CHERRIES IN WINTER

CHERRIES IN WINTER 
by Suzan Colón is available here on Amazon

CHERRIES IN WINTER: MY FAMILIES RECIPE FOR HOPE IN HARD TIMES is a delightful read. I picked up this book at the library because I'd seen it listed on another blogger's reading list. It was the title that first caught my attention. I have been craving some fresh cherries, though they are no where to be found at the moment. I'll have to wait till late spring.

I read this book on a Sunday afternoon. It is light and easy and thoughtfully written. CHERRIES IN WINTER is about finding one's inner compass during difficult times. It's about reaching back to find the stories of our families, both the struggles and the triumphant times. But it is also about learning to accept one's situation and make the best of it with a positive attitude.

The author, Suzan Colón, now a contributing writer and editor for O, the Oprah Magazine, suddenly found herself laid off during the economic downturn of 2008 from her six figure dream job at a magazine. Her husband was employed, and she was able to work as a freelance writer, but with significantly less income it was necessary for the couple to cut back on expenses. Cooking from her grandmother's recipes and eating at home was one of Ms. Colón's solutions to living on a tight budget.

The book is laced with humor, such as Suzan's Rigatoni Disoccupati, or the "Pasta of the Unemployed". Her recipe consists of 1/2 lb. pasta and a jar of prepared spaghetti sauce. The various recipes that Colón found in a file among her grandmother's things are interspersed throughout this book. As a young child, Colón spent much time with her grandparents, but it is while cooking these family recipes along side her mother, that she begins to learn the stories of the strength of her grandparents as they struggled through difficult years during the Great Depression.

My parents also struggled through the depression and the frugal times of WW II. Much like Ms. Colón's family, my parents have shared their stories of lean times and sparse means that many suffered during this period in history. I've watched my mother live her life as if she were still dealing with those difficult times. Her mother had taught her that thrift was vital in all things. She lived by the motto: "Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without."

CHERRIES IN WINTER is not a recipe book, but rather a story about three generations of women who find comfort and stability through cooking and the solace that comes from eating good, simple food. It's also the story of how a positive attitude, a sense of humor, and a splurge now and then can make one feel rich, even when there is little money.

One of the clear messages of this book is that cooking and baking provide excellent therapy for dealing with stress. Toward the end of the book when struggles with infertility are revealed, Ms. Colón turns to her Nana's recipe for lemon meringue pie.

Though Suzan ends up pouring a liquid meringue down the sink, she and her husband then settle for a lemon tart. Suzan realizes that she and her husband already share a wonderfully satisfying life together, even without children. She wants for nothing and feels rich.

Imperfections happen in cooking and in our day to day life. It is best to accept things for what they are and move on in life.

My motto has always been:

"When life gives you lemons . . .

make a lemon meringue pie!"

H Is For . . .

is for

House which one makes into a Home,

a safe Harbor for one's family~

and for the gracious

Host and Hostess who open their door

to offer outstretched arms of

Heartfelt Hospitality

as they welcome all who may enter their

HOME.

Books about Homes seem to accumulate here at HFTS. Ever since I was a young child I've been fascinated with the architecture and interiors of homes. I never tire of seeing how others live within their homes and gardens. Whether it weekend neighborhood Open Houses, holiday Home Tours, Heritage Home Tours, or the annual AIA and ASID home tours, I'm an eager participant. There is always something to be learned from exploring these venues.

So it's only logical that home and garden magazines have also long been favored reading material for me, and I often find it difficult to part with some of these publications. I've stacks of back issues that I just couldn't let go of. But with recent efforts to curb my magazine subscriptions, I, like many others, am reading more on-line these days. And we all know that there is no shortage of blogs that rival the best professional publications when it comes to sharing amazing photos of home interiors and gardens.

Across the Pond is the perfect example of just such a blog. As a journal of Mary's daily life in her NC cottage and her frequent travels, her blog invites the reader to share the loveliest of images of architecture, interiors, gardens, and travels both stateside and abroad. Mary, a transplanted Brit, has lived in the states for 47 years but frequently returns to Europe and beyond. Fortunately for those who follow her blog, each new posts is filled with the essence of true hospitality and charm. And I, was the fortunate individual to directly benefit from her gracious hospitality and generosity.

Not long ago, Mary celebrated 3 years and her 800th post with a GIVEAWAY. This dear individual decided to send one lucky reader a celebratory vintage gift. And I was that lucky individual! From the moment I opened the package, I knew this was no ordinary gift. For gently resting beneath a nest of delicately imprinted tissue and bits of shredded vintage sheet music . . .

were not one, but three beautiful gifts wrapped with love and oozing charm. At first sight was a fragrant sachet de Fleurs de Lavande, that offered a whiff of one of my fragrance here at HFTS. Two more gifts elegantly wrapped in bronzed tissue that glistened with golden flecks were gently encased in sleeves of vintage sheet music.

One was tied with a ribbon of silver satin and a poetic African proverb attached. Between the fragrance of lavender and the visual of these beautiful words, a song of joy filled my heart.

The beautiful script and words of the African proverb delighted my senses as I read the words of inspiration, and then found yet another thoughtful note inscribed to me on the reverse. In this day of email and unlimited long distance phone minutes, the handwritten note has become a lost art. How sad, for with all this convenience we've almost abandoned the joy of putting one's thoughts and feelings onto beautiful papers with one's own script.

Within these packages were gifts obviously selected with much thoughtfulness and care.

A set of vintage Macassar spoons from Singapore lay cradled within a velvet lined box. Mary had purchased two boxes of these spoons from one of her favorite antique stores, one for herself and one for her celebration giveaway.

Within the other tissue wrap were tea bags from Harrods of London, and this pair of gorgeous vintage linen napkins.

The finely stitched embroidery and pulled thread work on these fine linen treasures made my heart skip a beat. Oh, how I love vintage linens!

At the very bottom of Mary's blog page is a quote:

"Home is where your story begins."

Visit Mary @ Across the Pond, and I think you'll agree that she definitely exemplifies the meaning of Home, Hostess, and Heartfelt Hospitality. Thank you, Mary, for your gracious hospitality through Across the Pond, and thank you for the gift of your beautiful friendship and these thoughtful treasures.

I've been away from home the past few days attending an out of town workshop. When I arrived home this evening, I shared the feelings of Dorothy, "There's no place like home!"

"Home is where my Heart is."

You'll find more Lessons on the letter H here at Jenny Matlock's.

Put a Little Pink In Your Day!

With the official first day of spring still two weeks away, I picked up this sweet little African violet to provide a bit of cheer on the gray days we continue to have of late. The African violet, with its velvety leaves and dainty blooms, is one of the easiest of house plants. It seems to like the conditions within most houses and provides a sparkle of joy as it continuously produces delicate blooms of blue or purple or pink, like this one. These plants don't require direct sunlight and are perfect sitting on a windowsill. I've learned over time that they also don't like to be wet, and that it is best to water them from a saucer below. So if you are looking to add a bit of color to brighten what is left of our winter days, then I suggest you too pick up one of these easy care little bloomers. It's a sure fire way to put a little pink in your day!

Thanks to Beverly @ How Sweet the Sound for hosting our Pink Saturdays. Beverly suggests that we try to visit some of the new participants each week to meet new friends and then link to them in a future post. So today I want to introduce you to a new blog I recently discovered through Pink Saturday.

Petite Little Bee is the blog of a San Francisco girl who is a lover of everything beautiful. With San Francisco being one of my favorite US destinations, I was smitten from the first visit. Click here and you will see that Petite Little Bee is truly pinkalicious.

G is for a Ginger Tea Party

is for

Ginger

and you're invited to a Ginger Tea Party

In honor of this week's letter G, tea will be served in Ginori china in the Palermo Brown pattern.

I've brewed an herbal ginger tea with a spicy taste. This beverage has long been used in the Chinese culture as a warming beverage. It is thought to be an energy boosting tonic.

Even though it is the delicate color of ginger, don't be deceived. It is full of flavor.

There is a tray of ginger thins of a Swedish recipe.

A silver cake stand holds squares of delicious old fashioned gingerbread cake.

This crystal and silver overlay compote holds one of my favorite treats. These soft and chewy ginger candies are all natural and delicious. They are made by Royal Pacific Foods - The Ginger People.

Please help yourself to a plate of ginger goodies and let me tell you about this amazing plant.

Ginger a spicy treat that comes in many forms.

Ginger root is actually a rhizome, a horizontal stem of a plant. Native to both China and India, it is a delicacy that is used for both cooking and medicinal purposes. Whole raw ginger is what is commonly thought of as fresh ginger. It provides the most potent taste.

The flowers of ginger are sold as a popular tropical plant here in the states. The interesting blooms grow on thick woody stems with dark green sword like leaves. In Samoa these red blooms are used in leis during important ceremonies and worn by the royalty.

We have a ginger that grows in our garden. It freezes back in the winter, but comes back lush and green each spring. Last year it was covered with pink blooms. This year we've had a severe winter so it completely froze. I've cut it back, and shoots are already beginning to poke up through the ground.

Ginger is often used as a spice in many recipes. It is one of the earliest spices to be used in Western Europe. Powdered ginger, a ground spice made from dried root, is commonly used in baking recipes.

Crystallized ginger can be used in cooking or simply eaten as a treat. It has been cooked in a sugar syrup, then dried and rolled in sugar.

Ginger has a pungent flavor and has been an important part of Chinese medicine for centuries. It is said to help with digestion and often taken to prevent motion sickness.

Ginger Ale is also often used to settle an upset stomach. This ginger brew is made from herbs, roots, spices, and fruits, and it definitely has a strong ginger bite.

I like to eat these ginger chews from The Ginger People for a hot and spicy tidbit of sweet candy.

Logo used with permission of Royal Pacific Foods - The Ginger People

I've consumed so much ginger today while working on this post, I feel I just might turn into one of these Ginger People. If you too are a fan of ginger then you'll want to visit The Ginger People website here. They offer a wide selection of products from baked goods to candies to sauces to pantry essentials to gluten free products. There is also an extensive section of recipes that use ginger in drinks, appetizers, sides, soups, salads, main dishes, and desserts. The Ginger People also publish Chat-n-Chew, a monthly newsletter available through email.

Thanks for joining me today. For more Letter G Lessons join Mrs. Matlock's class here. To see more table settings visit Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday.

References used:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginger

http://www.theepicentre.com/Spices/ginger.html