Olla-Podrida: Date Nut Tea Bread

In yesterday’s post I mentioned a Tea Bread that went perfectly with the Tea Ladies’ Chicken Salad. A number of people emailed me asking for the recipe, so here it is. It is a dense, flavorful, delicious bread that pairs well with pretty much everything, from cinnamon and brown sugar-infused cream cheese for breakfast, to chicken salad at lunch, to your favorite salad at dinner, or alongside a sumptuous bowl of Cream of Asparagus Soup at dinner. It makes a great treat for “Elevenses” with a hot cup of tea, or a satisfying afternoon snack with a cool glass of iced tea or cold brew. However you choose to serve it, people will love it and ask for more.

Date Nut Tea Bread

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup Crisco

1 cup mashed banana (about 3)

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped pitted dates

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 Tablespoon Pure Maple Sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Grease and sugar a 9” x 5”"x3” loaf pan.

Cream sugar and shortening thoroughly; add bananas, lemon juice, and vanilla bean paste and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine flour, soda, and salt, and stir to blend. Add blended dry ingredients, dates, and nuts to creamed mixture, stirring just until flour is moistened. Spread batter into prepared loaf pan and sprinkle with maple sugar. Bake 60 minutes, or until loaf tests done.

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