Banana Bread and Camels

I've just gotten the banana bread in the oven, picture to follow. After a marathon mashing session, all the little bananas I bought from the donkey cart vendor have been used. (The vendor had used an old-fashioned metal scale with rusty weights to figure out how many bananas to give me, while the donkey fidgeted. I was amazed at how many bananas one can get for 10 dirhams.)  The loaf is made with powdered sugar because brown sugar is not sold here. I am hoping the nuts and bananas will flavor it beautifully. Bottom line, I'm just happy I know how to work the oven:-) I am thinking of bringing a piece to our bakery boys across the street. Would they like it?

My finished loaf of banana bread. Yum! I hope.

My next baking goal is to make some gingerbread men, but so far, I have not found any molasses. The rumor is that it cannot be bought here. I hope to continue the investigation further as I enjoy my Happy New Year's day off from school. An aide in K5 French wanted to try gingerbread after we made gingerbread men in art class. I sure would like to surprise her with some!

I am preparing for some students to draw camels. They certainly have seen them around here if not in Marrakech, Fez or further south. I think it is a good animal for cross-cultural connections, especially this time of year.


I am working on breaking the camel figure into manageable shapes for novice artists. Maybe third grade? They've learned adding value by shading, and they have been practicing shapes. They always get so excited when they see they can actually draw an animal. 


I'll post pictures of what I've come up with later today...gotta go draw!