Antiqued Banana Bread 12 Months of Cocktails at AKB Austin

The Inspiration
Holiday Banana Bread

Though it’s unclear who’s brilliant idea it was to create the first-ever banana bread, we’re ever so thankful they did.

What we do know is that banana bread was a popular recipe in 1893, when the St. Louis Post-Dispatch printed The Vienna Model Bakery’s version calling for banana flour. In 1918, Hawaii’s Garden Island paper printed another recipe that is quite like today’s versions. And in the early 1930s, refrigerated railway cars easily transported bananas across the country, the Great Depression changed shopping habits and baking soda products were sweeping the nation.

FUN FACT: Bananas are thought to have originated about 10,000 years ago in Indonesia, the Philippines, the Malay Peninsula and New Guinea and are the fruit of the banana plant — the world’s largest herb plant.

At AKB in Archer Hotel Austin, lead bartender Cameruhn Marquel dreamt up this festive cocktail as a boozy equivalent to the loaves of banana nut bread gifted during the holiday season. The candied rosemary resembles a decorated tree with snowflakes. He also wanted to pay homage to Austin by supporting local — Waterloo Antique Gin (distilled and barreled in nearby Dripping Springs, Texas) is the alcohol of choice. The Antiqued Banana Bread is Archer’s November 12 Months of Cocktails offering.