charming desserts and pastries cookbook.

Unfortunately I was only able to visit Austria for a day on my way to Venice last year, but fortunately I was able to visit Austria for a day on my way to Venice last year. Glass half...both. Don't mind the sweatpants, this was taken on New Years Day, aka Hangover Day.

We can learn a lot from the Europeans. Important things like how to stay skinny, how to work less and take siestas in the middle of the day, and my personal favorite, how to make a dessert. Austrian Desserts and Pastries: 108 Classic Recipes by Dietmar Fercher and Andrea Karrer is filled with strudels, chocolates, parfaits, tortes, sauces, souffles...basically all things sweet and yummy for you to make in your own kitchen. Really get into it or impress your Austrian dinner guests with Schaumrollen and Palatschinken, you know Austrian puff pastries filled with vanilla meringue and crepes. I mean, who doesn't entertain Austrian dinner guests at least twice in their lives?

Really though, the book has very clear and straightforward recipes. My next mission is to tackle the souffle. I've always wanted to attempt to make something as high maintenance as my girlfriends. Ha, just kidding girls, sort of.