The Secret Life of Bees and Some Cake Too!

 

We at Cook the Books Club are currently reading The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd, hosted this round by Debra of Eliot's Eats.  This is a novel I had totally missed out on, though it's been around for over 20 years now. Quite an original and fascinating tale. I especially loved the account of 14 year old Lily springing her nanny from the hospital lockdown, after she was beaten up for daring to attempt voting!  

From the Booklist Review:

"Kidd's warm debut is set in the sixties, just after the civil rights bill has been passed. Fourteen-year-old Lily Owens is haunted by the accidental death of her mother 10 years earlier, which left her in the care of her brutal, angry father but also Rosaleen, a strong, proud black woman. After Rosaleen is thrown into jail for standing up to a trio of racists, Lily helps her escape from the hospital where she is being kept, and the two flee to Tiburon, a town Lily believes her mother had a connection to. A clue among her mother's possessions leads Lily to the Boatwright sisters, three black women who keep bees. They give Lily and Rosaleen the haven they need, but Lily remains haunted by her mother's death and her own involvement in it.  Although she fears her father is looking for her, Lily manages to find solace among the strong women who surround her and, eventually, the truth that she has been seeking about her mother. An uplifting story."

On the subject of bees, I have frequently wondered why some seem to be suicidal, diving into the pool and death!  Then, after reading this book, figured it is probably the male bees.  As inquiring minds want to know, I looked it up, and this is what some research revealed, from Pollen Paths: "After mating, male bees experience a physiological change that leads to their demise. The act of mating is a strenuous process for them, resulting in the rupture of their reproductive organs. This causes severe injury and ultimately leads to their death. Their life expectancy is significantly shorter compared to female bees, with most males living only a few weeks.

In addition to their physical demise, male bees also face external threats that contribute to their mortality. Predators such as birds, spiders, and other insects target male bees during their mating flights. Their large size and distinct appearance make them more vulnerable to these predators."  No wonder they're suicidal!

Aside from honey, we had bananas for inspiration, since one of the sisters, May, had to have a perfect banana every day, which made for quite a few discards.  Rosaleen, who had taken over cooking duties for the sisters, made Banana Pudding, Banana Cream Pie, even banana Jell-o.  And, wouldn't you know, we currently have bananas falling off the stalks (not quite that bad). So I decided to make a Banana Almond Cake, which needed a reprise here after a number of years. 

Banana Almond Cake

1 3/4 cups (250 grams) raw almonds, toasted

2 eggs

1/2 cup (110 grams) white sugar

1/2 teas. baking powder

1 3/4 cups (250 grams) bananas, peeled & mashed well

juice of 1/2 lemon

2 teas. lemon zest 

2 teas. vanilla extract

1/2 cup sliced almonds

confectioners sugar to dust top before serving

Preheat oven to 300 F ( 150 C).  Butter a 9" cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.  Butter that as well.  

Process the whole, toasted almonds until finely ground (but not almond butter:). Beat eggs and sugar until pale and fluffy.  Stir the almonds and baking powder well together, then gently add to the eggs.  Puree bananas with lemon juice and stir into the almond mixture with lemon zest and vanilla.  Mix to incorporate, without over doing it.

Sprinkle the sliced almonds evenly over the bottom of the pan, then pour your batter over that into the pan, Bake 40-50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let it cool in the pan on a rack. Carefully remove from the tin, inverting it onto a serving plate, and sift confectioners sugar over the top. Serve with whipped cream, or whole milk yogurt if desired. Very much in the Italian tradition of cakes made with seasonal fruits and ground nuts, great for an afternoon snack, along with a glass of vin santo or iced coffee.

I served this delightful, mildly sweet, cake to my ladies prayer group and since we have a gluten free member, it was especially well received! Bob happily cleared up the remainder for me.

There's plenty of time if you'd like to read this book selection and join in with our postings and discussion at Cook the Books Club.  Deadline is September 30th. I'm also linking my post with Heather, who hosts the Foodies Read Challenge, and Marge, the Intrepid Reader and Baker, Hostess of Weekend Cooking.  Be sure to visit, there's lots of good books reviewed and food!