Vicarious Eating

My heroine is a baker so the book is chockful of food. This is the first time I've ever tried dieting while on deadline. Actually, I feel really good. Better than I usually do at this point in the writing process. No cravings, but boy, writing about cakes and pies and cookies and not eating something sweet is like going to the movies and not getting a big ol' tub of buttery popcorn.

My heroine has a mail order business baking Texas-theme desserts. I've tasked my baby sister (she's the baker, I'm more of a cook) on coming up with the recipes we're using in the book.


There's Dr. Pepper and pecan praline cupcakes. (Dr. Pepper was invented in Waco, Texas and pecan is the official tree of the Lone Star State.)

 And spicy cowboy creme brulee with carmalized chipotle sugar.

There's mockingbird cake. (Because it's so delicious you'll be singing a medlee of songs like the Texas state bird when you eat it.)

Let's not forget the prickly pear cookies.

Or the giddy-up pie....

Did I say I wasn't having cravings? I think I lied.

What about you? What are some of your favorite desserts? Are you a baker or a cook? It seems people are either one or the other, except for those folks who eschew the kitchen all together.