Quiet Night- and banana candy? anyone?

Noel told me he really likes being "and old man," which I take to mean he enjoys the comfort of the settled and predictable life. I like that, too, about once a month. And this weekend was my weekend for it. Matt and I walked up the hill for bagels, and I spent a couple hours in the coffee shop (I am ready for at least the first 4 week of class, with only another ~5 to REALLY prepare for), and then we made a quick dinner, and the nothing really got into full swing.

I suppose Noel's old man-itude actually involves more doing stuff, which is perhaps why he finds it so fulfilling. After dinner, I made a Cook's Illustrated Banana Bread- which took ages longer that I might have expected. I should have known, it was Cook's Illustrated.

As far as the recipe goes, we determined that some of the basic principles of the recipe were things we already incorporate (who in their right mind ever tried to make banana bread with unspeckled bananas?), so while it was good, it wasn't the usual 3 times better than we could have made on our own. It calls for layering some bananas on the top of the loaf, and then sprinkling the whole thing with sugar. This actually makes a carmely banana candy that reminded me of a seemingly familiar recipe that I cannot place. Does any one remember any sticky sweet recipes that are flavored with ripe banana? I am suspecting that this is something I learned form the Brazilians, but I cannot for the life of me find online.

While the loaf was cooking, the oven was on, and the apartment acted as a protective reservoir for all the leaked heat. Rather than revel in the efficiency, we stepped outside to enjoy a cold beverage in the dark on our porch. We got to talking to our next-door neighbor and watching bugs. Just good ol'fashioned nothing.