the Filipino Merienda snack maruya. This tasty banana fritter is dipped in batter...mmm

Innkeeper, Greg enjoys Maruya in Cubao, Quezon City, Philippines.....

Lobster Dash 2011

One of my favorite things is to run on Ogunquit beach at low tide. The dramatic tides and hard packed sand make Ogunquit beach unique and perfect for running.

Today was a perfect day for the 11th annual Lobster Dash. The Lobster Dash is in memory of Greg Gumbinner. One of Gumbinner's favorite sayings was "It can't be a bad day if you can run on Ogunquit beach", and THIS Greg agrees with him! It's always a good day if you can run on Ogunquit beach!

This year there were 231 entrants on a cool blustery sunny morning (temps were in the low 40's, 6c). The course starts at the "point" on Ogunquit beach, and goes 2.5 miles north, to the end of the beach in neighboring Wells Maine, and return back. There are small tide pools and gullies that you have to maneuver through. The day was extremely sunny with a slight wind.

Upon completing the race, contestants receive a medal, a cotton t-shirt, breakfast foods, and a Lobster Roll. Yes, the Lobster Dash is a unique race! Well worth the entrance fee of $22...(and that includes beach parking 'til 11am).

Out of 214 entrants I placed 15th overall and 1st in my age category. My time is 34.08 at 6.50 minutes per mile. I actually did better this year than last year. last years time was 35.30. Most people run slower on sand, than asphalt or a track, so I was happy with my time.

Approaching the finish line. I do have the "home team" advantage, and there is a lobster roll waiting for me!

Race Director, Charlie Farrington of Ogunquit, led the award ceremonies....Charlie is a marathon reacer with over 52 marathons under his belt.

Lobsters in Ogunquit. It's a way of life....

People from all over the world come to Maine and Ogunquit for Lobster! Lobsters are a way of life in Ogunquit Maine. From the lobstermen that go out every morning to haul their catch, to all the restaurants  and purveyors that serve the delicious crustacean.

Many visitors also like to take lobster home with them. Live lobsters can live up to 48 hours after they've been purchased, provided that they are in a container with moist seaweed or newspaper.

One such place is Beach Plum Lobster Farm on  US Route One. This purveyor not only sells fresh lobsters, clams and oysters, and packs them live for transport;  but also steams the shellfish to perfection.  Patrons can dine outside in the rough on picnic tables or take the steamed lobsters home and enjoy!

I was invited to Bobby Winn's house for lobster. Like many local people, Bobby pre-ordered several dozen lobsters from David at Beach Plum Lobster Farm in Ogunquit. David steamed them to perfection! We enjoyed a lobster feast, with all the necessary Maine ingredients.  Bobby's fiance, Diane, made traditional chowder, corn and pies for the special late summer feast.

This is how we do it in Maine.....

Our friend Mark went  to Ft Lauderdale today,  and I had him carry on some lobsters to give to a mutual friend who is desiring Maine lobsters.  David, of Beach Plum Lobster Farm packed the lobsters  in a carry-on cooler with ice packs. The item was the perfect size to stow in the overhead compartment in the airplane.

The Details:

Beach Plum Lobster Farm

615 Main Street , US Route One

Ogunquit, ME 03907

207.646.7277

Fresh lobster, clams, oysters and other seafood. Dine-outside. Live lobsters to go. 

Capriccio 2011

Ca-pric-ci-o, Noun

A lively piece of music. Short and free in form. A painting or other work of art representing a fantasy or a mixture of real and imaginary features.

The weeks following Labor Day are known as Capriccio. Capriccio is a town-wide festival of art, music, poetry, ballet, live theater, concerts, gallery tours and architectural tours. It's a time to pause from the manic summer and enjoy the arts.

Ogunquit has long been known as an artists' haven since Charles Woodbury established the art colony over 100 years ago. Woodbury's legacy endures, with two museums, bustling galleries and other arts that were attracted to the tiny hamlet of Ogunquit.

Artists are often attracted to Ogunquit because of the wild beauty of the crashing waves, brilliant sun against the soft sand, and the rocky coastline. Both  Edward Hopper and Georgia O'Keefe, painted on The Marginal Way and Perkins Cove.

This year's Capriccio there is an added bonus with spectacular weather, and minimal crowds........!