Sunday, July 14, 2013

Caramelised Banana Coconut Cake and Making Food Taste Better


Caramelised Banana Coconut Cake

In my mind banana and coconut is a great combination because they both grow in the same climate. Most (or all) countries that grow coconut also grow bananas, and therefore it must go well together. I realise this logic is flawed, pineapple and banana may not go well together, but banana coconut cake is delicious. 

Caramelised sugar and bananas deepens the flavour. The recipe is available here


Today's Favourite Photo
Oreo Cookies and Cream Ice Cream Cake



Today’s Favourite Blog
Source: care2
Studies recently published in the journal Flavour show how spoons, knives and other utensils we put in our mouths can provide their own kind of “mental seasoning” for a meal. Psychologists have found that the color and shape of plates and other dishes can have an impact on the eating experience. For example, that people tend to eat less when their dishes are in sharp color-contrast to their food, that the color can alter a drinker’s perception of how sweet and aromatic hot cocoa is, and that drinks can seem more thirst-quenching when consumed from a glass with a “cold” color like blue.

A study was conducted involving yogurt and a number of volunteers. It was found that:
• People will rate the very same yogurt 15 percent tastier and more expensive when sampled with a silver spoon rather than a plastic spoon or a lighter (by weight) option.
• Combining a heavier bowl with a heavier spoon will tend to make yogurt taste better.
• Plastic packaging or plate ware that’s more rounded will tend to emphasize sweetness.
• Angular plates tend to bring out the bitterness in food, which works well for dishes like dark chocolate or coffee-based desserts, Spence says.
• People will rate cheeses as tasting saltier when eaten off a knife, compared to a toothpick, spoon or fork.
• In general, foods tend to be perceived as more enjoyable when eaten off heavier plates and with heavier cutlery – perhaps because heft is equated with expense.

So, the morale of the story is that if you spend more time in front of the computer reading research and less time in the kitchen cooking, you can make your food taste better.

8 comments:

  1. Ohh that banana bread looks scrumptious!!!!!
    Mary x

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  2. One more banana cake! It looks really soft and caramelised. I will check the recipe. I love your logical combination of banana and coconut (I also follow this with pineapples, mangoes... and you might remember how surprised I was to discover strawberries tasted great with coconut! Such distant origins!).
    I have started to use smaller bowls and plates for myself a long time ago and it's funny to see how my eyes and stomach can be cheated ;-) I must test the dark coloured plates too.

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    1. Yes one more, there might be few more to come:) I am going bananas:)
      I do remember strawberries and coconut, I have tried it for breakfast with rolled oats, its delicious.

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  3. Hmmm ... things and wit haven't changed much around here I see :)
    Hellooooooo!!!! Now you've got me craving for banana cake.

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    1. Interesting, there used to be another blogger with the same name, ping. It seems that name is gaining in popularity. But you are cool too:)

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    2. harhar...even some sports equipment folks have used my name and haven't paid me any royalties. Tsk.

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  4. Everything tastes better once it is caramelized, the cake looks wonderful. OK so I am happy my new set of dishes is bigger !?!?! lol

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