Tarte Banane

Essentially a simple banana tart, I’ve never come across it here in New York. My first encounter with a tarte banane was in Mauritius, where my parents are from. The pastry was a perfect combination of French and local cuisine, with the rich buttery pastry crust and the simple banana fruit filling.

I tried to replicate it once when I was living on my own and not familiar with the appliances in my landlord’s kitchen. Let’s just say I forgot that gas ovens sometimes needed their pilot lights lit before working. Let’s also just say that I had the notion that one could bake a simple tart crust on the stove using a combo of a cast-iron skillet and a damp dish towel.

Needless to say, I nearly burned the kitchen down and my friend and I (who had come over to sample some nostalgia) ended up trying to remove all traces of hapless arson from the kitchen walls. We ended up going out for ice-cream and I haven’t attempted to make it since.

It just goes to show you that even someone who counts themselves as a pretty decent baker can have lapses in judgement.

Tip of the day: never try to bake something on your stove-top.