Like many other kitchens worldwide, mine has seen a lot more action during the past three months. According to Google Trends, recipe searches have risen since the world began sheltering in place and, as you may have heard, one of the most searched recipes is banana bread. And while restaurants are finally beginning to reopen (phew!), many people will continue baking at home.

I discovered this banana bread recipe several years ago in Martha Stewart's Entertaining Cookbook. Over the years, I’ve adapted it and, depending on the season, serve it in different ways. During the winter, I savor it as an afternoon snack, toasted and buttered, with a cup of hot tea. In the summer, I like to prepare it in the evening, as a room temperature dessert, covered with fresh berries and a dollop of homemade whipped cream.

When accompanied by a glass of Champagne, this dessert whispers pure elegance. Following the recipe is a list of recommended Blanc de Blancs, my favorite style of Champagne.

Makes one loaf

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups unbleached flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 medium sized very ripe bananas, mashed with a potato masher

1/2 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 container each of de-stemmed, sliced strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries, rinsed and dried

Homemade whipped cream, optional (In cold metal bowl, whip 1 cup heavy cream with 2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar just until stiff peaks begin to form.)

Instructions

1) Preheating oven to 350 degrees. Stir butter and sugar until light and creamy. Add eggs and mix until fully incorporated.

2) In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Mix together well with butter, sugar and egg mixture. Stir in bananas, sour cream, vanilla and walnuts.

3) Pour into a buttered 9x4x3-inch loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting a bamboo skewer or wooden toothpick, checking that it comes out clean. You may need to bake an additional 10-15 minutes. The loaf should be lightly browned on top.

4) Turn out onto a wire rack and allow to cool. Serve sliced, with berries and a dollop of whipped cream, if desired. The banana bread would also be good with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Champagne Pairing: Blanc de Blancs

Most Champagne is made from a blend of three grapes: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier. But sometimes only one grape is used to make the wine. Blanc de Noirs is a style of Champagne made solely from Pinot Noir and typically has the most structure, body, and fragrance of all Champagne types.

A Blanc de Blancs (“white of whites”), on the other hand, is made entirely from white grapes, usually Chardonnay, and tends to be lighter and more “racy,” as we say in the wine world, meaning fresh, with bright acidity. And at the end of a meal, especially on hot summer nights, light and refreshing is the way to go.

I checked in with my friend Geoffroy, a native of Champagne, who recommends the following Blanc de Blancs. Click on the links for more information.