My favorite thing to watch when left to my own devices are old movies; specially black and white; preferably foreign.
Yesterday, I stumbled upon the 1961 Italian film La Notte. Written and directed by Michelangelo Antonioni. Staring Marcello Mastroianni, Jeanne Moreau, and Monica Vitti.
I was watching this film while baking from my favorite dessert cookbook called Gâteau by Aleksandra Crapanzani. Thanks to some over ripe bananas, I was trying her recipe for Gâteau aux Bananes Moelleuses (Moist Banana Bread), for the first time.
Now that I think about it, what a fun afternoon I was having, amiright? Italian + French. Can’t go wrong.
The movie is dazzling. The cinematography is breathtaking. The storyline absolutely timeless. Post research I learned three very interesting-to-me facts about La Notte:
- It did not make the 34th Academy Awards line up for the best foreign film. But it earned several other major awards including something called the Golden Bear at the 11th Berlin International FIlm Festival.
- Many consider it to be part of a trilogy beginning with L’Avventure and L’Eclisse. Needless to say I will be seeking those out too.
- This was Stanley Kubrick’s 10-favorite films of all time
So then, onto the banana bread. Well, I love Gâteau by Aleksandra Crapanzani because of it’s simplicity. After acquiring this cookbook, I have given up on American baking because I can’t stand dirtying half my kitchen and its utensils to mix this and that, and then spending a few hours making something very very sweet that I actually don’t even like to eat. French Cakes are mindblowingly simple, quick, and delicious. You should try this cookbook sometime.
Aleksandra’s moist banana cake is actually inspired by American baking because French don’t really bake with bananas as much. I should have known to avoid this recipe then, but those dang bananas needed a home and I caved-in. Here are my three post baking impressions:
- As expected I had to dirty many bowls and spend (much) longer than my usual 15-20 minutes in baking this cake.
- The flavor profile is very different than the walnut-chocochip version I see often. This recipe calls for limes, dark rum, coconut milk, macadamia nuts, and coconut flakes, giving it a very tropical and delicious flare.
- It is sweeeeet! Sweeter than the french cakes she has in this book. Next time I plan to add 1/4 cup less sugar.
So in case you find yourself with some free time, try out this Italian + French combo of La Notte and Gâteau and let me know what you think! It’s dreamy.
xoxox,
Ciao! À plus tard.
GÂTEAU by Aleksandra Crapanzan. Simon and Schuster. ISBN #9781982169732. $30 USD.
La Notte - 1961 - Directed by Michelangelo Antonio
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