TWD March Preview

After a month full of cookies and chocolate, TWD is looking forward to a month full of cookies and ... coconut to come.

There are plenty of things I have no idea about, and ultimately that's what I like most about TWD!
Nevertheless I have to put TWD on a hold. It is Lenten Season, and although I have no religious or spiritual resason to do so, I won't eat any sweets until Easter Sunday (and no meat as well, and I won't drink alcohol). This is an important thing for me. I do so for the third year in a row. And I can't imagine to bake and not taste or lick the batter and dough rests out the bowls. So I see no way to follow TWD without breaking my Lenten promise or betraying myself by pretending "this little itsy bit of batter won't harm."
Sure, it won't.
But I will try to resist some things the weeks to come, try to abstain some not-necessities, and baking would not make it easier. I don't want to cheat on me, so, see you in April, TWD!

But after my trip to D.C. and NYC I found myself some days ago home in my kitchen, very sad, looking at my oven, feeling sorry for myself because I didn't bake for three weeks, and won't do so for the next loooong five weeks, and already miss it now.
(Yes, they had an oven in NYC, and yes, I tried to bake, especially because the friend I visited asked me to bake some "european" bread. But I underestimated the degree of dirtiness of the shared-mostlystudents-appartement oven and, to make it short, we ended up heading to thesmoke detector, trying to shut it down before the fireworkers are alarmed and arrive with two big cars and water hoses and the whole block getting evacuated and provoking a big mes. Me managed it.)

Finally I found a compromise: There are not many savory recipes in Dorie's book (well, in fact, there is not a single one that does not include sugar, but a few that can be easily adapted). I will do some of them instead. Thereby I am still baking, and at least still following Dorie's recipes.


Nevertheless I will try to catch up with at least two of the wonderful picks for this month at the beginning of April on Easter weekend. I guess I already decided on

• the Dulce de Leche Duos, chosen by Jodie of Beansy Loves Cake (Marvel her incredible cakes! They are awesom!)
• and the Coconut Tea Cake chosen by Carmen of Carmen Cooks (Go there to see her admirable pictures of what she is creating in the kitchen!)

because both can be stored a while, because they can easily be transported to the office, because I would like to try to do the Dulce de Leche myself, and because I love coconuts.
I am very, very tempted to catch up with the Toasted-Coconut Custard Tart, picked by Beryl of Cinemon Girl (toasted coconuts!! custard!!) as well and the Soft Chocolate and Raspberry Tart, possibly made with blackberries, picked by Rachelle of Mommy? I’m Hungry!. Combining berries and chocolate is always a winner, and when we are very, very lucky there might be already some regionally grown berries, as the spring is already dawning this weekend in Vienna... maybe not blackberries, but let's see what nature has in it's pocket for us.